Carpenter Bees!

[mcolford]

Ive got 1 board on my garage that they live in, and I go out every now and again and go all Mcenroe on them. Its a blast.....

But I think Im going to take that piece of wood down, and replace it as to get rid of them on a more premanent basis.

 

[Roscoe38]

Thanks everybody for chiming in. Some pretty good stuff here, My little critters are entering below my vinyl siding just above the foundation. I've got Terminex coming tomorrow. Maybe they can get rid of them with out the Flame Thrower... LOL

 

[patience0830]

Thanks everybody for chiming in. Some pretty good stuff here, My little critters are entering below my vinyl siding just above the foundation. I've got Terminex coming tomorrow. Maybe they can get rid of them with out the Flame Thrower... LOL

Leaf blower and Sevin dust shaken thru the intake. 12ga and #8 dove loads. Sevin in a mustard bottle to blow it into the holes.
Badminton racket is almost as much fun as the shotgun.

I love it when I shoot one and just the wings come fluttering down.

 

[cobber]

Hairspray and a butane cigarette lighter on the fliers coming and going?

Not quite as hot as a flamethrower, and doesn't stick and burn...

 

[TrentS]

They generally prefer unpainted wood. The females burrow in and then turn sideways and lay eggs. The males act all crazy but are totally harmless. The females are docile but carry the fire power. They will chew through caulk. A roofing nail head fits the hole perfect. Shove a nail up in the hole caulk it in and paint when the caulk cures. Don't waste money on treatments. You're last and usually best fix is.......replace the wood. I know it sucks but they usally attack 1x trim boards. Not real expensive but try the roofing nail first. Tennis rackets are fun for a while but it does get old and you don't want tennis elbow.

 

[92ThoStro]

Would spraying that expanding foam insulator around where the siding and foundation meet, help? I remember during the flooding we had in the greater Nashville area a few years back, our.neighbors used the stuff.to seal up their foundation and crawlspace. Our house was on higher ground and we had a retention pond in the back yard. We were all good. They were swamped though. Bees wouldn't chew that stuff, right?

 

[cosermann]

Never knew what carpenter bees were until we bought our first house in Indy some years ago. They went after the facia on my detatched garage.

Covered the facia [1] with aluminum myself. Problem solved. They can't eat/don't eat through aluminum.

[1] FYI, the facia is the vertical board that covers the end of your rafters. See below:

 

[4sarge]

Never knew what carpenter bees were until we bought our first house in Indy some years ago. They went after the facia on my detatched garage.

Covered the facia [1] with aluminum myself. Problem solved. They can't eat/don't eat through aluminum.

[1] FYI, the facia is the vertical board that covers the end of your rafters. See below:
View attachment 20816

Covering is the Best Final Solution. I tired of the War on Bees and they had more free time than I did

 

[buffalohump]

Same as snakes...... Shoot them bbs to 12 gauge. get the nest guard & they will leave. Worked for me

 

[CTS]

Covering is the Best Final Solution. I tired of the War on Bees and they had more free time than I did

I declared a state of Beehad and waged a holy war against them. It was brutal.

 

[Bunnykid68]

I declared a state of Beehad and waged a holy war against them. It was brutal.

But did you survive?

 

[Caleb]

But did you survive?

No...his spirit is posting to this thread.

 

[Nazgul]

Got 18 of the bastards today. 45 Colt Ruger single action loaded with Red Dot and rice. Did drive bys while mowing the lawn.

Don

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Got 18 of the bastards today. 45 Colt Ruger single action loaded with Red Dot and rice. Did drive bys while mowing the lawn.

Don

Nice! What's the trick to loading the rice/keeping it in the casing? Wax? Paper? And how loud is the report? I'd love to be able to sit on my deck with a .22 revolver and shot shells, but I'm not sure my neighbors would be too crazy about it. Squirting them with wasp and hornet spray isn't nearly as satisfying, and it makes a mess. I just had to fill some of the holes they've drilled in my deck rafters the other day.

 

[olhorseman]

I don't fill in the holes. I just put some Drione powder in them that kills bees in the hole then any hatched eggs. If you leave the holes open, it invites bees back (they are lazy squatters) and the remaining Drione will kill the new squatters.

 

[dudley0]

They have a special spray just for carpenter bees. Lowes carries it. Kills em better than wasp spray.

I ripped a section of aluminum off my garage door frame. They love it in there. I wrapped it and then a month later drove thru and ripped it off again. Now I just kill the bees because I am too lazy to bring the brake over.

Might look into building one of those traps that Camera Monkey showed. Then I can take it to jobsites once I finish wrapping the garage again.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

They have a special spray just for carpenter bees. Lowes carries it. Kills em better than wasp spray.

I ripped a section of aluminum off my garage door frame. They love it in there. I wrapped it and then a month later drove thru and ripped it off again. Now I just kill the bees because I am too lazy to bring the brake over.

Might look into building one of those traps that Camera Monkey showed. Then I can take it to jobsites once I finish wrapping the garage again.

Ah, I didn't know that. I'd noticed that while the wasp spray does work, it sure doesn't knock them down very quick. Still won't be as much fun as shooting them would be. I haven't seen any back for a couple of days, so I don't think I have a major population at least.

 

[d.kaufman]

I use brake cleaner. Knocks them down instantly. Think it burns their wings off.

 

[gregkl]

I use brake cleaner. Knocks them down instantly. Think it burns their wings off.

That would be interesting to me. I assume it leaves no mess?

 

[d.kaufman]

That would be interesting to me. I assume it leaves no mess?

No mess. Other than dead bees on the ground. Works great on wasps as well. Just make sure you dont get any spray in your eyes(burns like he**) and if you have any plants/flowers try and avoid hitting them as well