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carpenter bees

Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2007 10:17 pm
by john2189
how do you get rid of carpenter bees ?

Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2007 6:30 am
by Jeff Silvey
Spray some bee killer in hole then put a shot of spray foam in hole. Be careful not to put to much foam in hole it will split board.
Jeff

Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2007 6:44 am
by Bill Hudson
John,

Here is the link to an Ohio State University Extension FactSheet on carpenter bees http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/pdf/2074.pdf

I hope this helps.

Bill

Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2007 9:58 am
by John *.?-!.* cub owner
You can buy an insulating foram specifically for doors and windows now that will not expand and cause damage as the earlier foams did.

Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 12:36 am
by Tim Moore
I am a little new here as a poster but I can add some ideas. My job is pest managment and animal control at MSU, I also have a personal pest managment business of 12 years. Carpenter bees are difficult. They don't live in a colony and thankfully they aren't aggressive, they like to buzz you but normally don't sting.

I like to use dusts for control. A compound you can buy is Sevin garden dust by Ortho. This is a 5% carbmate as the active ingredient and similar to products that I use--buy it for your garden pests. I have to be careful how this is worded because I can't tell you to use it because carpenter bees might not be on the label as a target pest. If you do find a dust you want to use (and names carpenter bees on the label) and don't have or can't find a hand duster a $2 turkey baster will work. Just load the bulb with dust and at night puff it into the holes (it doesn't take much--don't fill the holes with dust). When done throw out the duster so it doesn't get used for food or clearly mark it with a perminent marker. The dust will stay effective for a long time as it won't get wet in the void. The insects will ingest the dust while cleaning themselves off and it doesn't make them mad like sprays. Bees don't mind dust--it is like pollen that they are used to but sprays are neuro toxins that burn.

After you kill the active insects you should treat the wood they are drilling in. I prefer "permethrin" for this due to its long residual activity and toxicity to bees. You would want to find a liquid formulation that mixes with water and spray it out of your yard sprayer. I use comercial compounds that when mixed are at a .125%. Always follow label directions and no, more isn't necessarily better.

Keep the wood painted or if possible wrap it in aluminum trim. If you have conditions that they like they will probably be back each year.

Always be carefull with pesticides and avoid drift that can contact non target species. Store pesticides away from children and pets.

Good luck and "bee" careful--

Tim Moore

Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 7:28 am
by john2189
thanks all

Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 1:02 pm
by KETCHAM
Beat e'm with a broom!!!I feel like Babe Ruth when I get one.HaHa Kevin He is out of here!!!!

Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 3:29 pm
by Paul B
If carpenter bee's are the same thing as what is called wood bee's around here (look like a bumble bee but smaller), I cut some plugs from a 3/8" wood dowel about an 1'" long. and in the evening when the bee is in the hole it has made, drive the dowel plug in the hole and seal them in. They drill a near perfect 3/8" hole. They seem to love the pressure treated wood in the fence around my back yard, and even drilled into the side rails and decking of my last trailer.

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 12:02 am
by deputy jailer
Hire some Union carpenter bees or some contractor bees that show up part of the time :D But me I would just beat them with the broom :D

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 12:08 pm
by grumpy
Use em for quality entertainment. Sit on your favorite lawn chair with a 6 pack and a B-B gun :lol: :lol: Works for me. Grump

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 12:24 pm
by Into Tractors
I guess my remedy for getting rid of yellow jackets won't work for you. I sneak out at night, pour some gas in the hole while they are inactive, then if the gas fumes don't kill them, I toss a match :!: :twisted: :!:

Pretty sure my method might have some effect on your wood structure :?:

Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 6:35 pm
by paw's49
Yep those yellow jackets are nasty. Got into a mess of them mowing last year. They just didn't like me mowing around their home - not at all. They surely made their point (no pun intended). Wish there was a permanent way to get rid of them. It's about that time of year - I start looking ahead of the mower for holes in the ground.

Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 7:05 pm
by pete1941
Kevin mentioned the broom, but I made a Bumble Bee swatter out of about a 5' piece of PVC and attached a piece of 1/8th mesh wire to the pvc with screws. I stays handy in the shop, so when you hear the buzz, I grab the swatter and hardly ever miss as you create no wind push and beleive it or not, after 2 and 1/2 years, I hardly ever see the bees anymore. And, what's more it's fun and a great stress reducer :roll: :wink: . Pete

Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 9:05 pm
by John *.?-!.* cub owner
I had forgotten about it till the bumble bees were mentioned, but I have heard of people putting an electric fan right at the opening of their nest, and they will fight the moving blades till the die form exhaustion. Don't know if that would work on wood bees or not, but I kind of doubt it.

Buble Bees

Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 1:36 pm
by Uncle Mike
Having never been stung by a bumble, and wanting my stuff polinated, I was wondering kill them off. I heard from a bee keeper that Honey beas don't polinate much, and the bumble are out when its cool and cloudy (Important here in the NW). They seem pretty gentle, my girls are always picking them up off the flowers and holding them.