Carpenter Bees ...

[RBLapham]

As in post #2, Cheap enough to give them a try. I use them on the front porch and deck and it seems to work for bees, carpenter bees, wasps etc.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B088CVZR8V/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Deere Dude]

BIFEN-IT is a termicide that works wonders for carpenter bees, ants and almost every other bug. Buy it from Do-it yourself pest control. Mix 2-3 ozs per gallon of water and use a tank sprayer to spray down all exposed wood, treated or otherwise.
Spray all rafters, and wood products in the spring and a month or two later hit it again. After the first year bees stay away but will come back eventually if not sprayed at least once in the spring. It is so much easier than to try individual holes.
I tried tennis rackets, powder, various traps but this stuff puts everything else to shame as far as cost to use and works so easy.

 

[kenmbz]

As in post #2, Cheap enough to give them a try. I use them on the front porch and deck and it seems to work for bees, carpenter bees, wasps etc.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B088CVZR8V/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Ouch, those reviews don't look too good.
Especially the ones that got wet.
Or had hornets building nests behind them.

 

[jaxs]

No kids etc but I'm pretty good with a lead rope with a knot on the end! I've heard about the paper bag thing, may have to give that a try. I've hit them hard with brake cleaner, WD40, chain cleaner... they just go dry off and come back for more! And I haven't found a insecticide that works yet despite manufacturer's claim of instant death!

Thanks for the links, I’ll certainly try this on the lower more accessible ones but the ones that are 30-40 feet up are out of the question.
During the day they seem to hang out around the shed row barn, flying around. I was hoping to find something that will just kill on contact like a fly spray would.
Maybe I need a flame thrower

What kind of structures are these with wood bees 40 feet overhead?

 

[Southernspeed]

What kind of structures are these with wood bees 40 feet overhead?

My pole barn is something like 35-40 feet high (guessing but visualising two 16’ boards on end it’s more than that ) and a centre isle barn with hay loft is around 25-30’. The other two barns are just single story fortunately.

 

[Southernspeed]

I have read that carpenter bees hate citrus oil or spray. Maybe try squeezing a lemon/lime/orange by the hole just to try it.

Tried that. Smells nice but ….

 

[CADplans]

I do not believe that

Permethrin​

has been mentioned ,, yet,,

I mix 1/2 ounce of this in a 32 oz spray bottle,,
I have seen the carpenter bees drop almost like they were hit with 22LR shot.

https://www.amazon.com/Durvet-31031-Permethrin-10-8oz/dp/B007TA5QNA/ref=sr_1_5?crid=20STZ5HUYA3W&keywords=permethrin+insecticide&qid=1679700607&sprefix=permith%2Caps%2C126&sr=8-5

This spray is great on stink bugs,, etc,,
I spray it around the house eves in the fall, to eliminate spiders (we are overrun with spiders in the fall)

I have used this on hornet nests, ground bees,, any insect that I am tired of,,

When you calculate the per quart cost,, this stuff is cheap fun for insect hunting,,

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Chlordane.
Growing up my grandfather next door bought it by the drum. He sprayed everything with it. We never had bees, stink bugs, powder postbeetles, termites ... anything. Then it was outlawed.
I can still picture him spraying fruit and nut trees with it raining down on him! (He was a doctor, lived to be quite old).
I'd love to drive south to Mexico and sneak some back!
The best stuff.

 

[Southernspeed]

When you used the brake cleaner was it the chlorinated stuff? I have never seen any flying insect able to resist chlorinated hydrocarbons of any sort. Brakleen comes in two types, chlorinated and non-chlorinated.
Eric

I’ve tried a couple of brands, not sure if chlorinated or not. I hit one today with chain cleaner ( a bit like brake cleaner ) , little bugger dropped out the sky then buzzed around furiously on its back for about a minute ……. then flew away. I thought it was dying, in agony but turns out it was just rolling around laughing at me!!

 

[Southernspeed]

I do not believe that

Permethrin​

has been mentioned ,, yet,,

I mix 1/2 ounce of this in a 32 oz spray bottle,,
I have seen the carpenter bees drop almost like they were hit with 22LR shot.

https://www.amazon.com/Durvet-31031-Permethrin-10-8oz/dp/B007TA5QNA/ref=sr_1_5?crid=20STZ5HUYA3W&keywords=permethrin+insecticide&qid=1679700607&sprefix=permith%2Caps%2C126&sr=8-5

This spray is great on stink bugs,, etc,,
I spray it around the house eves in the fall, to eliminate spiders (we are overrun with spiders in the fall)

I have used this on hornet nests, ground bees,, any insect that I am tired of,,

When you calculate the per quart cost,, this stuff is cheap fun for insect hunting,,

Tried that too

 

[CADplans]

Tried that too

If it failed, it was simply mixed too weak.
The spray that comes pre-mixed is WAY WEAK!!
You gotta mix it yourself, and make it strong enough to drop the bee.

The commercial stuff is making a profit, not killing bees.
they are selling 99.99% water.

D I Y

 

[Southernspeed]

If it failed, it was simply mixed too weak.
The spray that comes pre-mixed is WAY WEAK!!
You gotta mix it yourself, and make it strong enough to drop the bee.

The commercial stuff is making a profit, not killing bees.
they are selling 99.99% water.

D I Y

I mixed my own, not sure how strong I mixed it but I’ll give it another try for sure. Thanks.

 

[CADplans]

The hunting season opened today,,

I bagged four with permethrin,, and one with CCI shotshell,,

One Shot - One Kill

I used a S&W 617 - No Dash, aftermarket rear site,

Muzzleloader season opens Saturday,,,


(LOL!! )

 

[Alan46]

Are they a back east bug? We never heard about them in Oregon!

 

[ponytug]

Are they a back east bug? We never heard about them in Oregon!

Versions of them are out west, too. They are amongst the best pollinators in our area.

All the best,

Peter

 

[kenmbz]

I have seen a few, trap has been put out.
Had a lot of damage from woodpeckers finding them before I did.

 

[Southernspeed]

The hunting season opened today,,

I bagged four with permethrin,, and one with CCI shotshell,,

One Shot - One Kill

I used a S&W 617 - No Dash, aftermarket rear site,View attachment 793895

Muzzleloader season opens Saturday,,,


(LOL!! )

Great fun but around $2 a pop, better get a few of them to line up at once

 

[etpm]

The hunting season opened today,,

I bagged four with permethrin,, and one with CCI shotshell,,

One Shot - One Kill

I used a S&W 617 - No Dash, aftermarket rear site,View attachment 793895

Muzzleloader season opens Saturday,,,


(LOL!! )

How ya gonna cook it?
Eric

 

[ponytug]

How ya gonna cook it?
Eric

Wouldn't that bee ideal for planking?...

 

[BoylermanCT]

I live in a log home and I built 6 carpenter bee traps. A 4" block of 4x4 post with 4 3/8" holes going upward into the block. The 4 holes meet inside the block to a 1/2" hole going straight down. A mason jar is mounted on the bottom of the block. The bees climb into one of the 4 entrances on the side, and then down the main tunnel into the mason jar. They can't get out. Each trap will capture 30-40 bees in a few weeks. I empty them and keep capturing more bees.

Not my video, but this is what they look like:

I have found the wood peckers do way more damage than the bees. They open up the bee tunnels and wreak havok on my log siding, in particular on my garage. The bees don't tend to bore into my log home, just the garage which has log siding on regular stick built construction.