Carpenter Bee Season in the SE

[bdhsfz6]

Not sure about the WD-40 but the tennis racket is a winner. Just stand close where they are flying and eventually they will hover right in front of you and you can whack them back to the Stone Age. After 20 or 30 dead ones the queen figures it out and moves on.

I find a badmitton racket works better. It's lighter and easier to swing.
I put a few whacked ones in the trap to attract others. After a few weeks, they're all gone.

 

[hiddentacocatneddih]

DE over the wood seems to detract them. I mix it with water and spray or.brush it on heavy. Spraying any flowers around the structure with malthion or something harsh turns them away.

 

[2manyrocks]

I built a couple of carpenter bee traps using sections of cedar trees (didn't have any 4x4 stock on hand) plus mason jars this Spring. Between the bee traps and using a racket, I've had the best success I've ever had in reducing their population. I was skeptical about building the bee traps, but they really have worked well for me.

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

I started loading up the Crosman 760 air rifle with cous cous.

Pump it up, shove a tiny wad of tissue down the bore with a length of brazing rod. Tip about 10 grains of cous cous down the bore using a post-it funnel, (I eyeballed the charge once, close enough) follow up with another "patch" to keep it all in place.

Mini wing shooting, damn hard to hit, Even at 6 feet or less, but great fun. Get 'em while they are loitering around the holes. Tough little bugs, I usually need to step on 'em to make sure they don't resurrect themselves.

Ingenuity my son also enjoyed. He later said it was better than video games, because its the real thing. We used a similiar method and it was good father son time.

 

[sixdogs]

I find a badmitton racket works better. It's lighter and easier to swing.
I put a few whacked ones in the trap to attract others. After a few weeks, they're all gone.

You are right. Below is what I use and is perfect for whacking carpenter bees.