#CARPENTER BEE HOW TO#
#CARPENTER BEE FREE#

To use this approach efficiently, you’ll need to get as close to them as possible and then spray directly at them making sure to keep the spray on them as long as it takes to knock the out of the air.

The nuisance male bees are easy to kill with BEE AND HORNET FREE. To get rid of carpenter bees, you must think long term. Buildings which have woodpeckers damaging exposed wood probably have some type of larval activity one of the most common larvae found to attract damaging birds is the young carpenter bee. They make enough noise to attract a range of predators including woodpeckers. The larva of carpenter bees is large, noisy and “nutritious”. When you have numerous carpenter bee nests, you will have numerous larva. Problems rapidly escalate and soon you may have hundreds of holes. For this reason a single nest one year will become two or three the following year. Old nests are used year after year and offspring will often times construct nests alongside old nests. In addition to “attacking” people and pets, carpenter bees are a problem because they will readily return to the same wood or location where they were born. Note her shiny metallic abdomen (bottom half of her body). The following video shows a female carpenter bee closeup as she is chewing an entrance hole to a newly formed nest. Bumblebees have yellow and black body hair on all body parts. Second, carpenter bees have an abdomen which is shiny, metallic and black in color. And since the two look similar, its easy to confuse a carpenter bee with a bumble bee but there are two main differences.įirst, carpenter bees are generally larger. For this reason they will routinely be active where bumble bees forage. He has a distinctive yellow face, which may be seen while he is in flight females have a solid black face and will not be interested in people or pets.įemale bees are less likely to be seen and for the most part, spend their time working on nests and collecting food. Ironically the male bee does not have a stinger and is completely harmless. This buzzing scares people into thinking they are being “attacked”. The male bees are naturally curious and will buzz around anything including people, pets and most anything they see moving. Male bees will be hanging around the same plants females use hoping to find a receptive female who is interested in finding a mate. You may find her working Azaleas, Bradford Pears, Daffodils, Pansies and any plant that might provide pollen used to feed her brood. Once her drilling is done, she will spend her days foraging for food. She will defend the nest aggressively and females are armed with a stinger. At night she will stand guard at the nest entry hole. Typically the female carpenter bee will do all the drilling and nest maintenance. Here is what a typical carpenter bee nest would look like from the outside.Īnd if you could peer inside the hole, the drilled out chamber would look like this. It is common for a nest to be two or more feet long with 10 or more sub chambers. These chambers are then capped and sealed tight. Eggs are laid at the end of these chambers and many times in “sub” chambers which can develop over time when nests have been recycled.įemales with then gather food and store it alongside the egg. Just off the main corridor, females will bore segments used as egg chambers. The following video shows close up a freshly drilled hole with a female carpenter bee just inside. This hole will go in straight an inch or two and then turn 90 degrees. When they bore in wood, the hole they drill is about 1/2″ wide and very round, much like one can make using a drill. They will also crawl under the cracks of of homes siding and roofing to use these tight spaces for nests.

#CARPENTER BEE FREE#

To keep your building free of carpenter bees, you must know their biology and habits.Ĭarpenter bees bore holes into wood overhangs, fence posts, and trees used to lay eggs and essentially create nests. They also bother homeowners by “attacking” them though they rarely sting.

Carpenter bees are a nuisance and can cause damage to any wood on your property. This bee is unique from most because it will bore into wood to make its home. You may find it foraging around flowers, shrubs and under the eaves of buildings. Although there are different species, the most common is big and resembles a bumble bee. Carpenter bees are prevalent throughout the United States and active in every state. One such insect super active every spring and summer is the carpenter bee. Spring has sprung! Ornamental trees are blooming, flowers are growing and insects are awakening. ORGANIC BEE REPELLENT AND PAINT ADDITIVE.

#CARPENTER BEE HOW TO#

HOW TO STOP CARPENTER BEES FROM DRILLING NEW HOLES.

HOW TO DUST CARPENTER BEE NESTS OUT OF REACH.

*** DO NOT SEAL CARPENTER BEE HOLES WITH CAULKING ***.

SO WHAT IS THE “BEST” CARPENTER BEE DUST?.