How to Get Rid of Carpenter Bees

well max decor

17 Mar, 2024

These large bees chew holes in your fences, decks and outbuildings, but they are pollinators. Here are some tips for dealing with carpenter bees and some justifications for thinking about coexisting with them.

We can all agree that the holes that carpenter bees leave in our fences, potting benches, patios, pergolas, and outbuildings are not nice. We are reminded of how those enormous bees gained their moniker when they appear in the spring. Females chew holes in trees and wooden structures where they can lay eggs. Carpenter bees dig holes so fast, you'd think they were flying around with a small power drill.

These animals must go, you think. Not so fast.

Consider this before using insecticides or even environmentally friendly bee traps to eradicate carpenter bees: these gentle giants are pollinators. Their visits to eggplants, tomatoes, blueberries and other vegetables and flowers help these plants produce our valuable crops. These beneficial wood-chewing insects frequently collaborate with honey bees for pollination.

Furthermore, carpenter bees do not sting humans. They are gentle creatures, says Dr. Keith Delaplaine, director of the University of Georgia's Honey Bee Program. Furthermore, Delaplane stated that termites don't really cause a lot of structural harm. Carpenter bee damage is unlikely to cause your porch to collapse. Because carpenter bees reproduce so slowly, you won't get a catastrophic swarm of them. A brood queen can live 20 years, a carpenter bee a few years, tops.

"That said, I like goofy guys and enjoy watching their territorial capering in the spring," observed Delaplaine.

Seek methods to prevent carpenter bees from disturbing your woodwork, he advises, rather than attempting to eradicate them. Learn how to coexist with these insects without killing them.

How to Keep Carpenter Bees Away

Apply a Citrus-Oil Based Spray

Carpenter bees avoid strong odors. Make a DIY spray with essential oils or buy commercially prepared products. Carpenter bees do not like cinnamon, spearmint or peppermint, Dr. says Dan Sweeter, professor of urban entomology in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at UGA. A spray made with that essential oil repels animals. The best time to put essential oils on your deck, patio post or potting bench is during the spring, when female carpenter bees are looking for nesting sites.

Plug Carpenter Bee Holes ASAP

The reason why female carpenter bees drill these tunnels into your deck rails to lay their eggs is so they can hide them from view and protect them from the environment and predators. "Be careful. Look (for nesting) in a place that will be protected from the rain and probably out of your sight," said Dr. Brian Forsler, professor of entomology at UGA. When you find a carpenter bee hole, stuff a mothball into it and then plug it with foil, wood putty or caulk, says Forsler. Carpenter bee generations come back to these holes year after year, according to Sweeter.

Build With Treated Wood

Carpenter bees can, in fact, pierce treated wood, but if you use pressure-treated wood to protect it from the environment and insects, they are less likely to do so.

Paint Outdoor Structures

Yes, carpenter bees can bore through painted wood, but again, they are unlikely to do so. We're looking for prevention here, not a magic cure.

Replace Damaged Wood

Instead of thinking about how to get rid of carpenter bees, they replace the damaged wood. "You can just learn to tolerate the damage and then replace the wood every five years," says Forsler. ""Most people aren't going to go along with it, I know," he continues. " Dr. Forsler said. "They'll be here after we're gone."

But you still say you don't want to coexist with carpenter bees…

Pollinator, pollinator, you want these bees gone. That's your choice. Please do not reach for pesticides.

Eco-friendly Ways to Kill Carpenter Bees

Put out carpenter bee traps in spring and early summer.

Yes, they trap some bees. However, there's no concrete evidence that using traps to keep carpenter bees from destroying your wood works. Sweeter remarked, "We don't know if they trapped the right bees." Males might investigate a strange hole and become stuck. But not harm males." Reducing the number of male carpenter bees can prevent females from successfully reproducing, so traps have some value. Here are step-by-step instructions for making a homemade carpenter bee trap.

Hit them with a tennis racket.

It's like employing a gigantic fly swatter using this strategy. The bees die quickly, you get an upper arm workout and your inner kid gets a jolt of joy when you tin off on a big fat bee.

In summary, there is no known method for eliminating carpenter bees. "We know absolutely nothing about carpenter bee control," explains Sweeter. "There is no information on carpenter bee management. Everything is anecdotal. There is no silver bullet."

How to Get Rid of Carpenter Bees