How to Kill Flying Carpenter Bees
Carpenter bees resemble bumble bees except carpenter bees have black upper abdomens. Carpenter bees also are not as hairy as bumble bees. Carpenter bees are easy to identify because they burrow into untreated wood to build their homes, causing damage as they go. Although carpenter bees are not as aggressive as bumble bees, you need to treat an infestation of carpenter bees as soon as possible to protect your home. If you would like to rid your property of carpenter bees without hiring an expensive professional exterminator, you can build a trap or use insecticides to kill the bees. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- 20-ounce plastic soda bottle
- Soap
- Water
- Utility knife
- Sugar
- Funnel
- String
- Aerosol insecticide
- Dust insecticide
- Caulk
Instructions
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Method One: Traps
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Clean an empty 20-ounce plastic soda bottle with soap and water.
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2
Cut three or four 'X' shapes in the side of the bottle using a utility knife. The cuts should be located halfway down the bottle and spaced evenly around the circumference of the bottle.They each should be about 1/2-inch tall.
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3
Press your finger into the center of each X to create openings in the bottle. The openings should be large enough for a carpenter bee to enter. Do not make them too large or the bees will be able to fly back out.
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Mix 3 tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 -cup of water together until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the mixture into the bottle so that 1/2-inch of sugar mixture is in the bottle. To make filling easier, use a funnel. Place the lid on the bottle.
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5
Tie a length of string around the neck of the bottle and hang your bottle from a tree or awning. The bees will fly into the bottle to get to the sugar mixture and will not be able to find a way back out. They will eventually drown.
Method Two: Insecticides
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Spray an aerosol insecticide with one percent propoxur into the holes of the carpenter bee hive. Different brands of sprays may have different instructions, so be sure to follow the manufacturer's suggestions.
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Leave the spray for three to four days as it takes effect and begins to kill the carpenter bees.
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Apply a dust insecticide that contains deltamerthin into the holes according to package directions.
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Allow the dust to remain in the holes over the next two to three days to kill the remaining carpenter bees.
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Plug all entrance holes into the carpenter bee hives once you have killed the bees. This will prevent future swarms from entering the ready-made hives. You can use caulking or wood putty.
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Tips & Warnings
Be sure to wear protective clothing when treating for bees, such as gloves, long sleeves and pants. Although carpenter bees are not generally aggressive, they might sting if they feel threatened.
The pesticides will kill the carpenter bees as they come and go from the hive.
References
- Photo Credit carpenter bee image by john barber from Fotolia.com
Comments
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This method is more for when you actually catch them burrowing, so it's only an immediate solution. The best use for hair spray I have found is as an insecticide. Spray them and it "shellacs" them. Have used this on bees, yellow jackets, wasps and carpenter bees. Works every time!
