# Carpenter bees



## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

I probably start a post about these damn things this time every year but they always come back. What I want to do this year is put some powder in the gap that they use to get to the wood on my house and then cover that gap so it can't be used anymore. There must be something for this purpose. I will attach a picture so you know what I'm talking about. 
It's at the roof line between the aluminum covered soffit and the vinyl siding. It's the only access they have so dusting to kill what ever bees may be in there nesting and blocking that access point I think will solve my problem for good.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

If you look at the top right corner you can see the yellow crap they push out as they drill in I guess. It's always across that gap and around my upstairs windows.


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## woodchopper65 (Mar 28, 2016)

nikeman said:


> If you look at the top right corner you can see the yellow crap they push out as they drill in I guess. It's always across that gap and around my upstairs windows.


you can spray in some boric acid, then use foam pipe insulation to close in the gap, the insulation is a grey brown color so it will blend nicely..if you need to cut the insulation into strips to fit and then push it in for a tight fit..


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

Is boric acid a liquid or powder? My pest guy used a powder a couple years ago and it knocked down the population a good deal but they regenerated this year.


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## woodchopper65 (Mar 28, 2016)

nikeman said:


> Is boric acid a liquid or powder? My pest guy used a powder a couple years ago and it knocked down the population a good deal but they regenerated this year.


you can get iit in a fine powder or granular for putting on the ground, kills everything it comes in contact with, insect wise, safe for warm blooded pets and people..


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

I have found Sevin dust to be effective against yellow jackets--it might work well with the carpenter bees--

Last fall I made a 20 foot long powder blaster to kill off a huge infestation behind a facia---

All junk from the bed of my truck--
Empty plastic oil bottle
20 feet of 1/2" PVC pipe--

Fill the bottle with the powdered Sevin (about 1/2 to 2/3 full)

stick the pipe into the bottle an inch or two---tape it good with black electrical tape

poke a hole into the shoulder of the oil jug big enough for the tip of your air blow gun

tape that in--tape the air hose to the pipe--you are done!

That blasted the powder out in about a minute---safe distance away from the angry yellow jackets.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

I've read a lot about the fact we're wiping out pollinating bees. I didn't know that Carpenter bees do that also.

http://www.beyondpesticides.org/assets/media/documents/alternatives/factsheets/CARPENTER%20BEE%20CONTROL.pdf

B*oric acid does have some hazards. Look up the SDS.

( I didn't change the type!)
*


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## shakham (Mar 27, 2016)

I have dealt with this problem. I called exterminators twice and they got rid of them, but they came back a year later. Got tired of paying them every year. Found it much cheaper to do it myself.

Best powder to use Drione dust, and the Dustick dusting tool. You don't need the Dustick tool if you can get up there without it, and are comfortable being close to the bees. You just need any duster/puffer. 

Drione dust is the shiznit. Takes care of pretty much any insect you can think of. Totally takes care of Carpenter bees. 

Oh...just a small word of advice...powder needs to stay loose, so you dump 5-6 pennies in the duster to keep the powder puffing nicely.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Main reason your having this issue is who ever built that house messed up when installing the siding and installed the fashia over the siding instead using J molding.
Water over the dam now.
This is what I'd suggest using.
http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/b...onlKY9cDLj-6ImLbIf_n58qCH-siOGVsEwaAjkG8P8HAQ
No way would I suggest trying to fill those gaps with any type of foam Like Great Stuff, it will just come running out and make a mess all over the siding, coil stock and the deck below.
No way is trying to stand on a ladder that high up and trying to use a puffer to trying to get it into those small gaps going to work.
Just going to end up with white powder all over the siding.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

Joe. If I spray that stuff on the gaps how long will it last and will it make its way to any bees inside the gap? I have a 2 gallon round up sprayer that I'll rinse out if this will work


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## woodchopper65 (Mar 28, 2016)

nikeman said:


> Joe. If I spray that stuff on the gaps how long will it last and will it make its way to any bees inside the gap? I have a 2 gallon round up sprayer that I'll rinse out if this will work


that boracare is made out of borax, and at $75.00 a gallon its a rip off, you can buy a 5 pound box of borax for a few $$ and google how to make it into borate, very easy, there are many recipies that work great, its an old ship builders secret to treat the wood for both anti rot and insects... http://homeguides.sfgate.com/borax-....com/market/wood-protection-and-biocides.aspx 
here are 2 links..http://homeguides.sfgate.com/borax-control-wood-pests-77542.html


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

I also want to stress that I can not get to or even see the actual holes. They squeeze between the trim board and siding and dissappear behind it. I have put my fingers up in there and can't get past the 1x board and had bees climb out beside my hand and fly away


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## shakham (Mar 27, 2016)

joecaption said:


> Main reason your having this issue is who ever built that house messed up when installing the siding and installed the fashia over the siding instead using J molding.
> Water over the dam now.
> This is what I'd suggest using.
> http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/b...onlKY9cDLj-6ImLbIf_n58qCH-siOGVsEwaAjkG8P8HAQ
> ...


I used a Dustick from the ground, and puffed up into the eaves. It's pretty easy as you basically stick it in the gap and puff away. You get a blast of dust, and it basically coats everything inside. Any dust on the siding itself washes away next time it rains. The powder stays there really well and you can even see the bees trying to go back up there having trouble. Few days later they are all gone.

Only thing was it is tough handling the tool from far away.

The exterminator used a similar tool, but his was hooked up to a compressor to make it easier. I guess if you're doing it all day, you need it to be less taxing. 

BTW...I am in no way affiliated with any product I'm using. This is just me dealing with the issue from experience.

However...
If someone has a more permanent solution, aka some piece of ridge type molding, j-channel, or whatever. I'm all ears!


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## GottaFixIt (Dec 3, 2010)

My wife came up with an amazingly simple solution to a Carpenter Bee problem we had in my garage a while back:

She left a small radio on very low pointed at the area that they were nesting. It blew my mind that within a day, they packed up and left. After a week, they quit buzzing around the area altogether. They come back every spring until we turn the radio on for a week. 

I know, I know, sounds like a joke, but it's not. Any chance you can run a little radio near that area for a week or so?


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Give Lamb exterminating a call 804-592-9531, Dependable is closer but I do not trust them.
Ask for Chris and tell them Joe Robichaud said to call and tell them you want Chris to show up and look this over.
You've been dealing with this long enough


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## tnprogrammer (Apr 16, 2014)

After discovering (the hard way) four years ago that I have become allergic to wasps, I have become pretty expert at keeping bees and wasps away from my house. The dust is really good stuff if you can get it where you need it. If it is away from the elements it will last a really long time and bees and wasps hate it. Another product I swear by is called Talstar P. I spray the outside of the house (especially the soffits) and the deck with Talstar at the first sign of warm weather and keep doing it every 3-4 weeks during the warm season. Even though my deck is stained, I still see carpenter bees flying all around it at the beginning of spring. Once I spray mine and my neighbor's decks, after one week we have NO carpenter bees, and several visible dead ones. The combination of Drione and Talstar P is something I swear by.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

Where do you buy that stuff? I see a gallon online for $50 but not sure how much area that will cover. Do you poor the gallon in a sprayer or mix it with water? I just want to spray in that gap behind the rack board on both sides of my house and around 3 windows with the same gap.


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## nikeman (Nov 8, 2010)

joecaption said:


> Give Lamb exterminating a call 804-592-9531, Dependable is closer but I do not trust them.
> Ask for Chris and tell them Joe Robichaud said to call and tell them you want Chris to show up and look this over.
> You've been dealing with this long enough


Thanks Joe. I have a guy who works at eplings and he dusted for free a couple years ago. I don't want to ask him again because I'm sure he's not supposed to do that. I'm sure I'll end up paying someone eventually.


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## jlhaslip (Dec 31, 2009)

Make sure the Carpenter Bees clean up all their beer cans before you evict them.

LOL


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## tnprogrammer (Apr 16, 2014)

nikeman said:


> Where do you buy that stuff? I see a gallon online for $50 but not sure how much area that will cover. Do you poor the gallon in a sprayer or mix it with water? I just want to spray in that gap behind the rack board on both sides of my house and around 3 windows with the same gap.


I buy all my stuff from domyownpestcontrol.com.
The great thing about Talstar is it goes a long way. one ounce per gallon. I mix it at about 1.5 oz per gallon.


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