Who dug this hole in the exterior wooden frame of my garden? It was my big concern a few days ago when I saw a number of holes in the underlying areas of the attic frame. To my surprise, a tiny bee was responsible for all this damage.
How can a bee do this? Why is this little insect drilling wood so quickly? What is the actual name of this wood cutting bee? Bundle of such queries messed up my mind. My first search was to find out the name of this wood-boring bee. Funny, its name is carpenter bee which actually resembles a lot of its wood cutting qualities. The next step is to figure out effective ways of getting rid of these so-called wood-boring bees.
So, read how to get rid of wood boring bees? While Carpenter bees are an essential part of our ecosystem, never try to kill them. There are numerous other effective ways to get control over the damage they cause to exterior wooden structures. You can build a nest for them so that they would not drill holes in your garden. You can kick off them by using traps as well as insecticide sprays. Natural remedies like vinegar spray, fragrant oils, and loud music also help to keep them away but not permanently.
The main problem while treating bees is that they are at the same time friend and enemies both. They are friends of flowers in the garden as they do the task of pollination. But the enemy of wooden projects as they build nests in the form of deep holes to lay eggs there. So the wise thing is to eliminate them without causing any damage to their population.
Products Used in the Process of Getting Rid of Carpenter Bees:
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How To Identify Wood Bees?
The first step is to know the target bees and how to tell them apart from other bees. What I got after the research is there for you to read on!
Carpenter bees or wood-boring bees belong to the species of genus Xylocopa which include about 500 bees. The first step in killing carpenter bees is to identify them. If you go on killing all types of bees, the pollination process will disturb. Other bees like bumblebees don’t affect wood because they nest on the ground. Carpenters bees are often mistaken as bumblebees whereas both are slightly different. Let’s see the table below
Carpenter bee Vs Bumblebee table
| Carpenter bee | Bumblebee |
| 3/4inch-1inch in size | 3/4inch |
| Make a nest inside wood | Make a nest on the ground |
| Black & yellow in color | Black & Yellow in color |
| Hairless abdomen | Hairy abdomen |
Where To Find Carpenter Bees In Your Garden
As the name suggests nesting in wood behavior, they mostly target outdoor wooden structures. Females make a hole of 3 to 4 inches deep like chambers in wood to lay eggs. They are very harmful and can bring huge damage to your property. It is very easy to inspect your garden for the presence of these wood bees. You can find them
- Near the broad holes created by them in wooden frames
- Right above the sawdust particles
- Underlying attic
- Wooden fencing or frames
5 Amazing Ways To Keep Carpenter Bees Away
There are plenty of ways to kick off these bees from your garden. But remember they facilitate pollination. Killing them totally can affect the beauty of your garden. Let’s move further to decide how you can eliminate them without any harm.
1. Building Bees Nest To Control Wood Damage
Do you think killing bees is the only solution? No, other options are also there. Wood bees are productive as well as destructive to the garden. Productive in a way that they help in pollination.Destructive because they can create ugly broad holes in wooden structures to build nests for them. They will stop damaging your exterior wooden frames if you arrange bee nests for them as shown in the video. You can buy these hanging treehouse-like structures easily. You can also make bee houses by yourself following the video instruction. Follow the steps below
- Buy or build bee houses according to the area of the garden
- Hang these houses along with the holes caused by bees
- Put bait or fragrant eatable to attract them
- Instead of damaging your garden exterior, bees would fly towards these nests.
2. Carpenter Bee Traps
Do you want to trap annoying wood bees? If yes, go on with this option. You can buy carpenter bee traps from garden accessories shops or using this link. If you can’t manage to buy these traps you can make them easily at home by following the video below. These traps are pre-baited and easy to hang.
Under the holes created by bees. Bees would attract to the scent of the bait and get trapped there. You can open traps easily to the rebate.
3. Insecticide Spray
To control carpenter bees invading a larger area, pest spray is the best option. However, these sprays may cause allergic reactions in kids and pets. Keep them away and don’t forget to wear a mask before spraying as shown in the video below. Some Insecticides contain active ingredients like Pyrethrins – 1.0%; Piperonyl Butoxide – 10.0%; Amorphous Silica Gel – 40.0% to kill carpenter bees. These insecticide sprays are effective with long-lasting results. It is better to call a pest control expert for such sprays. They know safety measures well.
4. Eliminating Wood Bees Using A Vacuum
The vacuum cleaner or blower can be used in multiple ways to eliminate these insects. It can act as a sucker as well as a blower. To suck bees, use the smallest attachment and put it on the mouth of bee holes. Bees will move towards the sucker and trap it there. Though it is a bit messy, you can dispose of them after this.
Vacuum air has pressure to drive away bees out of the nest. Blow vacuum near the nesting area or hole to fly away invading bees. Don’t forget to wear safety headcovers
5. Natural Remedies To Control Wood Bees
There are so many simple home remedies to get rid of wood bees that you can employ within your house. Here are a few that you can try for useful results.
1. Vinegar spray
Look around your kitchen and urbanities. Maybe you still have a bottle of white vinegar in the fridge. Put it in a spray bottle and just spray it near bee holes. Bees would fly away instantly with the smell of vinegar.
2. Applying fragrant oils
By applying repellents or almond oil, you can drive away bees. However, this remedy is not a permanent solution to the problem. It is just a temporary relief natural remedy.
3. Loud Music
Wood bees have sensitive eardrums. If you play loud music constantly around their nest, they would fly away. Beware, neighbors may not like this technique.
4. Fix holes
If you block the existing holes of bees then they would fly away. So, insert wood putty, wood glue, or fillers to block these holes properly.
Related Articles: How To Get Rid Of Wood Roaches | 4 Easiest Ways
Tips To Prevent Carpenter Bees
Gardeners often fly bees away, but there is no guarantee that they would not come back again. To prevent them from invading again follow the tips below.
- If you are choosing the spraying pest option then spray 2-3 times to get good results
- The best time to treat them is the end of the winter month and the start of spring
- Fill the existing holes and tunnels with wood putty, glue, or filling to prevent reinvading
- Carpenter bees don’t attract towards painted wood. So, it is advised to paint exterior woods every year
- Keep on evaluating exterior wooden frames regularly
- If you fail to get control over bees, call professional pest control experts.
Related Question
How do you keep wood boring bees away?
To get rid of bees, spray the insecticide, build bee nest homes and use bee traps.
How do you get rid of boring bees?
You can get rid of bees by spraying the insecticide, building bee nest homes, and using bee traps.
How do you get rid of boring bees naturally?
Bees are naturally repelled by the smell of citrus oil, vinegar, and brewing garlic.
Does vinegar kill carpenter bees?
More acidic Vinegar doesn’t kill bees but drives them away from the nesting area.
Final Verdict
Gardeners should always know how to get rid of wood boring bees. This article focuses on everything about wood cutting bee names, identification, and controlling techniques. It is better to treat the problem of bees at an early stage. In this attempt, don’t try to destroy the ecosystem by killing bees totally. In my opinion, it is best to go with the option of building a nest home as it is a productive and effective way to get control over bees.
