# What do you do about carpenter bees?



## Yunzow (Mar 16, 2017)

This afternoon I found two carpenter bees busily making holes in the bottom board, one had made it all the way through. What do y'all do? My first instinct is to duct tape it all.


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## Buzzed (Oct 26, 2014)

I swat them with a broom. I'm not seen them boring holes in my Woodward. I'm not sure they would survive long once they got into the hive? Their pissy things for sure.


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## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

I find it much more satisfying to play a round of badminton with them. I only have to score one hit if I do it right. They make a satisfying twang off the racquet. A tennis racket has too large a weave. They're fond of boring into the wood trim on our log cabin, so we have a low tolerance for them. The ones that want to get in your face are the drones: no sting, all bluff, and not much good sense.

When they get into the hive they usually come out again in a hurry with a couple of guard bees on their backs.

I caulk their holes. On the cabin (but never on hives) I use a foaming termite killer, that stays in the hole.


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## Branman (Aug 20, 2003)

I'm with Phoebee, I use my kid's badminton racquets and go to town.


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## Yunzow (Mar 16, 2017)

okay i duct taped the holes because they came back after I drove them away. Yeah I think the bees can take them, but they won't notice until they've made a bunch of holes in the bottom, I'll let you know!


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## gtwarren1966 (Jul 7, 2015)

Stick a 3/8 dowel rod in the hole and cut it off even


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

The carpenter bees around here seem to avoid painted wood. Is the bottom board painted where the carpenter bee holes are?


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## Yunzow (Mar 16, 2017)

I think that is a very good point. Hopefully the duct tape will serve the same purpose, I can't see them wanting to chew through a bunch of adhesive.



Rader Sidetrack said:


> The carpenter bees around here seem to avoid painted wood. Is the bottom board painted where the carpenter bee holes are?


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## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

Yunzow said:


> I think that is a very good point. Hopefully the duct tape will serve the same purpose, I can't see them wanting to chew through a bunch of adhesive.


Never underestimate the willingness of carpenter bees to chew thru anything, once they get into their tiny brains that that's the spot to chew. I can show you spots where they've chewed thru a caulk plug. High-grade, tough, outdoor stuff, not wimpy latex.


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## Yunzow (Mar 16, 2017)

Okay, I double checked. Looks like they gave up. Maybe it was the blue?



Phoebee said:


> Never underestimate the willingness of carpenter bees to chew thru anything, once they get into their tiny brains that that's the spot to chew. I can show you spots where they've chewed thru a caulk plug. High-grade, tough, outdoor stuff, not wimpy latex.


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## beemartin (Mar 13, 2013)

the bees can handle them, but watch out, the carpenter bee hole becomes a perfect second or third or fourth entrance for your bees too... I have one box that pours bees out of every side thanks to carpenter bees (I've found them dead on the real entrance, so I know they aren't there anymore) :-D


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## Yunzow (Mar 16, 2017)

Oh hey, I see you live in Dacula, or you a top bar keeper?



beemartin said:


> the bees can handle them, but watch out, the carpenter bee hole becomes a perfect second or third or fourth entrance for your bees too... I have one box that pours bees out of every side thanks to carpenter bees (I've found them dead on the real entrance, so I know they aren't there anymore) :-D


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