Health & Care Information Carpenter bees belong to the ‘Apidae’, family of bee classified with the family ‘Anthophoridae’ and are about one inch in size. Carpenter bees are well-known to be great pollinators. They are known to shake the pollen loose using their pulsating mechanism. This makes them highly beneficial insect too.
Carpenter bees do not eat wood but do feed on plant pollen and nectar; however, they excavate dry, windowsills, railings, roof eaves, decks, unpainted and weathered wooden objects such as doors, untreated poles, fences and wooden lawn furniture. One of their favorite items to excavate is the rails and posts of oak split rail fences. They prefer pine, fir, Cyprus, oak and redwood, especially if the wood is not covered with bark. Carpenter bees look like bumble bee with similar color and structure. Male carpenter bees are harmless but only female carpenter bee is able to sting, and will only do so when irritated.
Carpenter bees build their nests inside of wooden structures by boring holes approximately 1 inch wide, reaching lengths of 6 feet or more. Every year Carpenter bees tend to utilize the same nests. They clean and expand existing openings. They excavate deeper and deeper into the wood and eventually weaken the structure of the wood. Holes allow water to enter the wood and when the moisture settles in the wood and has no way to evaporate, it causes the wood to decay. Carpenter bees are mainly active from the end of spring to summer where they mate and have their offspring. They utilize their nests to hibernate throughout the cold season.
Get rid of carpenter bees naturally
If you find that your home is a nesting area for carpenter bees, you can get rid of them with a few basic procedures that will force them to move away. The following natural ways are reliable, economical, useful and harmless to apply to get rid of carpenter bees.
Vacuum Cleaner
You can easily get rid of the carpenter bees from the wood by making use of the smallest nozzle of your vacuum cleaner. Take a strong vacuum cleaner and put it over the hole and vacuum up the bees. This method works best when the nest is new one. For the best results perform this technique in the evening hours because bees are in their nest during these hours and will not be able to escape.
Petrol
As petrol is inflammable, it may damage skin or may be dangerous if not kept safely. Use mask, gloves, and goggles while squirting petrol in the spaces. Spraying diesel or petrol in the burrows kills the bees.
Block the Hole
If you see any round hole at home or in any unfinished, soft, damp or dry woods, outdoor furnishings and decks then for sure it indicate the infestation of the carpenter bee. These bees don’t eat wood, rarely sting and work slowly. Despite their slow pace, they can cause considerable damage if left unchecked for long periods of time. This technique is mostly helpful for those who don’t like the after-effects that are caused by spraying the insecticides. Closing all the openings of carpenter bees nest prove to be an effective step to get rid of carpenter bees. Use steel or any metal for this purpose because they won’t be able to dig through it.
Boric Acid
Boric acid serves as a toxin for the bees. Spurt boric acid in the holes and place boric acid around the excavated spaces of the carpenter bees, in order to kill their larvae before they hatch. This method proves to very efficient in eradication of carpenter bees.
Almond Oil
Bees hate the odor of almond oil so almond oil or almond essence serves an efficient organic repellant to evacuate the carpenter bees and larvae. This solution usually works for 3 to 4 months.
Paint
Painting home will definitely help to get rid of carpenter bees and also prevent them to make their nest. The bees hit all wooden surfaces; it is assumed that carpenter bees give more preference to untreated wood. Cover all the outdoor wooden surfaces of your house with paint to reduce bee infestation. Painting and keeping the paint in a nice condition repels carpenter bees, insects will not work with the wood covered with paint. Polyurethane paints are the best suggested defensive paint.
Hope the above methods helps you a lot to eradicate bees and prevent carpenter bees to excavate in your home again.
