Yes ALL.

 

to get rid of all the cursed bees in your area, you need four things and a half hour a day for a week, preferably in the morning. A gallon sprayer, some Bifenthrin pyrethroid insecticide, and a largish Early flowering bush. That's early flowering, as in the very first in your hardiness zone. That's it.

 

Load the sprayer I make it a little strong, set it to stream, pump 'r up well. And sip a coffee as you wait for the carpenter bees. When they come, give 'em a little squirt. No need to hose 'em down, a little goes a long way. They will fly home and die in their nest. Yes, some other insects will be sacrificed. But after a while, you will notice that there are no more carpenter bees. and during the summer you will not see any. If this doesn't work a trice for you, I will return to you double the money you paid me for the advice.

 

Since I did this,  I have seen two maybe three carpenter bees all summer long and I could tell they were traveling because they flew  off into the distance.

 

Nothing you can do will work as well.  nothing.

Edited September 2, 20232 yr by Cliff

Thanks!

Interesting, over the years I've had a few carpenter bees, never a swarm but I'll keep this in mind as I watch for them. I do happen to have some of that insecticide on hand.

17 hours ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

over the years I've had a few carpenter bees, never a swarm

I have a very very very old home.  the first part is more than 250 years old,  The critters are a nightmare for me.  They've been zooming all over the place  for way too long now.

 

Edited September 3, 20232 yr by Cliff

 

Spring is coming  got your early blooming bush selected and the sprayer and Bifenthrin or other pyrethoid?   

I saw some carpenter bee traps at the hardwood lumber supplier i go to. Pretty ingenious. Small section of 2x4, say 4” long. Drill a 3/8 hole from one end angling downward so it exits the center of the face. Drill a 3/8 hole in the cap of a plastic soda bottle and glue the cap to the 2x4 with the holes lined up. Screw the bottle to the cap and hang the unit under a porch or an eve or whatever. The bees go in through the hole in the board, drop in the bottle and can’t get back out. 

Plenty of room at the carpenter bee hotel california. 

I seem to have at least one that hangs around my deck. I feel we have something in common , so I leave ‘em be..

Edited February 21, 20251 yr by BillyJack

A few years ago I was putting cedar board and batten on my air compressor shed. It was a particularly bad year for carpenter bees, I had all sorts of cedar sticks laying around I’d use to whack those little sobs across the yard.

3 hours ago, Zack said:

A few years ago I was putting cedar board and batten on my air compressor shed. It was a particularly bad year for carpenter bees, I had all sorts of cedar sticks laying around I’d use to whack those little sobs across the yard.

Learned something new. I always thought "b-ball" was short for basketball ball. Sounds like it is a real "sport."

The season runs late spring and summer

Carpenter bees can be such a nuisance! I’ve had my fair share of them drilling into the wood around my house. One method that worked for me was using natural repellents like citrus oil or almond oil—apparently, they can’t stand the smell. If it’s a serious infestation, though, sometimes calling in a pro to deal with them safely is the best bet. Just make sure to fill any holes they’ve already made to prevent them from coming back. Have you tried anything that works?

The first post from Cliff seems to outline a good method.