The BEST way to get rid of carpenter bees. They were destroying my deck!
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- Опубліковано 6 лют 2025
- The BEST way to get rid of carpenter bees! I've tried different solutions but this is by far the most effective method I've found to kill and prevent carpenter bees.
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8 0z
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16oz
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1 quart
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Backpack Sprayer
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Came for the bees, stayed for the deck and the landscaping. Gave me some ideas. Very nice backyard and deck.
Both are fun in the sun. ENJOY You just talked me into a new deck on the Back hill, in the sun or shade...
We had tarantulas under our soffits on the Deck, everywhere. 3-foot diameter webs at the top of the steps. No Thanks. I hunted Mice in the kitchen of a shack one time.
Have you ever used a 22 rifle, with shorts, and a scope at 65 feet to clear your porch spiders We were down in a holler shooting safely. Never pass on mother nature's variety
I not only deal with the carpenter bees on my log sided house but then in the fall and winter the woodpeckers come and drill even bigger holes in my wood to eat the larvae that the bees lay. We decided to use this for stink bugs and found out by accident that it seemed to help with carpenter bees so we will be spraying more. Glad it’s working for you.
Works for any insect. Cuz, is a general poison.
Doesnt painting the deck stop them? Seemed to stop them on our deck
She has a log sided house, so no…painting the deck won’t help
@@gailc6158 yes, oil based paint, and if u can find some old lead paint, that protects the wood outside from carpenter bees. They don’t chisel lead paint, but it’s banned now, but maybe some old man has a can in an old barn. 👍
Yup, ditto for me. First the bees and then followed by the woodpeckers actually ripping huge chunks of wood from my deck rails. I have used Permethrin for wasps but never treated the deck against the bees. Guess now is the time to get to doing that.
Pyrethrens are what we used to use around the dairy barn when I was a kid. I don't remember how long the stuff lasted, but we used it because it was organic. I can still smell it in my mind.
The natural stuff, Pyrethrens IIRC only last about a month. The man-made derivative Permethrin will usually last 2 months outside, a little longer inside. If you ever had them, then you need to get on it early in the Spring, and then every 2 months after until later in the summer.
I personally haven't had any return in the Fall, however could just be I'm lucky.
I can smell it in the dairy barn too!😅
Totally works!! Thank you! My boyfriend has a large patio and a storage shed that is sitting up on concrete blocks in the backyard and the bees were under the patio as well as under the storage shed. I observe them for several weeks and then I found your video, mixed up some spray and sprayed everywhere and they were gone Pretty much immediately. It’s been over a month and they have not returned yet. Thank you again.
I am battling them now. I have filled so many holes and am now painting the porch. They don't like the painted wood, nor the minwax wood filler. I also have three bee traps on the porch--that helps a lot.
Filling holes is a mistake. Been there done that mistake. They’ll bore out somewhere else and really make a mess.
@@marksieber4626 I think it depends on where you catch them in their cycle. If the chamber has eggs in it your going to have problems. this is where sealing the hole after treating it with the jelly indicated in these comments might come in handy.
I've used a foaming spray which has a thin red tube on it. if there's an adult in there, it will stagger out and croak... then you spray a bit more in and plug it. I plugged about 30 to 40 holes last year and of that probably 5 or 6 managed to burrow back out. I will now also insert the vaseline + permethrin in these holes and then seal them - the syringe is a good idea so that the stuff can be put deeper in the hole so it won't interfere with adhesion.
I liked the guy who climbs up there after dark and stealth applies Rock Hard putty.
Mix about two ounces with a small tub of vasoline. Pack the mixture into a large plastic syringe with a tapered tip that fits in the bee hole. Apply a small dav of the mixture just inside each hole. For high places I tape the syringe to a 3/4” pvc pipe. The bees will fall out in droves. I have a large log home and I spend a few minutes each spring and haven’t had any problems since
Called "Bee Butter" it works! Used years ago in N Ga cabin, need this now in NC. Amazon syringe with the mixture works as the Vaseline sticks on them as they go thru the holes...maybe a small amount like couple Peas and you'll be watching them die...of course this is after they have made a hole....I also have a squirt bottle, and make a game of those flying by
Thank you for sharing …I woke yesterday to shreds of wood from up on my porch looking like a woodpecker had had a field day finding bugs…I will look for some today …stay blessed
There is a type of large woodpecker, that will tear the already damaged wood, because of tunnels in it, to eat the bee larvae. Lots of this in SC.
I make balls of gray Walmart shopping bags wrapped in silver duct tape. This resembles a paper hornet/wasp nest. Carpenter bees are afraid of them and won't come around. I did this last year to great effect. I hung one on each corner and scattered on several posts of the wood fence, each corner of my garage, and a couple in the rafters of my garage. It worked all summer!
I do not like to see these bees killed. They are pollinators and honey bees have been struggling to make a comeback. If you paid and I mean put a really good coat of paint on your deck or wherever wood is exposed, then you won't have a problem with them.
@@BattlestarVoices Are you talking to me? I'm not killing them! My gray balls just scare them away. I can't paint every wood surface on my homestead. AND I have plenty of pollinator bees because I do regenerative gardening and have a garden full of flowers that attract them. I'm sure the carpenter bees will be just fine in the woods across from my property.
This is what I do. It works fantastic. But I use a brown paper lunch bag. Fill it with another bag or 2 crumpled. Then crumple the whole thing a little so it's football shaped. Hang one on each corner to simulate a wasp nest and keeps them away. Same concept as you. I had horrible problems and this has worked for the last 2 years I've done it. ZERO drilling by the bees and no chemicals.
@@curiouscat3384 Don't think so, only giving the right opinion that they are pollinators and there are other method's as you stated also. I don't kill them either, or any kind of bees.
I made the paper bag decoys for the last couple of years. They initially worked great, but I think the bees have gotten wise to em. I've seen the bees land right next to em this year, so I guess I need a new plan :(
Wow! I wished I had known about this stuff 3 years ago. My deck sits low to the ground, so I'm not able to get underneath it without crawling under it. But, the carpenter bees mostly hover near the steps, but makes it hard to sit out on the deck or do yard work. I'm ordering this now off Amazon. Glad this video popped up in my feed!😊
Thanks for info. I’m a widow who has been battling these pesky bees for the past three years. I appreciate you sharing this. Will definitely try it.
When re-staining and painting our cedar wood house, we mixed this in with the stain and paint, which has kept the bees away for years now. Will reapply as necessary.
Could you tell me about how much you put per gallon? thanks for your input, much appreciated!
@@Rufflife777 Sorry for delay. I need to check with my husband 👍🏻
Sounds like a good idea. Why didn't i think of that 😂😅
@rufflife use the label but for most pesticides it's 1 ounce per gallon which should be a.6 percentage which is the highest on most labels
@@michaelmerck7576 Thanks for info!
Very good! Now that you have the bees under control buy some chrome or polished silver X-mas ornaments and hang a few under your deck, actually anything highly reflective will work, even old CDs, the bees hate them, it confuses them and they don't feel safe to make a nest an will look elsewhere.
As a carpenter/remodeler for 42 years, with, extensive deck repair experience, it's past time to preserve your deck. It's more work than people think on a 2 story deck, but, COMPLETE wall protection is key. Power wash, secure loose boards, and, spray with oil base stain, water base stain on any exterior structure will not penetrate. Solid color stains are nothing but glorified paint, bad news too. Oil base transparent, or, semi-transparent stain have lasted my customers for 5+ years at a time. Water based stains (yes I tried them) may last 2 years & it's time to spend that money all over again.
Pertaining to this video, my pressure washer has soap tubs & I added permethrin to a tub & power washed with that first, let dry for 2 days, then, stained the deck. Excellent results!!
Awesome tips, thank you @benttwisted210! I’m just learning about permethrin - actually in a search to try & get a handle on the ground bees that be taken over 1/2 my yard (for the 2nd year now that we’ve been at this house!) but could use it for our carpenter bees too!
@@danil9574 Sevin dust 50% from a landscaping supply, (the diy stuff at stores...no good), follow instructions, by mixing with water @ a certain ratio, or, certain weight per gallon, pump spray the nests, bam, done!!
Stain does not stop carpenter bees!! My neighbor found this out on his 1 year old deck
@@gregorymcdaniel2249 ya, well, reread my comment 😏
That black growth is doing far more damage that those bees. Pressure wash that crap off applying a mold killer first, let it dry for at least a week , then stain / seal all surfaces.
That dark growth is going to turn that wood into spongy goo.
Menards sells spray cans of Carpenter Bee killer with one of those long red applicator tubes. It foams when applied directly into the holes. I had a bunch of them making nesting holes in the cedar log siding for my second story and so I zapped a squirt into every hole I could locate * you can spot them as they leave a yellow powder like trail coming from the bottom of the holes". As I was working my way along the siding I could hear :plop plop" sounds coming from the area I had treated. Dozens of them were falling out of the holes and rolling down the shingled roof.) This stuff is cheap and effective but I also like your method, Thanks.
Satisfying
That was what I did to get rid of them, too. If you didn't know, permethrin is used in clothing that repels biting insects. So, if you mix it even weaker, you can treat clothes and other items it'll soak into and it'll keep ticks and mosquitoes away pretty well, and it is good for up to 7 washes. You can buy it pre-mixed from companies like Sawyer, but I have a chemistry background so I decided to go your route because it is much more cost-effective. It is toxic to cats, and some dogs, so keep that in mind (It's why K9 Advantix shouldn't be used on cats). I worked in the outdoor industry for years and I was told it's pretty safe once it's dry. I use it on clothes, tents, backpacks, hats, outdoor chairs, and my dog's collar, to name a few. It was hands down the best way I found to keep ticks off me while working outside in Missouri.
exactly , its toxic to cats....
I work in the woods full time in Georgia. I used to get eaten alive by chiggers and ticks all Summer. A few years back I started treating all of my work clothes with permethrin and I haven’t had one single bite since. I buy 10% in a gallon jug and water it down to 0.5% in a pump sprayer. I hang my clothes on a line outside, saturate them with the sprayer and let them hang until fully dry. I swear by the stuff!
@Bang Bang I'm in Georgia also and I hunt and fish. Yes the stuff works great, but they say do not get it on your skin and make sure the clothes are dry before wearing.
I’m interested in treating gear and clothing-must you reapply after washing or is it retained through the wash?
@BRANDYwine I treat all of my hunting clothes and it works great. I can't remember the exact mix, but I think it's the one for spraying horses stalls and such. I think it is only about 200:1. I just spray clothes until damp, not soaking. I've washed them around 5 times before reapplying. Read the caution label, I stay upwind and wear rubber gloves.
I used the thin red tube on a spray can of brake cleaner and sprayed a good dose into the carpenter bee hole. I then immediately plugged the hole with a cotton ball and in about 3 or 4 minutes all buzzing activity stopped in the bee tunnels. I pushed the cotton in and filled the hole with wood filler and a light sanding and it was ready for a touch up painting. The break cleaner evaporates really quickly and the fumes quickly kills the bees. No risk to cats or other animals. Just the bees in the tunnels.
I use balls of 000 steel wool - the bees cannot chew through it and it grabs better on the sides of the hole so they cannot push it out and escape
@@joemccarthywascorrect6240 The steel wool works but the brake cleaner kills them so they are not alive to push the cotton ball out. I sealed the hole with wood filler so they are trapped in there. They never came back. They had nested in a wood frame for a basketball hoop on a garage.
@@nunnaurbzznzzz1734 hello! What type of brake cleaner did you use?! Thanks in advance!
We have carpenter ants that will eat the foundation under anything and my son puts out the tins of poison just inside of our living room door and away from the cats because we have had carpenter ants in the house which are a nuisance..... Message coming from Manitoba Canada 🇨🇦.
After you spray with brake cleaner or WD40 take a torch to the hole !
Go to a farm store. They carry a much larger container. The initial output is higher but if your going to be using it often it will end up being less expensive in the long term.
Found this yesterday, went to tractor supply this morning and sprayed it at around 9am. Just went to check and there are dead and squirming carpenter bees all over the place. I’ve been battling these flying demons for years, and this was the answer the whole time! I can’t thank you enough!
And the name of this is . . . . . .
@@kathrynmiller9622 Watch the video, please. Permethrin 10%.
Permethrin
Awesome!! I already have some downstairs in my grow room... Never even thought of it!!! Im on my way down there to get it now
You should never kill bees. They are pollinators. With out them we won’t have food from plants and trees. Causing a world wide famine.
Great news, permethrin also kills ticks, chiggers and mosquitos. Glad it worked for you. Many bowhunters treat their clothing to keep the nasties away while crawling through brush.
My dog used to hunt them. They lived in our hot tub and they loved a certain bush in our front yard and she’d eat them. She loved those kind of bees for whatever reason and she knew the difference between those and any other.
I thought all this time my dog Wendy was the only dog that eats these things,actually I have 2 dogs and only one eats them!
I bet it doesn't take many " bad " bees to learn to bee chosey. LOL
If you go to a feed store or Rural King, maybe Tractor Supply.... they sell it in big jugs. People spray it on their livestock or horses to keep flys away. You can also spray it on clothing to keep ticks and skeeters off, on tents to keep bugs away.... I love the stuff
I mix a little in with my protein shakes
We used that on our deck and the bees are either dying or avoiding my porch! It will work.
I had carpenter bees drilling holes in my rental cabin. I would set the ladder during the day then climb up to the hole after dark and entomb them while repairing the hole with Durhams Rock Hard. It killed them as they ran out of gas before they could ever drill their way out and repaired the hole simultaneously.
I have always welcomed any kind of bees. Thankfully the carpenter bees that settled in our yard bored into our trellises, in the 4x4 supports, which have survived just fine. We grow vegetables, grapes, blackberries, figs & citrus trees, so we are happy to have them.
I put up a carpenter bee trap I bought at Lowe's and it done the trick for me. It looks like a little birdhouse with holes drilled in it. Heck, you could make one. It comes with scent that attracts them, then, after the first one or two bees get trapped, subsequent bees are drawn by the trapped one's scent. It works great. I think so anyway.
Same here. I didn’t want to use chemicals. Whoever designed that trap from Lowe’s is the G.O.A.T. Last year I caught over 35 in one trap and about 20 in another. I could then sit outside on my deck UNDISTURBED. You gotta put it out in early spring so that they don’t use your deck to start drilling their holes before going into the trap.
I made some traps. Once one bee is in it, leave it. They put off hormones and attract others. Worked for us for over 20years
I watched a few videos on how to make a carpenter be trap, made one with a few of my own modifications, and it works great.
I usually put it out mid March and then leave it out till the end of May.
Part two of my method is to continually inspect for bees that didn't go for the trap and opted drill a hole in my deck.
When I find one of those, I wait till after dark when they are all home and fill the hole with calk and that's the end of them.
Been using this chemical free method for years and it works great.
I rarely find any bees that drill holes in my deck. They all usually go for the trap I made.
wish you had a link. i need one. : )
I have the same and it works great!!!
I will try this!! Those things have destroyed the eaves of our wood home. Have discovered if you stain your wood, they won't bother it. My son built a new wood deck, after staining the bees won't bother it
Stain doesn't stop them
5 years ago I installed a Casco Cedar and Aluminum Roof Gazebo. This spring I had carpenter bees drilling holes into the hollow cedar support corner post and the ceiling support. I sprayed it with what I had on hand (Home Defense Spray) then sealed the holes with spray foam and plastic wood. The bees hung around for a few days and then left the area (I hope).
Sounds expensive. Permethrin is cheap, along with several gallons of water and a pump sprayer you should do a total spray/drench some night. That'll keep them away for 6-8 weeks, along with all sorts of other insects. Then either keep an eye out for them or re-spray and save yourself some repair work.
This is a good suggestion.Thanks for the video. I battled them for years, but settled on the following method. 1. prepare a mixture of 50% Sevin dust and 50% Orthene. Get a plunge duster with a thin tip that will fit into the holes. Wear a Tyvek suit safety goggles and dust mask. Load your duster, go to each hole, active and inactive and spay dust into the holes. After a while the bees come out and fly crazily around until they die. Don't seal the holes. My experience is that carpenter bees will come back to the existing holes over and over. Every year if a bee crawls into the hole that was spayed, they are coated with the remaining dust and die. This has reduced my carpenter bee population tremendously.
Permethrin is goos stuff. In the army we used to treat our uniforms with permethrin to prevent sand fleas in the desert. One treatment was weffective for about 6 months even with normal clothes washing.
great for hiking too. Spray down clothes and LET DRY before putting them on, repels ticks and fleas, mosquitoes somewhat
To contradict some of the comments below, painting the wood has no effect. My home has three very large pressure-treated, covered decks/porches. All of the wood is painted white. The carpenter bees drill just has many holes in my white-painted wood as they do in my neighbors non-painted decks. Our previous home had all cedar siding, trim, facia and soffits. It was stained/painted with Olympic Cedar Natural Tone; The carpenter bees destroyed the siding.
Paint your wood with a mixture of oil based paint and pine based turpentine. The bees will die shortly after boring into it. Did you ever see a carpenter bee hole in a pine tree? Neither have I.
@@timhallas4275 I agree that I have never seen a carpenter bee hole in a pine tree, but I have lost many pine trees to pine-bore beetles; I suppose the beetles are more durable than the bees...In all honesty, two of my homes were on densely wooded properties, and I have never see a carpenter bee hole in my maple trees, cedar trees, oak trees, holly trees, gum trees, dogwood trees, Japanese maple trees, elm trees, blue spruce trees, cedar trees, cypress trees nor any other tree. I only have them drilling holes in my cedar-siding homes, pressure treated porches, wood barns, fences, out-buildings, and shops.... Two years ago it cost $18,000 to have my house painted. (Hardi-plank, alum/vinyl trim and 3 large pressure- treated covered porches). Re-painting the wood part, at this time, with oil based paint + pine based turpentine, or with anything else for that matter, is not an option.... Do you have any suggestions on how to stop the wood-peckers from destroying the Hardi-plank cementous siding?
@@andrewfyakim525 I had a problem with woodpeckers constantly going after the bee tunnels in my cedar house. They would not be frightened off by loud noise or water hose spray for more than a few moments. I bought a hanging reflective bird scare device last summer and have not heard another one drilling on my house since! Search for owl shaped bird scare device. Not expensive and you get several to put together. A bit fiddly to put together but I’ve left them hanging up in all weather and still working great.
@@andrewfyakim52512 gauge!
They sell a carpenter bee powder with an applicator. You shoot the powder into each of the holes. It plugs up the pores that the bees breathe through. They suffocate and die instantly. Hitting the holes kills the females and the offspring. Also, carpenter bees are like salmon. They come back to where they were born to breed the next cycle. So, left unchecked, you will get more every year.
This stuff really works! And according to the manufacturer’s warnings, it is safe for all vertebrates. We treat twice in the spring, depending upon rain, about three weeks apart. The females take one bite of treated wood, and they become paralyzed and then drop dead. And to those who confuse carpenter bees with bumblebees, carpenter bees are considered pests, and you can legally treat them bumblebees have a yellow abdomen/tail, Carpenter bees have Black. And the non-stinging males have a white spot on their forehead
If you miss them with a tennis racket they get smart. Then I break out the rat shot 22.
Carpenter bee's they will eat your wood up a little bit at time until one day you need to replace your floor joust.
I disagree, they come back with an attitude.
I use a racquetball racquet and have had much more success than I did with a tennis racquet.
Rat shot?
Buggy whip. It's fun
I was doing yard next to my house were the carpenter bees are. I've tried swatting them with a rake, doesn't work ! Tried swatting with a tennis racket, that sort of works.
So I had my Dewalt Brushless weed trimmer ... and that worked ! Went after them, and cut them in half ! Probably has something to do with RPM of trimmer ! In half !
A gentlemen from Alabama or Mississippi used to sell carpenter bee "butter" - a mixture of mostly petroleum jelly (Vaseline) and permithrin in a plunger/injector. Think he forced to stop selling due to lack of permitting (specifically a compound with permethrin). It did work though as the jelly stuck to the bees inside the holes.
The guy was from Alabama. I used his product for years. I believe that he sold his idea to someone with a license. The permethrin would last for a year when mixed with the petroleum jelly.
For those folks that are opposed to killing the bee's. Hang flags, the light weight, cheap flags, the brighter the colors, the better from the rafters or floor joists. The movement of the flags in the breeze will deter the bees from calling your pole barn and or deck home.
I looked up his patent application years ago when I first saw his product. Heat up 4 parts petroleum jelly until it liquifies, stir in 1 part 10% permethrin and you'll end up with a 2% permethrin gel once it cools off. I use 12cc/48cc so I can draw into a 60cc syringe. A pea-sized dab inside the holes will get rid of them and it will last for a couple of seasons, actually (permethrin is designed to degrade in sunlight, if it's up in a hole it takes a LONG time to degrade). I use Vaseline because I've found that cheap petroleum jellies tend to get runny when the ambient temps are in the 80's and up...
@@dkindig how do you keep the permethrin from degrading if you mix up 60ccs of this stuff and still have most of a syringe left over?
also, what's the best way to heat up the Vaseline so you can mix and pour?
@@chuckhortler2814 Sunlight degrades permethrin so keep it in the dark. You'll notice that the permethrin comes in a dark opaque container. I use an old hot-plate and a junk saucepan to heat the mixture up, just keep them separate from your normal cooking stuff (I keep them in a shed with my other herbicides/pesticides). Do the heating outside so that you don't expose yourself to a concentration of the vapors. Once it's liquid and mixed, just draw the mixture up into the syringe before it cools back down.
@@dkindig like the Permethrin bottle in the video, mine is a very thick milk-jug like plastic which is white but only slightly opaque (thus my question). I guess I'll store it in a black plastic bag or a tin of some kind.
Thanks for the tips.
Our extension office said fill the holes with caulking to keep them from being able to re inhabit the holes and keeps the babies from getting out and growing once they hatch.
As a painter,I’ve had experiences with carpenter bees while painting/staining decks and they bother you all day. I think I’ll try this treatment next time
Haha sometimes when they don't make my head spin and I can focus on one , a good swing in the air whacks one 😂
You can add permethrin into your stain
@@georgesch4928 Thanks for the info friend.Getting too old to throw ladders so hopefully I won’t need it
there's nothing so satisfying as a really light, strong badminton racket to take a few of them out.
They are bullies. They try to intimidate me when i mow the lawn
I had them attacking logs on a garage. Research says to keep them stained. Bees can't stand the smell. Last year I bought a product at Lowe's put it in a sprayer and haphazardly streamed the stuff over the walls not covering the entire wall. Got after them early in the season and they were gone. So this product works. The diff is I used it to repel and it worked extremely well.
I use dawn dishwashing liquid and water in a spray bottle..... works amazing.
Racquet ball Racquet is fun also.
Badminton rackets work great too if you can find one.
My son and I have been getting them with those electrified swatters. It doesn't kill them but it stuns them silly then we stomp them.
I used that too, It works great ,you just need the right amount of Dawn and water
@@LisaSmith-cv9md I have the electrified fly swatter but it just stuns them. It works on wasps and spiders really good.
I was just going to say a tennis racket works great..knocks them apart
I used that stuff in Texas for scorpions and sand fleas in the yard. I think it's good for keeping flies off horses too.
Warm a couple of big heaping table spoonfuls of Vaseline in the microwave and stir in a couple of table spoons of your permethrin and then draw it up in some large syringes while it is still liquefied. The ratio is really not important. Shove a short piece of tubing over the end of the syringe so you can apply the mixture just inside the holes, about 1/4 inch or so. Deposit a dab about the size of a pea in each hole you find. As you start down the length of your deck you will hear them falling on the ground behind you. The Vaseline will hold the permethrin and any other bees that try to go in will disturb the Vaseline and get some on them. Works great. I use a throw away plastic container that food came in and you can use a plastic spoon so you can throw everything away when your done. Again proportions are not important, just mix some up with some Vaseline, guess how many pea size dabs you'll need and add some permethrin. If you see a bee going in and out of a hole still alive you missed that hole. It keeps in the syringe so its easy to put the syringe in a zip lock bag and you'll have some for any holes you missed. That bottle you sprayed is a lifetime supply doing it this way. Any babies that hatch will be killed as well.
Thank-you!
@@kaseylv922 I said add tablespoons of Permethrin, I should have said a tea spoon or 2. That stuff is strong so it doesn't take much.
Look it up on Google it is very dangerous to use permethrin here are too many side effects
When I heard the dogs ears flapping I looked for my dogs, then I see the boxers. Yup, same floppy ear sounds with Boxers! Thanks for the heads up!
so after seeing your video I bought this off amazon. I used 1/2 a gallon of water & I put in about 4 oz of the permethrin , but it had no effect on the bees, so then I added about 2 more oz with just a little bit more water & I sprayed the holes in my neighbors garage trim & the bees fell out of the holes onto the ground and could barely move . Then I went to my porch & sprayed underneath the railings where they kept flying up to to dig in . I had 2 bees fall down & they died .
I also went to the back of my garage & the top of the trim in the back there were big holes that they cut into . I sprayed the holes & the bees fell out , one hole there were 4 bees . The next day I went to try and fill the holes & the bees were still going into the holes so I guess the spray doesn't keep them from going back to the wood where they have drilled into .
I am wondering how you mixed your solution with water & how long did the bees stay away ?
Other commenters here describe injecting a pyrethrum and Vaseline mixture into the holes being very effective since the Vaseline is very persistent and sticky and continues to kill and bee it comes into contact with.
Much appreciated for the info. Just ordered some to deal with carpenter bees on a deck of a house I just purchased and the professional pest control treatment did nothing for .. fingers crossed that this works
I really like carpenter bees. I have a concrete deck so I do not see them often. Built an open loggia where they hang out now. Like yellow jackets they let you know when you are in 'their' territory. I let them buzz around, they eventually figure out I am not trying to eat 'their' wood. Never had one bite or sting me (not even sure if they sting). Ticks on the other hand get killed instantly.
Me and my husband was cutting a tree and the female carpenter bees do sting and it hurts so bad smh 😂
I read that a good glossy paint or stain works. What about creosote?
My father said that when you fill the holes with wood filler, you should also stuff some steel wool in the hole first. If the bees come back and chew through the wood filler, once they hit the steel wall, they will stop chewing. You should also take a skewer and push it all the way down inside the hole, to destroy any larvae that are in there.
Thank you. Almost gave up on filling those holes back up every year. Gonna beat them this year .
Plastic tie wraps are flexible and at least impede their entrance/exit.
Steel wool worked good for me. No longer burrowing into the porch walls. Just eating the rest of the house! At least no sawdust, yellow stuff, all over the furniture. I use a butterfly net, and catch about a hundred, few less to feed the the babies.
@@lindahayes7044 thank you Linda I have hundreds of zip ties in after the carpenter bee butter , then the Brillo and seal the holes again . My pergola is from a master carpenter in the 1930’s who salvaged it from a Rockefeller’s ship mast. I fear they e hollowed it out . We’ve been battling the bees for 20 years. I’d like to preserve it I’ll make some faux wasp nests too.
I don't even use wood filler. I just fill it with steel wool and it has worked for me
We have about a half dozen trap houses on our deck. They work very well. But I would like to get rid of them. I will give this a try. Thanks for the tip.
I built a tiny little wood shop complete with a bee-sized table saw, router and belt sander. They prefer the shop way more than the bottom of my deck.
Haha. Brilliant!
I would say it’s a really good idea to consider using some spray foam insulation for the underneath of your deck . Once that’s done I would get plywood and cover everything on the underneath . Completely enclose it .
I've been using it for a few years...kills every bug you could imagine...I spray it all over the outside of my house all over the inside and outside of my pole barn...0 bugs...had a huge colony of bee's trying build a hive along side of my chimney...hundreds of them..wipped them out !!! I bought a 2.5 gallon jug !!! Love it !!!!
Thanks so much for this video !!!!! I already had about half a dozen bee traps hanging around my house and I couldn't keep up with them there were so many. Frustrating since we live in a woods and there are plenty of other places for the bees to go.
I bought the 1 quart size of the Permethrin in case I needed miltiple treatments. Initially I just tried 50 mL in 2 Liters of water and mixed it up. I sprayed it liberally in the areas on the soffits where they had been boring and that was all it took. I went from having a dozen bees flying around to zero one day later. A few days later I saw one or two more but they may have recently hatched and then got wind of this stuff and left since none were spotted in next few days.
Not sure how long this will last, but it will be my go to from now on to keep them away from our house.
Glad it worked for you. My treatment lasted all summer here so hopefully you’ll see the same results.
@@adamj8293 Appreciate it. So far, it is still working perfectly and hoping it lasts all summer as you saw. I already shared this with others so your video is helping more people. Thanks again !
Bonus is this stuff is the best for tick spray too, we use it on our hunting clothes. Thanks for the tip, I have a cedar home so been battling these guys for years. I had pretty much given up.
I had problems with woodpeckers feeding on the carpenter bee grubs also! Pollinators or not I cannot afford to have them or the birds destroying my home. Thanks!
AMDRO in 1 gallon spray bottle does work. I love to use a spray bottle with 30% vinegar, also works well. Like to spray them while flying, good target practice.
The active ingredient is called chrysanthemate. It's the same ingredients that Off uses in their mosquito repellent coils and lamp. And yes it comes from chrysanthemums and it works.
Off uses Picardin and/or DEET, not chrysanthemate.
@@JT_70 I am reading from the front of the box that the Off coils come in. These are the ones that come with a ceramic pot and you burn them. The front of the Box reads active ingredient chrysanthemate 0.15% other ingredients 99.85 percent.
@@tomearnest198 The Off sprays don’t contain that chemical. I haven’t even seen the pots in the stores around here.
@@JT_70 well the coils use a terracotta pot it's about 6 inch diameter and 2 inches high with a little lid that goes on the top. The other kind they have that users chrysanthamate is shaped more like a carriage lamp and you light a small candle at the bottom and hang about a 1 by 3 inch strip of impregnated I guess cardboard above it. The lamps have a much higher percentage of chrysanthemate then the coil. I'll sit outside all night in the summer reading. They don't cover real large area so I just light off whichever one I'm using and slide it under my chair. I've been using both over 12 years and they work fine.
I've been using enforcer duel action but it's been a battle. I might try this next time. Thanks for sharing.
All I did to get rid of mine was fill in all the holes with "outdoor" expansion foam. As soon as I see them.
We squirt expanding foam insulation into the holes.
Spray the wood. Don't spray in the holes. Once the bees are gone fill the holes. The bees are very important to keep.
Thanks for the tip. They do make a lot of damage and I’m not sure if you can see all the damage that they do. But they are relentless.
Mix up a jar of minced garlic and water and spray that. It will stink for a few days but the bees will split. Easy peasy.
ty ty will try that out!
I'm wondering if there's a big difference in pressure treated lumber. I have a significant amount of lumber for a deck and never had much problems with the bees.
I will make a suggestion if you are interested What I did with our deck on our house is I put sheet metal underneath of it from the side of the house out all the way down the deck underneath and it makes it so that anything you park underneath the deck doesn't get wet like lawn mowers quads etc and it works really well it's been up for about 40 years and now it's gonna need to be replaced because it rotted out on the ends but that's OK it works really well and it keeps everything dry underneath just a suggestion God-bless thank you for all the info they are a pain in the neck and yes it is a lot of fun Is to wack those b******* with a tennis rocket.
Build a decoy carpenter bee nest box or trap, or wood pile nearby. Poisoning pollinators is generally frowned upon. Linseed oil or paint the deck can generally repel them now that you've killed the larvae/nests.
haint blue paint works too.
@@friskydingo2961 old farmers trick is to simply paint it blue. : )
I have heard people say wind chimes can help keep them away, something about the constant sound waves annoys them. I have about 20 of them living in an old shed I have at the back of my property. It's far enough away that I just let them be, they are beneficial and pretty much harmless, but they do freak people out a lot.
After the bees have gone, you have to fill the holes with caulk. It also helps if you keep the wood structure clean (powerwashed) and frequently stained or painted. This will deter the bees...
Caulk, lol
I had carpenter bees destroy my painted soffits and fascia. The paint was old and in need of being repainted, but they still drilled through. I had the soffits and fascia replaced, the house painted and the porches stained. They're still getting into the stained porch, but so far they have not messed with the house. I'm building my next house with ICFs and using metal or plastic for any trim pieces.
I fill the holes with Liquid Nails, seen em eat right thru latex caulking.
I painted my mailbox post and they still drilled several holes in it. 😢
I had a little steel wool to their entrance before caulking it over
Tempo dust 100% works. Use a bulb applicator to disperse into the holes. They come out covered in dust, quickly die, and others don't return.
Prohibited in some states.
That’s a hell of a nice deck. My wife and I built a pergola several years back and we are having the same issue. Definitely going to try this out. Thank you for the video 👍👍
I have a wood deck, shed and fence and I planted dozens of salvia etc flowers for pollinators and I get hundreds of bees and all kinds to include carpenter bees visiting the flowers but there's zero buzzing around the deck shed etc. It's heavily saturated with wood stain and that seems to work for us but only on the top but not underneath. Don't know the strength but when I'm outside I lightly spray permethrin on my light colored long sleeve shirt outer shirt or windbreaker and when mosquitos touch it they die. I left a windbreaker outside for lunch and came out and had like 6 or 7 dead ones on it. I thought it only repelled but it kills them. Just wanted to share.
Yes, it is a great product. I love it.. I use it every year. I have a wooden privacy fence all the way around my property. So my fence line became a would be village. A good tip is to try to seal the holes with a wood putty. He wants that putty dry. I just went back over and nested those areas again. It works just as good on yellow jackets, hornets, etc.. I did go around and pick up the dead bodies and misted the ground with water just to prevent birds and squirrels from eating the dead bees.
I had heard that they would not bore through oil based paint . NOT TRUE !!!! I killed two with my electric mini tennis racket but will be ordering this product today !! It is kind of fun shocking the life out of these money eaters but I cannot be out watching for them all day ! Thank you for the heads up on this product !!
I used Cyper TC on an old hunting camp house that had a really bad carpenter bee problem. The bees disappeared for a couple years. I think the chemicals break down after a time because the bees later returned and I had to spray again. It sure knocks them when they try to bore. I don't know if that product is animal safe.
We play carpenter bee tennis too! Sometimes I can get two with one swat. But, let me tell you, woodpeckers eat the eggs. You think carpenter bees drill holes? You haven't seen anything until you see the holes woodpeckers create to get at the bee eggs.
The woodpeckers aren't going for the wood bore bee larvae. They are most likely going for insects that are utilizing the holes drilled by the wood borer bee.
The woodpeckers caused hundreds of dollars damage to porch while at work in one day.ripped 2x10 to shreds
I use a 4x4x6 wood and a pint jar to make a trap for the ones flying around. Have caught over 4 dozen so far. ill try the promethium to get the gueenes
8:10 ns
I saw it on my new carport bad.
@@donnywt3195Woodpeckers will also peck on glass! I had one waking me up every morning pecking on bedroom window destroying the reflective coating. Then pooping all down it.I resorted to hanging sunshade fabric & he finally went to nearest tree.
I've also noticed they don't go after older wood around 60 yrs old or more and only the new wood. Have always wondered why.
I believe the older wood is harder. They didn't use "common boards" back then. When I have to cut old wood in a renovation house it takes a lot longer and can ruin blades. My house was built in the 1800's and the bees only like the deck.
A lot of older wood had more late wood content which makes it denser and or has more heart which is harder. But that said there is plenty of carpenter bees around my farm with 70-100+ year old wood with holes all in it.
I am stating the same thing as some other commenters. Now that you've knocked down the majority of your carpenter bees, it is a good idea to get some caulk or external wood putty and fill in as many of the holes as you can. This will slow the re-infestation and give you time to retreat before more eggs are laid. Keep in mind that carpenter bees usually are active in the Spring. This is when the female are laying. So if you prep your deck (filling in all the holes. in late Summer, early Fall and then spray your deck as soon as you get past freezing weather, you should be in good shape.
I would also suggest you hang a few traps before Winter ends. These will capture the females looking for nesting. No females, no males buzzing around. You can make your own traps pretty easily with Juice bottles and a piece of untreated 4x4. I use the bigger bottles (50oz I think). I like the ones with the bigger plastic caps (like Simply Orange) because the bigger caps allow you to drill a hole and still have a lot of room to fasten the cap to your 4x4. Then I can just unscrew the bottle from the cap. You can find plenty of video on UA-cam on how to make these. Make sure you always put some water mixed with dish soap in the bottles.
It's called wood filler. Not putty.
@@theoryofpersonality1420, Actually both are correct. Wood "putty' is typically denser and used either inside or out. Wood 'filler' is typically used on interior items like tables, trim, base, flooring, etc...
@@theoryofpersonality1420 Thanks for trying to correct me. I've only been doing this kind of work all my life. So even though you are wrong. I thank you for trying to correct me. Just an fyi.. filler is made with wood by products and is usually used for interior work, painter putty or wood putty is usually made with very small plastics and a binder and is usually better for exterior use.
3/8" wooden dowel-rod fills holes perfectly in my experience. Just cut-to-flush and seal.
@@theoryofpersonality1420 wood filler is also known as putty.
In the south, what the carpenter bee's don't destroy the wood peckers will finish it off as they make a much larger hole to get the larve out to eat. With lots of wood decks and a barn, I'm eager to try the Permethrin! BTW: Love the Boxer dogs. We're "Boxer people".
You can use this on your clothes for ticks also. It’s supposed to last through about 8 washings. I’ve had good luck with it.
I've picked up a 10' 2x10 that didnt' weigh more than 5lbs due to being tunneled extensively. They will destroy a structure (in time) just like termites. Also find their holes in both ends of a piece of lumber and a perfectly straight tunnel all the way through the wood.
My husband ran apiece of 2x6 through his table saw just to see exactly what the bees were doing to the wood. This piece had 2 perfectly straight horizontal tunnels maybe 12+ inches long. It makes you think what the bees do to the integrity of a structure long term.
I used a shotgun till my shoulder got too sore. Then I switched to dynamite. Simply drill the hole out slightly larger than the diameter of the stick of dynamite. Then, light the fuse, shove it in as deep as it will go and hide behind the nearest tree. Guaranteed to stop the bees from drilling.
What is the best time of day to spray?
They are indeed capable of stinging. I had one pop me twice in one second. I used the exact product that you used prior to having ever seen your video. It had zero effect on the bees as far as preventing future boring. It will kill the bees that are currently in the burrow. But they will soon be back. They do not ingest the wood when they bore, so poisons don’t work in that manner. That’s my experience at least.
Try liquid seven, to spray your deck, it works!
Grandad used dish washing liquid diluted with a little water, oil, WD-40, whatever was handy to squirt into the holes to drive them out and/or suffocate them.
He also pressure washed then plugged the holes, stained and sealed with the pyrethrin mixed in, painted or covered all vulnerable wood surfaces.
(The no-organic chemical sprays were a NO-NO in Grandma's garden and his orchard and sparingly used.)
I've seen that before to, but mixed with burnt motor oil and brake fluid. Never seen any insects or the EPA. Its a permanent solution for about 10 yrs
@@lodollar23 Burnt motor oil and off-road diesel is what I use. The wood won't rot & bugs and birds won't touch it for several years. The diesel smell lasts about 3 days. Permethrin is kind of pricey and only lasts a few months. Also, Permethrin will kill all flying bugs and any birds that eat the poisoned bug will die. Nasty stuff, but it works.
I had one in the shed roof off my studio porch. I took a sharpie and made about 30 black dots the same size as its hole and the bee could not figure out which was his hole. He eventually gave up and went elsewhere. I haven’t found his newest location.
😂
Hilarious!😂
Cy-Kick CS with a pressure washer and a foam sprayer. Did the whole house quickly. Its a 2 story cabin with walk out basement so its pretty tall.. It worked great. I have also used viper, which worked ok and picked up a bottle of Permethrin to try. These bees are the bane of my existence. I'm pretty good at making bee traps, they catch a lot but the spray keeps them away
Only problem is Cy-Kick CS is significantly more expensive than simple Permethrin. Its nice that its micro-encapsulated and will last up to 3 months under the sun, however the more rain you get the shorter it will last. It also works pretty good on spiders, though I like Cyzmic which works as well and last as long while being cheaper.
once you clear them from the holes they drilled, fill the hole with caulk. other carpenter bees will find their former homes if you don't... they release pheromones all around the area so they can find their way back home. other bees looking for a home will find the holes and move a new colony right in.
Been spraying my hunting/fishing clothing with that stuff for ticks for years, didn't know it worked for bees.........Thanks for the tip!
What formula did you use, thanks
@@slotcarbt834It's called Sawyer and it's .5% Permethrin.
this is a great trick. another way to ward off carpenter bees is with paint. for whatever reason, they tend not to drill through painted wood, and I've rarely noticed them drilling through the painted sections of my porch. I've also read that varnished or polyurethaned on wood is a good way to deter them.
My back porch over hang is painted and I been fighting them for about 10 years. I will get some of the spray this guy is showing and hope for the best.
I've read that treating bare wood with a 50-50 mix of linseed oil and orange oil will deter most insect pests for up to several years. I have not tried this but
will this summer when partially rebuilding a deck and a front porch. With painted wood, I would do an occasional treatment with the Permethrin spray.
As to the deck in the video, it already looks destroyed as far as structural integrity goes. When the deck of our previous house looked somewhat like that
from weathering, not insects, I stripped it to the frame, power-washed it, repaired any cracks or holes, replaced any wood that was heavily damaged, and
gave it 2 coats of a really good outdoor primer. That was followed with 2 coats of exterior satin paint that matched our house. Deck still looked great 4
years later when we sold the house.
Eating thru my painted barn … going to try this.. been fighting for years…
No, they go through painted soffit boards! I'm tired of them!
Home depot sells a product to spray in holes that kills the eggs. Then you close it up and paint.
Doesn't having the wood painted deter them from drilling into the wood also?
You can make traps out of a piece of 4x4 un treated wood with a mason jar attached to the bottom, Drill some half inch or 3/8 inch holes on each side of the wood block at about a 45 degree angle that connect to a center hole about 3/4 inches wide and about 2 an a half inches deep from the center of the bottom of the block. Then attach the mason jar lid with some screws, leave out the cap part of the lid and only attach the band part that screws onto the jar. I havent seen this work but folks say it does. The key is to have fresh cut or sanded wood, the fresh wood scent attracts the bee's. Trust me on this, I used to frame houses with Douglas Fur pine and them bee's where all around drilling holes like crazy.
@Bob Cat... Didn't work in East Central, Georgia. Not one carpenter bee trapped with 4 traps.
Vinegar in the traps works for me.
I live on a river and battle these pesky bees every year. Every building on my property is wood so I am a Carpenter Bee magnet. I start early in the spring, swatting them with badminton rackets that I have strategically placed all over the property and use this pesticide in squirt bottles to reach the ones that are hovering out of reach. This combination works best for me, and while this battle will never be over, it has reduced the damage to almost zero. Good exercise and some fun as well. Permethrin works great for mosquitos too.
You can also treat the lumber pre and post infestation with a mixture of boric acid and water (caution, toxic to person applying and until dry). Saturate joists, decking, and rails prior to appearance in spring reapply seasonally. This is best applied with a garden sprayer but wear goggles, breathing protection, and long pants and sleeves. Shower and wash clothing after applying.
We've battled carpenter bees at our house for about a decade now, spring after spring. At first it was general insecticide up into the holes and plugging with 0000 steel wool (bees can't chew through it) and then it was spraying FenvaStar (our local pest control guy suggested it) and that worked on killing them but not deterring them.
Then we started getting the traps with the little plastic jar on the bottom where they would get trapped and those worked great but didn't necessarily attract the bees and they stay alive in the traps for over a month sometimes.
Then we got more traps and added the carpenter bee attractant and that produced more bees in the traps and less flying around our deck but still not perfect as some would still be going up in the deck and making new holes if I plugged the existing ones.
The traps are expensive but they work and I've ordered some with larger mason jar traps to hopefully hold more this time around and I'm going to try the permethrin to hopefully ward them off and rely on the traps/attractant to actually kill them.
Hang two paper bags up under your deck inflated with other stuff like bags and twist and the tops with strings and hang. The bags will look like hornets nest and they will stay away from them.
Works great for me.
Thanks, that is definitely more cost effective as permethrin weakens in humidity.
This did NOT work for me. I was so excited and tried it and they wasn't bothered by it at all. After watching this video I'm going to try this.
@@dazednconfused5344 didn’t work for me
We did the paper bags and it’s working. Not seeing them anymore.
I tried it and they were very cautious about coming on the porch for a few days, then I think they figured it out and it was back to business as usual😂
This stuff will work very good. You will see the bees dwindle down after a few days after spraying. I have used it for several years now and see a big difference in numbers of bees. 6:43
I quit killing the bees, I keep up with painting/staining I now realize thier exsistance is very important. more than politicians
That’s not saying much.
I have had problems with carpenter bees. The value of my home is more important to me than the bees.
Why? Cant they live in my old trees rather than my new roof in my garage?
not those carpenter bees,,,those are destructive. I will defend a bumble bee all day long, honey bee, same thing , but those carpenter bees can really damage property .
Those bees will eat through the paint to get to wood.
Get you a couple of lengths of 3/8" dowling. Cut them into 1" pieces. Sand one end of each "bullet" to ease entry into each hole. Take a silicone tube and put a little shot of silicone in each hole and then pound one of the wood bullets into each hole. Without the silicone, they manage to get back out. In short order, ( a few days), they just left and found a new place to work on. I didn't want to use chemicals.
We created alternative homes for them in the woods and timber oiled our deck and they've never returned. The pesticides only worked temporarily. They are very friendly and love having them near us but not destroying our deck.
How often do you have to timber oil your deck?
@@LemonDropYum I timber oil every three years but it's region dependent. Initially used exterior latex paint but it was expensive, high maintenance and only moderately effective against reinfestation. The oil was very effective, low maintenance and the natural wood look was much more appealing
@@fl3shr0t My porch is already painted white. I don't know if there's any fix.
@@LemonDropYum Unfortunately you will have to kill some of them or they will destroy your porch. Step 1: Find alternative, nearby housing for them or traps (otherwise probably will come back). Hanging cheap pinewood boards or store bought houses will work. Step 2: Inject the bee holes with copious insecticide (the expanding foam type worked best for me). Their labyrinth can be extensive. Step 3: Fill the holes with copious wood filler. Step 4: Repaint
I'm not sure if i have termites or carpenter bees. yes i see perfect drills as yours and had seen those bees thinking they were bumble bees! But i hear them at night when I'm close eating the wood! i thought termites. do they keep on eating the wood while inside? thanks for the excellent video!!
Carpenter bees - once they drill their holes from the outside they can tunnel up to four feet once inside.
Thanks for the video! Although I know they don't sting, they definitely terrorize with the dive bombing within a couple inches of the face. I also am unable to enjoy sitting out on the deck. How long did this end up lasting?
It lasted the whole summer after I sprayed, so at least a few months. I’m about to do it again this year. Haven’t seen any yet but I want to get ahead of them.
Female do sting but you have to provoke them pretty good before they sting
@@adamj8293 k
@@adamj8293 don't get permithrin on your skin.
Males don't have stingers but the females do and they can sting.
I buy the old style smelly mothballs by the box. I use them for several different pests.
Put water and a box of mothballs in a sprayer and let it set until the mothballs dissolve in the water.
If you just want the bees to leave don't spray the holes- just the wood.
If you want them dead spray the hole. They will fall out and then you can plug the holes.
Every year spray the area before they start drilling. If you see any drilling spray again.
Cats peeing in the flower bed or spraying your windshield? You can spray the flower bed or just
throw out some on the ground. Put some balls in a heavy aluminum pan (so they can't turn it over)
and put it on a table or something near the hood so you won't have to remove it.
Dogs poop in your yard? Put the pans near where they go. Don't put them where they may get hit with the lawnmower. Most anything that has a sensitive nose can't stand the fumes.
If ANYTHING is pestering you try these methods. (Worked on my X wife!). Kidding!