Carpenter bees are known for their habit of constructing nests in wood. When they choose to nest in your home, they can cause both cosmetic and structural damage, depending on the severity of the infestation. It’s important to implement preventative and control measures to keep them from nesting in your house. Check out a few tips to help keep carpenter bees away from your home.
1. Correctly Identify Carpenter Bees & Their Nest
The first step to getting rid of carpenter bees is correctly identifying an infestation. Because bees are pollinators, you want to make sure that you are dealing with carpenter bees and not another species. These bees are categorized as small, growing to 3/8", or large, growing up to 1". Unlike bumblebees, they have a hairless, shiny black abdomen.
Carpenter bees construct nests by burrowing into wood and creating galleries. The nests are often marked by a round entrance hole that usually has a diameter that is less than 1/2". The size of the entry point can help to distinguish these nests from carpenter ant nests.
2. Don’t Let Them in Your Home
Though carpenter bees typically nest in wood found outside or on the exterior of your home, there is a chance they can make their way indoors. To avoid carpenter bees in your house, you need to seal potential entry points. Carpenter bees and other bugs can make their way inside via cracks or gaps. Examine the exterior of your home and look for potential openings, sealing any you find. Repair or replace damaged window and door screens. It’s also important to keep doors and windows shut if you don’t have screens.
3. Paint Unfinished Wood
Carpenter bees are attracted to wood that is unfinished or weathered. To help deter them from nesting in wooden structures, you’ll want to paint the wood. This will make the wood less attractive to carpenter bees because the paint acts as a barrier, making it harder for them to burrow into the wood. It can also make it harder for them to identify the wood as a nesting site. Consider painting your doors, windowsills, fences, furniture, railings, decks, siding, and other wooden structures. It’s also best to replace weathered wood to discourage these bees from building a nest.
4. Treat the Nest with an Insecticide Dust
Treating the nest with an insecticide dust can help to control carpenter bees. Our Spider & Insect Dust is formulated using plant oils as the active ingredients and works well for treating nests. Using the puffer bottle, apply the dust to the entrance hole. Our Spider & Insect Dust provides long-lasting protection, remaining effective for up to six months when undisturbed. After treating the nest, you can seal the hole using stainless steel wool.
5. Seal the Nest Entrance Holes
One of the best ways to keep carpenter bees away is to seal nest entrance holes. After you are sure there aren’t bees in the nest, you can fill the holes with wood putty or stainless steel wool. There are also plugs that are specifically designed for carpenter bees. It’s important to make sure that the nest is empty because carpenter bees will dig their way out if sealed inside. Because many carpenter bees prefer to move into an existing nest, sealing the entrance holes will help to deter future activity.
Carpenter bees can be problematic, especially if you’re dealing with an infestation. Taking steps to minimize potential nesting sites is key to preventing and controlling an infestation. If you’re dealing with carpenter bees or other pests, we have your back! Check out our Maggie’s Farm Simply Effective™ Pest Control products for a more environmentally and family-friendly solution when used as directed.