I have a house in a rural area that gets attacked every year by carpenter
bees. The fascia boards (1x10's) on the eaves are cedar and the bees
tunnel into these boards so much that many of the boards need to be
replaced. If you have never seen this let me tell you, they make 1/2
diameter tunnels that go through the cedar into the framing, or turn
horizontal and go for 6 to 12 inches. Some boards are so eaten up that they
are structurally unsound.
Anybody go any ideas about what I could use to replace the boards with that
would deter the bees? The house is all rough wood on the outside so I
would rather not replace these boards with something that looks artificial.
I have tried plugging the holes, insect spray and using a racquet ball
racquet to discourage them but there are too many bees.
Actually, standing on the roof and smacking them in flight is pretty sporty
and satisfying but too time consuming.
Thanks for your comments,
willimX
Wed, Dec 28, 2005, 5:39pm (EST+5) [email protected] (willim) doth
lament:
<snip> Anybody go any ideas about what I could use to replace the boards
with that would deter the bees? <snip>
Yup.
Loads of info on the web, if you bother to look. It's been covered
before.
Supposedly, they don't like painted wood. Also, if you hang a
chunk of unpainted wood, say 2X4, with holes drilled i it, they're
supposed to prefer that.
Probably your local coungy Ag Agent would have something too.
Last, you could also get a BB gun, and shoot 'em one at a time, or
make a wooden paddle/bat and whack them. Of course, then you run the
danger of getting the Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Carpenter
Bees on your case.
JOAT
You'll never get anywhere if you believe what you "hear".
What do you "know"?
- Granny Weatherwax
Slightly off topic, but interesting.
I grew up in rural country.
Our house sat in the middle of a woods and pasture fields with black
berry bushes were abundant.
My mother would pick black berries and make blackberry preserves,
sealing the jars with paraffin.
One year there was an infestation of carpenter ants.
Those little devils got in the house, found the preserves, and drilled
right thru the paraffin.
Needless to say, were were not a happy family that year.
Lew
In article <[email protected]>,
willim <[email protected]> wrote:
> Actually, standing on the roof and smacking them in flight is pretty sporty
> and satisfying but too time consuming.
MUCH more fun with budgies. Target: cage door.
J T wrote:
> Wed, Dec 28, 2005, 5:39pm (EST+5) [email protected] (willim) doth
> lament:
> <snip> Anybody go any ideas about what I could use to replace the boards
> with that would deter the bees? <snip>
>
> Yup.
>
> Loads of info on the web, if you bother to look. It's been covered
> before.
>
> Supposedly, they don't like painted wood. Also, if you hang a
> chunk of unpainted wood, say 2X4, with holes drilled i it, they're
> supposed to prefer that.
>
> Probably your local coungy Ag Agent would have something too.
>
> Last, you could also get a BB gun, and shoot 'em one at a time, or
> make a wooden paddle/bat and whack them. Of course, then you run the
> danger of getting the Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Carpenter
> Bees on your case.
>
>
>
> JOAT
> You'll never get anywhere if you believe what you "hear".
> What do you "know"?
> - Granny Weatherwax
>
Well, I've had them in painted and unpainted roof purlins for my sheet
metal roof. Rather that spray the recommended killer int each hole then
plug the hole as mentioned here
http://www.uky.edu/Ag/Entomology/entfacts/struct/ef611.htm I've had
pretty good luck soaking them with 70% alcohol in a hand held spray
bottle. AVOID open flames while doing this! Spraying downwind is
preferable but not alway possible. Once they get hit a time or two they
fall to the floor and I can spray them again, keeping them in the fumes
long enough to suffocate them. A bug zapper used in conjunction with
this piles up dead bees on the floor.
Joe
"willim" wrote
> I have a house in a rural area that gets attacked every year by carpenter
> bees. The fascia boards (1x10's) on the eaves are cedar and the bees
> tunnel into these boards so much that many of the boards need to be
> replaced.
[snip]
I too, have a cedar clad house, and have been fighting an annual battle with
those little boogers. My greatest success is to simply fill any and all
holes (as they get started) with an acetone-based wood putty. My local
hardware store has this in many different shades, so you can match your
siding color without having to mess around covering up the patchwork.
The advantage of using acetone-based filler is that the fumes kill the bees
almost immediately (well, if you catch them while they're in the hole
chewing), and it discourages them from trying to reopen a filled hole (had
that happen with a water-based filler).
Funny thing ... after entombing about 5 of them, the battle stopped. Either
they gave up, or I got them all. Well, all but one. This one was taunting me
... flying just out of hose range (I was trying to knock it down with water)
... when it popped up just above the roof ridge, and got scooped up by a
bird that had been watching the whole thing! THAT was fun.
> Anybody go any ideas about what I could use to replace the boards with
that
> would deter the bees? The house is all rough wood on the outside so I
> would rather not replace these boards with something that looks
artificial.
[snip]
Have you taken a look at Hardie Board? http://www.jameshardie.com/ This is
a fiber-cement product that has a woodgrain imprinted on the face, and is
pretty much everything-proof. You can use a carbide blade to cut it ... but
probably not your best WWII blade on your Unisaw ... try a throwaway on a
cheap circular saw. It takes paint nicely ... nails reasonably well, and
from about 10 feet away, you would be hard pressed to tell the difference.
This means, however, that the bees will switch to the soffet or the siding
... and you'll be at this again and again. Better off entombing them IMHO.
Regards,
Rick
Here's the definitive stuff. I've tried it and it works great!
http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/Carpenter_Bees.htm
Best of luck
"willim" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I have a house in a rural area that gets attacked every year by carpenter
> bees. The fascia boards (1x10's) on the eaves are cedar and the bees
> tunnel into these boards so much that many of the boards need to be
> replaced. If you have never seen this let me tell you, they make 1/2
> diameter tunnels that go through the cedar into the framing, or turn
> horizontal and go for 6 to 12 inches. Some boards are so eaten up that
> they
> are structurally unsound.
>
> Anybody go any ideas about what I could use to replace the boards with
> that
> would deter the bees? The house is all rough wood on the outside so I
> would rather not replace these boards with something that looks
> artificial.
> I have tried plugging the holes, insect spray and using a racquet ball
> racquet to discourage them but there are too many bees.
>
> Actually, standing on the roof and smacking them in flight is pretty
> sporty
> and satisfying but too time consuming.
>
> Thanks for your comments,
>
> willimX
On Wed, 28 Dec 2005 17:39:35 +0000 (UTC), willim <[email protected]>
wrote:
>Actually, standing on the roof and smacking them in flight is pretty sporty
>and satisfying but too time consuming.
I have had a problem early with the present home, but Terminax visits
now and my wood trim is painted.
Markem