WWA Info Exchange

For Woodworkers By Woodworkers
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 8:43 am

All times are UTC - 5 hours




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 12 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Carpenter bee trap
PostPosted: Thu Apr 16, 2015 1:02 pm 
Offline
Veteran
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2004 1:01 am
Posts: 11360
Location: Hamilton, MS
Sometimes I'm a little slow. I've had a problem with carpenter bees for years, and have always just sprayed the holes they make and seal them up. Found out a couple weeks ago that I can actually trap the little monsters. Built this trap in case anyone has a similar problem. They apparently like pre-drilled holes. Easy to make and very effective, no bait or anything needed. Use a untreated soft wood like pine or cedar. Dimensions and shape are not critical, except 1/2" dia holes should be drilled at a upward angle about 1.5" below the top on all sides. The bottom has a large hole covered by the bottles which they get trapped in and starve to death. There's a number of plans on the web.

Image

_________________
I bring to life, I bring to death:
The spirit does but mean the breath:
I know no more. (Tennyson, In Memoriam)


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Carpenter bee trap
PostPosted: Fri Apr 17, 2015 8:12 pm 
Offline
Veteran
User avatar

Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2005 12:01 am
Posts: 4950
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
Hey Gene,

Gee, do they really do that much damage? Around here, we're losing so many native pollinators that we build houses for them and try to encourage their production. The leaf cutter bees do a little damage, but the value of their pollinating services more than makes up for the cut leaves.

I'm not familiar with carpenter bees, only carpenter ants, and I do try to eliminate those when I find them.

Cheers,
Tom

_________________
"There is no path to peace, peace is the path."
Mohandas K. Ghandi
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Carpenter bee trap
PostPosted: Sat Apr 18, 2015 1:49 am 
Offline
AdminDude
User avatar

Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2000 12:01 am
Posts: 15387
Location: Maui,Hawaii
We have those Black Bohemithus here carpenter bees. they are loud monotone an are not aggressive. but the hole they leave behind is enviable. I too do not like bees mostly wasps. they make me swell. I hire a beekeeper when ever we have an invasion. he takes the hive and the queen and leaves me the most delicious honey in the world. tropical and Ki-wave (mesquite)

_________________
Mango
The land some where in the middle
20 47 00N -156 26 00W
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Carpenter bee trap
PostPosted: Sat Apr 18, 2015 7:09 am 
Offline
Veteran
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2004 1:01 am
Posts: 11360
Location: Hamilton, MS
tms wrote:
Hey Gene,

Gee, do they really do that much damage? Around here, we're losing so many native pollinators that we build houses for them and try to encourage their production. The leaf cutter bees do a little damage, but the value of their pollinating services more than makes up for the cut leaves.

I'm not familiar with carpenter bees, only carpenter ants, and I do try to eliminate those when I find them.

Cheers,
Tom


Yes, they do a lot of damage if you don't control them. Be glad you don't have them up there. Luckily they don't like hardwoods, but will make a stack of softwood like cedar or pine unusable in a short time.

Here's some info from UC Davis. http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7417.html

_________________
I bring to life, I bring to death:
The spirit does but mean the breath:
I know no more. (Tennyson, In Memoriam)


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Carpenter bee trap
PostPosted: Sat Apr 18, 2015 8:17 am 
Offline
Veteran

Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2009 2:48 pm
Posts: 1146
Location: Cypress, TX
I have them here and they have ruined some cedar corbels I have outside. They leave the fir corbels alone for some reason.
Zulu

_________________
Zulu's website
http://www.jmelledge.com


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Carpenter bee trap
PostPosted: Sat Apr 18, 2015 9:40 am 
Offline
Veteran
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2004 1:01 am
Posts: 11360
Location: Hamilton, MS
Zulu wrote:
I have them here and they have ruined some cedar corbels I have outside. They leave the fir corbels alone for some reason.
Zulu


Yep. Given a choice they'll go for cedar every time. Kinda like the difference between hamburger and filet mignon, I suppose. :wink:

_________________
I bring to life, I bring to death:
The spirit does but mean the breath:
I know no more. (Tennyson, In Memoriam)


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Carpenter bee trap
PostPosted: Wed Apr 22, 2015 4:59 am 
Offline
Veteran

Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2003 12:01 am
Posts: 4407
Location: Northern Maine and out of the city.
OH NOOOOOOOO, Keep them down your way Gene. I have cedar for my canoes.
I will kill them :D :D :D Dead Dead :D :D


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Carpenter bee trap
PostPosted: Wed Apr 22, 2015 11:24 pm 
Offline
Veteran
User avatar

Joined: Wed Oct 09, 2002 12:01 am
Posts: 3029
Location: Bainbridge Island, WA
Holy Moley, 1/2" holes?!? I'd be getting rid of them too (and I'm normally protective of bees and some hornets -- bald-faced for instance). But they can't go drillin' 1/2" holes in our house!

Tom -- there's a small black-looking bee that finds small holes in buildings out at the stable -- I'd say 1/8" or so -- and goes inside to set up housekeeping. They definitely sting, but don't seem to be aggressive unless you get toooo close. Do you happen to know what those are?


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Carpenter bee trap
PostPosted: Wed Apr 22, 2015 11:41 pm 
Offline
Veteran
User avatar

Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2005 12:01 am
Posts: 4950
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
Hey Jamie,

When you say that they sting, is it painful sting like a honey bee, or more like a mosquito bite? The female orchard mason bee has a very mild sting, but as with honey bees, they are reluctant to use it.

Once upon a time, I kept honey bees, about six hives at one time. Nowadays, I encourage our native orchard mason bees. They are much less work, and are about 200 times more effective as pollinators. I buy my honey at the market, or get it from bee keeper friends.

Cheers,
Tom

_________________
"There is no path to peace, peace is the path."
Mohandas K. Ghandi
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Carpenter bee trap
PostPosted: Thu Apr 23, 2015 6:27 am 
Offline
Veteran
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2004 1:01 am
Posts: 11360
Location: Hamilton, MS
forestgirl wrote:
Holy Moley, 1/2" holes?!? I'd be getting rid of them too (and I'm normally protective of bees and some hornets -- bald-faced for instance). But they can't go drillin' 1/2" holes in our house!


Not just diameter either. The tunnels are often a foot long or more.

_________________
I bring to life, I bring to death:
The spirit does but mean the breath:
I know no more. (Tennyson, In Memoriam)


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Carpenter bee trap
PostPosted: Thu Apr 23, 2015 7:52 am 
Offline
Veteran

Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2009 2:48 pm
Posts: 1146
Location: Cypress, TX
These bees are serious pests around here.
1/2" hole is no exaggeration.
When I see a small pile of sawdust on the ground, I know a bee is boring. I stick a wooden plug in the hole. If the bee is in the hole it will die. If it is not in the hole, it will start a new hole right next to the old hole. :mad: :mad:
Zulu the reluctant beekeeper.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

_________________
Zulu's website
http://www.jmelledge.com


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Carpenter bee trap
PostPosted: Sun May 03, 2015 8:19 am 
Offline
Veteran
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2005 12:01 am
Posts: 2904
Location: Prattville, Al. USA
I built one of those traps, had it up for two years and not one carpenter bee entered it. I have sprayed and plugged holes after I have seen the bee enter; only to see that later it bored a hole to exit. The hole is very close to 3/8" dia. I have a 3'8" plug cutter and it is great in plugging the hole. I did find one solution to stopping the bees from boring into places on my shop. It is a repellent I bought at the paint store, mix it with your paint and paint the area that is infected with these pests. I did that after plugging the holes, I did notice that the following year the bees returned but after attempting to bore holes they left, that was four years ago and no bees since in that area.

I have a friend that has a solution to the carpenter bees, he uses a tennis racket, says it does a great job. lol


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 12 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 44 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group