Carpenter Bees: Ways to Eliminate and Prevent Them

Getting rid of carpenter bees in your home is easy if you know what these pests hate. It would be essential to know that what you are dealing with are not honeybee, but carpenter bees that target wood. Carpenter bees are larger than bumblebees but smaller than honeybees. 

These bees have a large shiny black color on the back section of their abdomen. They burrow and chip off wood creating a tunnel for its colony and damage and stain furniture, windows, wooden panels of doors, and fences. 

If you are sure that carpenter bees are the culprit for the damages in your home, here are the ways to eliminate and prevent them from invading your home. 

Ways to Eliminate Carpenter Bees

Wear proper Personal Protective Equipment like gloves and protective eyewear before carrying out a chemical treatment. You may also wear a professional bee suit to protect yourself from bee stings. 

See also: How to Get Rid of Mice: 9 Ways to Eliminate Them Naturally

Foaming aerosols that contain Fipronil are deadly to carpenter bees. Because it foams, you are sure that the active ingredient reaches deep into the galleries to kill not only the bees but also their eggs hiding inside. After applying the foam, seal the holes with wood putty to prevent reinfestation. 

(Photo: Unsplash/Bianca Ackermann)

Preventing the Bees from Coming Back

Here are some natural ways of preventing the bees from returning to your home. 

Spraying Citrus Scent

Squeeze out the juice of any citrus fruits, like lemon, oranges, grapefruit, and lime, or use their peels to keep the bees away. Put the juice or peel in a pot of water and allow it to boil for a while. Sprinkle the citrus aroma all over to repel the bees because they cannot stand citrus fruits scent. 

Brew Garlic, Oil, and Vinegar

Let a few cloves of garlic steep in a jar of cooking oil for days, then add some white vinegar. Spray the mixture into tunnels and regularly check for any signs of bees left. Spray some more if they are still there. 

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Seal the Tunnels

Soak a mass of steel wire with some vinegar, then use it to block the bee nest's hole. 

Use Oils

In a bowl, mix some tea tree oil, lavender oil, citronella oil, and jojoba oil. You may also use almond oil because it contains benzaldehyde that acts as a repellant. Pour it into holes to deter bees and larvae for up to three or four months. 

Use Wood Preservatives

Wood preservatives contain borate that makes the wood indigestible to bees and other insects. 

Alcohol, Apple Cider Vinegar, and Essential Oils

Mix one tablespoon of 99 percent rubbing alcohol, two tablespoons of ACV, five to six drops of lavender oil, and six drops of tea tree oil. Shake them well in a spray bottle then apply directly into holes and bees.

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Use Varnish

Varnish prevents bees from chewing onto the wood. Paint your walls and other wooden surfaces with varnish. 

Using a Vacuum to Collect the Bees

Vacuum the holes using an appropriate-sized nozzle to eradicate the colony of carpenter bees. It is best to use this approach in the evening when all the bees are in the tunnels.