

If you seal up holes while the carpenter bees are inside, they’ll tunnel their way out and continue to damage your property.Īlso, since carpenter bees are essential pollinators, you don’t want to harm them – only deter them. Once you’ve used citrus or almond oil and added a bee hotel to your yard, the carpenter bees will leave.Īfter that, you’ll need to plug up any empty holes during the fall and winter when the bees aren’t active. Why should I do these things in the fall or winter? So, to prevent carpenter bees from damaging your property, the best and most efficient way is to paint or add a finish to the wood. It’s always a smart idea to fill carpenter bee holes with something durable, such as plugs, caulk, or putty.
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I started by spraying my porch with citrus oil first, then hung two bee hotels to attract the carpenter bees to them. I could hear them buzzing constantly.įrom the recommendation of a friend, I bought this bee hotel and put it on the other side of the yard, where the plants are, and the humans aren’t. Springtime hit, and I suddenly had dozens of carpenter bees burrowing into my cabin. Related: Do Carpenter Bees Sting? Step 2: Place a Bee Hotel NearbyĪ few years ago, I moved into a log cabin made from aged cypress wood.Ĭypress is one of carpenter bee’s favorite types of wood. Those oils don’t repel carpenter bees like citrus or almond oil does. Stick to almond oil or citrus oil only.įor example, using vegetable oil, canola oil, or olive oil from your kitchen will be pointless.
#SPRAYING FOR CARPENTER BEES PATCH#
The almond oil method works similarly to the citrus oil method, except I prefer “painting” the almond oil on the wood instead of spraying it.īut, you may need to test a small patch first because almond oil can stain some types of wood.ĭon’t assume that any type of oil will work to deter carpenter bees. Make sure you boil enough peels in the water to ensure the citrus scent is very potent. You can also create your own citrus spray by boiling citrus peels in water for several hours. Next, spray the citrus oil generously around the holes where the carpenter bees are nesting.ĭon’t spray inside their holes because you don’t want to harm them – only repel them. You can combine it with water, but don’t overdilute it since you want the citrus oil to have a strong odor. You can use either one.įor the citrus oil method, start by pouring citrus oil into a spray bottle. Two things naturally repel carpenter bees:Ĭitrus oil and almond oil. Step 1: Start by Spraying This on Your Wood Don’t skip on either step if you want to stop the carpenter bees for good. This technique is a two-fold approach to getting rid of carpenter bees.
#SPRAYING FOR CARPENTER BEES HOW TO#
Related: Do Carpenter Bees Pollinate? How to Get Rid of Carpenter Bees Without Harming Them Well, how do you deter and prevent carpenter bees naturally? Without them, the ecosystem would be significantly different or cease to exist altogether. In an ecosystem, a keystone species helps hold the entire system together. ( 1)īees are also considered a keystone species. In fact, pollinators like carpenter bees are responsible for 1 in 3 bites of food we eat. Secondly, there are natural ways to deter carpenter bees without killing them.īecause carpenter bees are crucial pollinators of many flowering plants found in the United States. Sure, it kills a few carpenter bees on the spot, but more carpenter bees are going to eventually come around to replace them. Neither of those methods prevent other carpenter bees from coming around. They either spray the carpenter bees with wasp spray or hang carpenter bee traps. You want to get rid of the carpenter bees ASAP.īut this is where most people run into trouble. It’s frustrating to see dozens of carpenter bee holes in your deck, porch, or home.
