How to deter carpenter bees

How to deter carpenter bees

Carpenter bees are a real threat and unlike other bees and wasps or hornets, they are not just a danger to you. While the females are aggressive and can sting in swarms they are also highly destructive to your home. You see, carpenter bees are named for the fact that they build their nests in raw wood. The females mate with the males and then become pregnant with eggs, they burrow a tunnel into the wood that goes on for some inches and then turns sharply right. They will carve out an opening in the tunnel-like a catacomb where they lay the eggs with some bee bread and seal the cavity for the egg to hatch and grow strong. These cause severe damage to your home and if left unchecked you should find your foot breaking through slats on your deck or pieces of wall falling off. If it gets really bad your whole house could collapse. This is why it is so important to get rid of carpenter bees as soon as you find them and to take precautions to ensure they never come. 

If you suspect wasp presence anywhere near or on your property, contact wasp removal Toronto for quick and safe removal.

How to deter carpenter bees

 

These bees cannot burrow into wood that has been treated, painted, or varnished. They cant penetrate the surface but they are smart and careful. They spend all day searching for the right spot and often find places in deep recesses that provide raw wood. A commonplace for them to nest is in the drip edge which offers plenty of safe space to lay eggs. Decks and other structures are also a threat. The best thing you can do is paint all the raw wood on your property. Make sure to use a sturdy outdoor paint and maybe varnish over it to make it last. If the paint peels the bees will have a way to access the wood. So make sure to repaint every year. 

If you already have a nest in your house or on your property then you can get rid of it in a number of ways. The easiest way to get rid of it is by sneaking up on them at night when they are asleep and painting over their nests. This will trap them and suffocate them. If this sounds too brutal you can also try using an insecticide or installing something called a bee hotel which is a novelty house looking device filled with wood that is the bees favorite to burrow in. They would rather make a nest in that than your deck.