Monday, January 6, 2020
Carpenter Bee Control: How to Get Rid of Carpenter Bees
What is the Best Insecticide for Carpenter Bees?
Carpenter Bees are an annually recurring pest for many homeowners. We are frequently asked about the best approach for treating against the bees because they cause expensive wood damage on homes. Much of the confusion from homeowners revolves around not knowing whether to treat the house, spray the bees directly, or treat the damaged area and holes that the bees create.
As with most insect issues, there's an easy method that can be used to prevent the pest, but an active infestation takes a little bit of investigation and some work to identify and eradicate.
Identification
Very often we have customers confuse bumble bees with carpenter bees because of their similar appearance.
Bumble bees and carpenter bees are about the same size (3/4 inch) and are colored yellow and black. The main difference is that bumble bees have hairy bodies while carpenter bee bodies are hairless and shiny. The main difference to help you identify carpenter bees is the fact that it burrows in wood while bumblebees burrow in the ground.
Bumble bees and carpenter bees are about the same size (3/4 inch) and are colored yellow and black. The main difference is that bumble bees have hairy bodies while carpenter bee bodies are hairless and shiny. The main difference to help you identify carpenter bees is the fact that it burrows in wood while bumblebees burrow in the ground.
Use the description and image above to help you in identifying carpenter bees on your property. If you are having trouble, reach out to us and one of our pest control experts will help you to properly ID the pest as well as offer you product recommendations for control.
Inspection
Where To Inspect
Carpenter bees are most active in the spring and fall season and they can give off signs of their presence fairly easily with their conspicuous damage of drilling holes into wooden elements, usually around the exterior of the home.
What To Look For
Keep an eye out for holes made in wood siding, railings, fencing and other wooden elements. Other signs include yellow fecal stains on wood and sawdust (frass).
Best insecticide for Preventing Carpenter Bees
The best method for preventing carpenter bees is applying an insecticide spray such as Cyzmic CS on the structure where the bees congregate before they cause damage. This typically happens in the early spring and a spray should be applied in late winter.