Carpenter Bees and Wasps

Ikeepitcold

Ikeepitcold

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Feb 22, 2011
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Reno Nv
We have been at our property in Ca this weekend and clearing weeds and brush. We have an old barn and a few out building on the property. I couldn't believe how many carpenter bees and wasps that are around. The bees are mean as all get out and the wasps are pretty aggressive too.

Any suggestions on traps or tricks to get rid of them? I've seen the traps for the bees and will probably make a few for the next trip but I figure some of you have some tricks up your sleeve.
 
marcusvdk

marcusvdk

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Dec 13, 2011
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You could try some smoke see if that drives some of them out. Other then that don't know of any traps. My dad used to get on all his bike riding leather and full face mask. Tuck his sleeves in the leather gloves and pants legs in his boots snd go in to spray and take down nests with a pole. Not sure if it helps yeah but its an idea

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velvetfvr

velvetfvr

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May 6, 2012
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IKIC, I say light the barn on fire hahaha
Maybe throw in a couple sticks of dynamite also

I have no secrets either than using smoke to take down the nests. Otherwise me and my friends would spray the nests with bee killer and run like heck to safety
 
Umpqua Hunter

Umpqua Hunter

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When it is the coldest, normally early morning, spray the nests. Spectracide Wasp and Hornet Killer is really effective on yellowjackets at our house. It sprays like 15 to 20 feet. You will need several cans. I just bought a case from Lowes.

http://www.spectracide.com/Solution-Center/Outdoor-Insects/Wasps.aspx

If they are yellowjackets, there are good traps available because they are meat eaters and drawn to various scents.
 
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Umpqua Hunter

Umpqua Hunter

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One of my most entertaining things to do in the summer is to eat dinner outside on the deck, equipped with the hose from the central vac system, and suck up any suspecting yellowjacket that comes in for a bite to eat. That is redneck entertainment at it's finest.
 
packer58

packer58

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Aug 24, 2011
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Loma Rica, Ca.
For the wasps use what UH suggested, hit them in the morning when its still cool and there somewhat inactive. That stuff does spray good and far but keep a good escape route open just in case you don't make a direct hit on the nest!!!!!

For the yellow jackets (meat bee's) you can buy traps or just make your own. Meat bees love hotdogs and its good cheap bait.
 
hardstalk

hardstalk

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Dish soap! Kills em quick. Might take a few rounds to wipe them all out. I had a hive about 5' tall and 3-4' in circumference in the pasture. The bees started making their way to the pool mid day and bothering us. I called an exterminator. He said to use dawn dish soap and water. It suffocates them instantly. I grabbed the pressure washer. our pressure washer has the option for "car wash" where you can stick a tube coming from the pump into a jug of car wash soap. I stick the tube into about 3 gallons of soap/water mix and went to town on them. I revisited them every evening for a couple days. Each day was less and less. The original spray down was eery. There were piles of them! Hundreds and hundreds in clumps. I'll post pics in a bit
 
Umpqua Hunter

Umpqua Hunter

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hardstalk said:
Dish soap! Kills em quick. Might take a few rounds to wipe them all out. I had a hive about 5' tall and 3-4' in circumference in the pasture. The bees started making their way to the pool mid day and bothering us. I called an exterminator. He said to use dawn dish soap and water. It suffocates them instantly. I grabbed the pressure washer. our pressure washer has the option for "car wash" where you can stick a tube coming from the pump into a jug of car wash soap. I stick the tube into about 3 gallons of soap/water mix and went to town on them. I revisited them every evening for a couple days. Each day was less and less. The original spray down was eery. There were piles of them! Hundreds and hundreds in clumps. I'll post pics in a bit
Click to expand...
That is the best thing I have learned all day!! That's gonna save me some money! Here is a YouTube on it, using a hand sprayer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX32S2BHKXk
 
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Bitterroot Bulls

Bitterroot Bulls

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Apr 25, 2011
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It really depends on the species.

I don't know what carpenters bees and wasps are.

I use these yellowjacket traps for yellowjackets:

http://www.rescue.com/product/reusable-yellowjacket-trap

They work awesome for yellowjackets (especially with the brand-name Rescue bait!), but paper wasps and bald faced hornets won't go in them.

I am going to try this for all three species this summer:

http://www.rescue.com/product/why-trap-wasps-hornets-yellowjackets

I have two YJ traps up in the yard right now. I will go see what is in there.
 
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jims

jims

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Oct 5, 2012
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KC Missouri
I always have a few carpenter bees in my tractor shed every summer. They bore holes in the wood, for nesting I suppose. I usually stand around and wait for one to land and then try to swat them dead. I've also had luck spraying a foaming-type of bug spray into their bore hole once they are in there. It's easy to spot their bore holes from the sawdust on the ground. I've heard, and it seems to be accurate, that the carpenter bees are attracted to bare wood. They seem to prefer the rafters and purlins. I have painted many of the rafters and purlins and that does seem to help keep them away.
 
Musket Man

Musket Man

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Starting fluid, WD-40, break cleaner, carb cleaner, anything like that will kill them. If you can find nests in places where it wont damage anything go in at night and pour diesel on them and light it on fire. Im not sure if it works for bees but spraying with tempo works well for carpenter ants and flys and things like that.
 
OregonJim

OregonJim

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Feb 19, 2014
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Oregon Coast
I don't think you can do much better on traps than the ones at the hardware store.
In regard to hanging nests…. I can't believe with a handle like "I keep it cold," you haven't tried a CO2 fire extinguisher on them.
I've always wanted to try one…. it always works in movies on snakes.
 
OregonJim

OregonJim

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Feb 19, 2014
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Oregon Coast
Umpqua Hunter said:
One of my most entertaining things to do in the summer is to eat dinner outside on the deck, equipped with the hose from the central vac system, and suck up any suspecting yellowjacket that comes in for a bite to eat. That is redneck entertainment at it's finest.
Click to expand...
Hummmm…… sounds like a re-run of duck dynasty.
Are you the beardless cousin from Oregon?
 
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