Do the bees come in different sizes like spade bits? I could use some 3/4" and 5/8" bees.

@TheHonestCarpenter

3 жыл бұрын

If you collect enough of them, you can get rid of your drill, John 🐝

@Fromard

3 жыл бұрын

@@TheHonestCarpenter do they have a union?

@Vergalvia

3 жыл бұрын

@@Fromard I tried asking one before, but he just told me to buzz off.

@juanm1924

3 жыл бұрын

They do in deed, there are several sizes from small carpenter bees to Large ones. Hahahaha

@DougPoker

3 жыл бұрын

Good luck finding millimeter bees.

Carpenter Bees, Mason Bees... can I get some Electrician Bees? Or how about plumber bees? I'm trying to put together a crew for a kitchen remodel

@swsquish

2 жыл бұрын

Plumber bees are unionized and just make the job run longer than needed.

@iamthemiracle81

2 жыл бұрын

You can check the Home Depot parking lot, but you better go early.

@Rattletrap-xs8il

2 жыл бұрын

@@iamthemiracle81 No that's roofer bees

@brookesedgedesigns9441

2 жыл бұрын

No they are all busy.

@jakubmakalowski6428

2 жыл бұрын

Leaving unsightly holes you then have to deal with, these already sound like electricians

My questions for carpenter bees is, why can't you just go to the 25 trees behind my house?

@TheHonestCarpenter

3 жыл бұрын

Good question, Jack. I think it’s because they like dead wood that has dried out, rather than sappy living wood.

@danamiller6049

3 жыл бұрын

They only use milled wood--hence the name carpenter bee.

@kdkay4039

3 жыл бұрын

@@danamiller6049 😂

@isabelleniemirow9484

3 жыл бұрын

Exactly

@SomeoneCommenting

3 жыл бұрын

Probably because they don't like the sap oozing from the wood. But if you provide them with some nice tree stumps, they may like that idea.

No one told my carpenter bees that they're afraid of hornets. They seem to actively seek out the wasps and hornets around my house and fight to the death. Since I had some carpenter bees show up, I've had a significant reduction in wasps. I still get startled by the big buggers bumping into me, but at least they're not aggressive and predatory like the wasps that used to chase me around whenever I left the house...

@swayback7375

2 жыл бұрын

Most people don’t know, and no one seems to ever notice that there this eternal war taking place all around us, all the time! If folks pay attention they’d see it, out in the field it’s common to see a big bumble dive bomb into a wasp and knock them out of the air or mid air tackle them and fall to the ground together, grappling and battling for their lives. It’s wild and wildly entertaining! Wasps seem to have a thing for me, I’ve learned to appreciate them over the decades and I’ve tried to call a ceasefire with them but some of em haven’t gotten the memo

@OzixiThrill

2 жыл бұрын

Fight or flight at it's base. A nest of wasps is a lethal threat. A single wasp is a potential scout and a managable opponent. If they see the wasp nest, they are in deep shit. If they see a wasp scout, they are not in danger, but if the sout reports back, then they might be.

@mikepalmer2219

2 жыл бұрын

I was clearing some bushes with a brush axe once and I guess I hit a nest. They were not mild that day lol. The only time I had to run from these things. I lost my hat and let them keep it lol.

@swayback7375

2 жыл бұрын

@@OzixiThrill I’m not so sure about that, I’d be very surprised to learn that paper wasps would pose much threat to any bumblebee except the very small ones, and I doubt wasps would even try to raid a bumblebee nest, they are fortresses! Most of them nest in holes in the ground, dead logs etc, there’s no honey to loot, the only thing they could eat would be larvae, but bumbles usually have small numbers anyway. It would make more sense if they attacked honeybees or solitary bees (there’s over 1000 species of small solitary bees in the eastern US) some don’t even have stingers, but both bees and wasps are well armored and it’s very hard for one to sting the other. Bumblebees are tanks! I’ve never seen a wasp even try to attack a bumble, but I regularly see big fat bees dive bomb wasps while the wasp is hovering, not moving fast… the bumbles just blast them right out of the air and never slow down! It’s like a sport to them! If you’re on a bike and run into a wasp it’s not big deal… but hitting a bumblebee at 50mph+ will hurt! They’re almost as bad as hitting a big beetle, it’ll welt up and probably bruise, it feels like you got hit with a rock. Wasps do attack insects but they go for caterpillars, or spiders (mostly to lay eggs in) and they’ll eat loads of carrion or just a chunk of chicken breast, but they don’t try to tangle with anything that has armor, or might defend itself. Soft targets only… that’s probably why they’re always trying to attack me 😢

@OzixiThrill

2 жыл бұрын

@@swayback7375 "there’s no honey to loot, the only thing they could eat would be larvae, but bumbles usually have small numbers anyway." Wasps tend to prioritize looting larvae even with honeybees, so that's not much of a deterrent. "Bumblebees are tanks!" It matters little for venom how tough you are. You need 1 weakpoint and you're dead (at least at those sizes). "but they go for caterpillars, or spiders " That is entirely dependent on the species. Some wasps raid bee nests and bumblebees are not off their lists either. Some wasps live off of almost exclusively fruits or scavenge. "but they don’t try to tangle with anything that has armor, or might defend itself. " Again, depends on the species. Some wasps will turn an beehive into a buffet, and bees do try (and sometimes manage) to defend themselves. Yet they keep raiding.

I’m the owner of a small pest control company and this was a great video. Thanks for not being a spray and pray kinda guy 😅

If carpenter bees move into your home they will repair attic space. It’s part of their trade.

@bambamnj

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, but they demand 30% of the payment up front. Otherwise, they get a bit testy about the whole project.

@justinhackstadt6677

3 жыл бұрын

They are like shoe trolls. They'll help you out. 😆🤣

@eddiesmith1518

3 жыл бұрын

They're like Carpenter dogs they do odd jobs all over !

@joshuacope2616

3 жыл бұрын

As long as the electrician bees are there to plug in there tools for them..

@fobbitoperator3620

3 жыл бұрын

Negative. They will add another occupiable level to your house. It's all the buzz!

what really works for a bee hotel is a 4x4 or 6x6 untreated post stuck in the ground with some 1" holes drilled at a 45 just pecked in a starter tunnel spots. it actually does work to keep them out of your structures as they find the post more ideal

@bennichols561

2 жыл бұрын

If you build it they will come.

@DonnaRatliff1

Жыл бұрын

That's exactly what they've been drilling in for years is my 4x4 posts that hold up my porch. They come back every year and now I'm worried they're going to cause my porch roof to fall. So I dont know if making them a home out of 4x4 will help. What do think? Anyone have any suggestions? I really didn't want to kill them as I have a garden going all year but at this point I may not have a choice. Replacing 4x4 in 2023 has gotten expensive. I will try a few coats of fresh stain first and oil of orange

@thebluelunarmonkey

Жыл бұрын

@@DonnaRatliff1 Buy untreated 2x4 studs. You can predrill holes their size to 1/2" deep to attract them. Seal up the structural lumber so the untreated bare 2x4 become the most attractive option to bore. Tack them up horizontally, like under an eave or under the porch where it's dry.

this video was on my recommend list, 1 week after visiting my Dads house, who is passing conversation brought up carpenter bees were eating his wood pergola...THEY ARE LISTENING to EVERY convo you have when ur cell phone is within listening range folks!

@marymitchell2014

9 күн бұрын

Yes they are!!!

This is so interesting. We have had carpenter bees in my yard for 15 years. We figured out they are pretty harmless pretty quick. Dozens of them would buzz around. Then... a couple years ago I noticed there seemed to be a LOT less of them. Lo and behold... I caught a Woodpecker absolutely shredding part of my neighbor's fence to get to their larvae. This was so fascinating to watch. They seem to be coming back. I'm glad they didn't all get eaten... they are kind of funny to watch. The males like to fight each other.

@ablemagawitch

2 жыл бұрын

well you have heard the classical music song flight of bubble bees haven't you? What picture does the sounds place in your mind? Maybe play it when the males are fighting by flying at each other, probably as cool as putting on Pink floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" and watching "The Wizard of Oz".

It’s not so much the Bees , it’s the woodpeckers that go after them tearing up the wood until they find them !

@TheHonestCarpenter

3 жыл бұрын

One time I patched some holes for a client, Patricia (used bondo that time, I think), and the woodpeckers came and drilled it out and made about five more holes that same week.😅 That was before I understood the life cycle.

@leonawhitney6048

3 жыл бұрын

Twice now woodpeckers have notified me of carpenter ant damage.

@one-newman7657

3 жыл бұрын

Great post! Our abundant wood peckers don't seem to have carpenter bee on the menu. I overlooked them for years/ today I do the trap thing but it doesn't knock a dent in the population. This year will try a 1-gallon sprayer tank filled with a little water & neem oil. I heard treating the rafters with that stuff works for a while. Early spring and late summer our tractor shed look like a syfy horror movie. Strange but the pole barn is never been their hang out. It's the other barn with the tractor shed attached they can't get enough of. Treated wood V non treated do make a difference. I believe eventually the roof will commence to sag because of their extensive tunneling. The queen can sting the stew out of ya but that's unlikely she don't get angry easily. The males are the more visual and aggressive of the two. They are abundant crash into one another and bounce off your head and shoulder yet they are totally harmless.But try telling that to one of the grand kids ...

@elkekirkpatrick6481

3 жыл бұрын

@@one-newman7657 My neighbor stands in his shop and swats the males with a tennis racket. Never once got stung.

@tenentenegrao

3 жыл бұрын

Yes! At least the bees drill nice, neat 1/2" holes. The woodpeckers are more into demolition than hole drilling, LOL

Not mentioned here is my favorite solution: post decoy planks nearer to your garden than the house. A simple unfinished pine board with a sheltering overhang driven into the ground turns into a bee condo. Those "bee hotels" made of pieces of bamboo do not work. They don't allow the bees to bore their right-angle tunnels, and are readier hosts for wasps, and the bees will avoid them.

@BigShrimpin_

2 жыл бұрын

They do work for mason bees, which will use the tunnels then fill it with mud to seal it, but yea, doesn't do much, if anything for carpenter bees.

@lastzeen

Ай бұрын

They will use them if the bamboo is black or dark. For some reason they do not like white/light-colored bamboo.

@claytond6898

21 күн бұрын

Same principle as a Japanese beetle trap. It only attracts more of them to your property. 😂

@lastzeen

20 күн бұрын

@@claytond6898 Hi Clayton. Actully, I don't believe it attracts more. These guys are quite territorial. Once a female sets up a nest in a tube, the males spend the whole day zooming around to confront and chase away anything that approaches the area. I used to be intimidated by these big fuzzy bees hovering in front of me until I learned the males cannot sting and are easily ID'd by a big white square on their face. Now, I call their bluff: wave at them and laugh as they retreat a foot or two, repeat, repeat until they give up and fly away to chase something else, lol.

Just a heads up, that bee hotel is for a different type of bee: Mason bees. They also lay eggs and stuff the holes with mud, but they don't bore into wood like carpenter bees. Carpenter bees won't use that one, but you will end up with a lot of beneficial pollinators moving in.

@ethanpayne4116

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah I was gonna say it looked like a great native bee habitat, but I didn't see how it would help with carpenter bees.

@johnnyswatts

3 жыл бұрын

Good for leaf cutter bees, too.

@jwrosenbury

3 жыл бұрын

I think you might put a chunk of untreated 4x4 nearby. Drill a couple of starter holes 1/4" deep.

@nickw7990

3 жыл бұрын

It’s amazing how many don’t know this

@martinphilip8998

3 жыл бұрын

Yes. I bought a small "hotel" for mason bees. They will normally make tunnels in the dirt and line them with saliva that keeps things nice and neat. There was a spot where I took my cigarette breaks. I would bring my third graders out to see them in the spring. But I didn’t light up. Lol.

It was a relief to hear from a carpenter that these bees are not all that destructive. We've been living with them for over 10 years. We've learned to not be worried about getting stung but I always worried about the extent of the damage they can do. Filling and painting have mostly kept them at bay and found hammering a roofing nail in the hole is great for a quick fix. I do have a few that have found their way into harder to reach areas and will try the bag trick. If that doesn't work I'll have to decide if I want to use a trap or just let them "bee".

@bobcapretto8556

Жыл бұрын

Hey Kevin read my comment

@binitanshusabarnya658

Жыл бұрын

Who says they don't stung one day one bee is failing on ground and i step on it bare foot and then can u understand my problem but it's good i make a excuse and escape school that day

The bag full of bags trick does remarkably well at repelling wasps too

@TheMistashmoe

2 жыл бұрын

Does it matter what the outside bag color is? These things are eating my deck up

I grew up on a horse ranch, and we always had a ton of these little guys buzzing around our barn. We would lean some 2x4" pine boards against the side of the barn out of the rain, and they would usually go straight for those. You could say they... ...BEElined toward them.

@paulghignon4092

3 жыл бұрын

This is actually quite smart, a bit of a sacrifice to our bee overlords.

@Paislywalls4767

3 жыл бұрын

Thats the best joke yet! And great advice Hava great day

I had a water damage repair in a 2 story apartment complex, affecting a lower unit caused by carpenter bees. What occurred was this: At the seam where the siding panels butted together between the 1st and 2nd story, concealed behind a 2x6 fascia the Bees had entered once through both fascia and siding they found a passage way along the ceiling/floor joists only interrupted by blocking every 2 feet for them to bore through to the next pocket, an arrangement they enjoyed. The roof mounted air conditioning units condensation drain was for some reason ported through the roof, over to the exterior wall and then down inside the wall to the foundation where it ported out the siding to drain in a flowerbed, the line schedule 40 PVC. It ran through one of the joist blocks on the way down. The bees chewed more than half of the pipe away. Picture holding the pipe like an ear of corn and bite halfway into it, that's what it looked like. That summer as the AC units, 4 tied to the line, were used the line served it's purpose except sawdust, wood chips, insulation and sheet plastic had clogged the line at the 90* fitting and the water evacuated into the ceiling and kitchen wall which went unnoticed for months. The photos of the bite marks on the PVC are eerie. But it was an unexpected cause to be sure.

@dezznutz3743

3 жыл бұрын

They are a nuisance

@sharonchaffins9841

2 жыл бұрын

Wow

@Meenadevidasi

2 жыл бұрын

Super Wow. We all gotta live together, but it sure does get challenging

I appreciate how you really try and cover all the bases on each topic in your vids. Thanks for the good info

@TheHonestCarpenter

3 жыл бұрын

You're welcome, Peter. I appreciate the feedback!

@michaelrussell499

3 жыл бұрын

You need to be a teacher.

Last time i saw a video about carpenter bees the guy went apesh*t and basicly compared them to termites and only talked about ways to exterminate them from the yard. So it feels good that there is someone promoting more friendly solutions to the problem. Great video. Thanks.

@MizzzFizzz

2 жыл бұрын

Anyone who kills bugs completely outside their house is so selfish how much space do you want to own and have void of life? lol I like sharing my abode with whatever chooses to stay in the enviroment i keep. Not fond of roaches but as long as its clean they have no reason to come inside, there is plenty of food outside.

That plastic bag hornets nest sounds like one of those 'not stupid if it works' ideas lol

@oldmanfromscenetwentyfour8164

3 жыл бұрын

An old neighborhood saloon where I live, used to blow up and hang small brown paper bags (which look like Hornets nests) around doors, trash dumpsters, to keep Bees and Flies away. I seems to have done the job, I don't recall ever seeing any swarms of flies or bees around the place.

@martinphilip8998

3 жыл бұрын

Sounds diabolical. I keep an eye out for hornets nests after the first hard freeze. I’ve collected two. I used to have one hanging in my classroom.

@tomk4t

3 жыл бұрын

It is actually suppose to be paper grocery bags and you can stuff them with newspaper. I do this every year in my shed. No hornets. They think the area is occupied and move on. They will mark the bag though so the next year they will know if it's an old nest or new. So you have to change it annually.

@toughtimes6596

3 жыл бұрын

I used a paper bag and it works! I love bees and I hate to kill anything if I can find an alternative method.

@Paislywalls4767

3 жыл бұрын

@@martinphilip8998 seen your previous post, you sound like a cool teacher Mr.Philip. But i came here to learn and spending a lot of time reading corny jokes! Hope you have a great day! Im going to try the fake Hornets nest. Better than pesticides. Husbands coworker suggested squirting with super concentrated dawn dish soap...dont work. But is great for pre treating nasty lasagna pan!

If you have wasps, the bag trick works also for them. I used brown paper bags and it kept the yellow jackets away on our patio.

The amount of work that one carpenter bee can do is really just incredible.

@JoeNathan42420

3 жыл бұрын

I'd give anything to have 1 good guy on the job that works as hard as these bees 🤣

@Paislywalls4767

3 жыл бұрын

@@JoeNathan42420 was just thinking same thing Good luck, have a great day!

@krassimirpetrov7131

2 жыл бұрын

Facts hahah I went with demand CS - they all died

@stephenmorring3370

Жыл бұрын

I think you mean the amount of "destruction" that one carpenter bee can do.

Once you get in in your head that they are not going to attack you like a swarm of yellowjacket wasps or paper wasps, living with them becomes much easier. Yes, they are big and they look like something that is going to give you a bad bite, but they just don't. And watching them do their aerial territorial battles is really cool. You can always kill them if that's what trips your trigger, but maybe give them at least half a chance. They're really not that hard to live with.

@zorminster

3 жыл бұрын

Unless, you know, you have a log home and while laying in your bed at night you can hear them eating your mortgage. Easily the worst discovery I made about adult life when I bought my first home. I didn't even know these things existed prior to that.

@hithere5553

3 жыл бұрын

@@zorminster you should be much, much more worried about termites. Trust me. Carpenter bees are a pest, termites are a plague.

@zorminster

3 жыл бұрын

@@hithere5553 I sold a number of years ago but luckily there were never signs of termites.

@JediMindTrix420

3 жыл бұрын

If my bulldog can lay outside with them buzzing around us,anyone can.

@aceneto9386

3 жыл бұрын

Yea wasps scare the shit outta me but I’ve learned bees typically leave you alone unless you mess with them or they hit you on accident. I’ve had these carpenters bees smack the crap outta me accidentally and not sting me. I’m just waiting for them to be fighting each other and sting me accidentally lmao

I use a badminton racket to take care of these guys. Adds some fun to the situation.

@TheHonestCarpenter

3 жыл бұрын

I realize now that this is a common tactic that I’ve just long overlooked, Ken

@ItAintMeBabe99

3 жыл бұрын

I’ll 2nd that ! I have a badminton racket with an extra long handle. . . . . . . . great sport !

@perryhart3172

3 жыл бұрын

@@ItAintMeBabe99 what! R u 10 years old?

@ItAintMeBabe99

3 жыл бұрын

@@perryhart3172 Well, 13 actually.

@bambamnj

3 жыл бұрын

Sorry, but I just have to laugh when I see people make such obvious misinterpretations of a word or phrase. I know we are taught early to sound things out but it's funny when sounding it out is so wrong. it's badminton, all one word and there is a "n" in there. It's not Bad Mitten, like a naughty glove. No, I'm not a English Teacher, lol. Forgive me for picking on you. :)

I appreciate your attitude toward the creatures we live among. Thank you.

The bags do work, a client of mine tried it and had great success! Great videos man!

@eddiesmith1518

3 жыл бұрын

Maybe bags work ? But not hornets lol

We have a little game at our house called the “Carpen-derbee”..... it’s played with a tennis racket. We add up the totals and declare a winner at the end of Spring. Easy, old fashioned control!

@GrifReaper09

3 жыл бұрын

For a hard mode, play with a golf club or old axe handle. Really good for baseball practice.

@PISQUEFrancis

3 жыл бұрын

when uncertain of what to do .... KILL ... KILL ... KILL maybe we kill too many things too much ...

@mattclingan7856

3 жыл бұрын

Lol we called it Bumblebee Baseball, but we used badminton rackets to make it harder. We ended up not doing it anymore the last 6 years or so cuz seemed a little messed up..

@MisterTwister88

3 жыл бұрын

@@PISQUEFrancis No uncertainty whatsoever, i just don’t like holes in my house.

I have them in my wood pile here in Israel. I normally put those logs to one side and let them live but occasionally you chuck a log in the stove and hear a buzzing shortly after. Poor things.

in my experience, they aren't really afraid of hornets as I'll see them dart after hornets/wasps/etc whenever they're near. It's pretty funny to see a basically harmless creature chase away one of the most hated insects on the planet. This and the fact that they literally cannot sting people is the reason I just pretty much accept them and maybe spray some water from the hose at them to discourage digging into my fence. Also, if one gets in your face, you can have a staring contest.

@TheHonestCarpenter

3 жыл бұрын

Guess you’ve got to give them points for bravery, Woundup 🤷‍♂️😆

@HAL-dm1eh

3 жыл бұрын

At my old place I had a chair by my front door I sit at every day. There was a carpenter bee who chased away all the pests from around me; biting flies, house flies, etc. But he didn't bother me. Unfortunately this was even butterflies. lol He was my best buddy! (I thought these were bumblebees up until this video)

@tim2applecell323

3 жыл бұрын

@@HAL-dm1eh bumblebee is carpenter bee,sometimes nest in hay or rags, holes in stone wall. I didn’t know males were stingless, a cousin got into a nest of them in the barn and definitely got stung, and yes was bumblebee I saw them on her.

@highkicker11

3 жыл бұрын

@@tim2applecell323 carpenter bees dont have real nest to defend they just creat multiple holes to lay their eggs in and then hope that next year the young will survive to do the same thing all over again. if you cousin got stung or bitten she must have gotten to close to a hive of either honeybees or bumblebees or even worse wasps or killer bees.

@dezznutz3743

3 жыл бұрын

@@tim2applecell323 Bumblebees have hives. Carpenters Bees are one male, one female. Maybe you should rewatch the video.

I remember seeing dozens of these little buggers in my porch as a kid, always thought they were cool and I loved watching them buzz around and fight eachother. The dog always tried to eat them too, so it was really just free entertainment. The holes never really caused serious damage and I never saw them bore into anything load bearing, so we just let them do their thing.

I just keep drilling holes in my scrap cut offs and hanging them. They seem to go for that and leave my other wood alone now.

THAT'S why all those "bumblebees" have been around our porch and other wood structures! And it's good to know that the pesky males who can get after you sometimes are harmless. Thanks for this!

@bambamnj

3 жыл бұрын

Bumblebees are completely different. They make look a little similar but they are NOT the same thing. Bumblebees usually live in the ground or inside of piles of wood or stone. Bumblebees do not drill into wood like Carpenter bees.

@highkicker11

3 жыл бұрын

bumblebees dont attack till you really treaten their hive/nest aka get really close to the entrance. then they are much more defensive then honeybees and even more then the solitary bees like carpenter bees. as the solitary bees dont have to protect a queen because they are the one and only queen they dont have a reason to be defensive other then to save their own life. but stinging kills them so thats not a good solution. now if you have the bad luck of meeting a hive of africanised honeybees all bets are off they act like bumblebees that you got to close to the nest and just keep on attacking. a normal honeybee breaks off the attack when you move far enough a way from the hive/queen about 30 feet and esspecialy of the place you move to is dark. bumble bees seem to attack past that when they finally start attacking.

@keirfarnum6811

3 жыл бұрын

@@bambamnj That was his point of putting “bumblebees” in quotes. He’s acknowledging that what he thought were bumblebees are actually carpenter bees.

@Paislywalls4767

3 жыл бұрын

@@bambamnj mowing, i ran over a nest...place I've mowed for yrs. They swarmed, got me 8 times before I figured what Id done, shut mower off and RAN!!! Finally I'm getting schooled on what I'm dealing with. Thanks! And to you too hikicker!

I've lived in Raleigh for almost 35 years and they will bore a hole in anything! Painted, treated ...I've even caught them trying to bore into shovel and rake handles. And much more than a foot or two in fascia boards!

@TheHonestCarpenter

3 жыл бұрын

I got so used to them as a carpenter in Raleigh, Zeke, I wouldn’t even flinch when they bounced off my face. As I used to say, “we just happen to work in the same places.”

@richardshermanjr1899

3 жыл бұрын

I've planed down a cedar board that bees had gotten into. The hole went deep into the wood.

@zeke112964

3 жыл бұрын

@@TheHonestCarpenter they don't bother me either, but they are more destructive than we thought

@dereksellars

3 жыл бұрын

Hey, spray WD-40 in the hole-----and watch them die in seconds, if they are in there, if not it killed their Eggs :) A new one won't go to that hole. Let me know how it works. I know first hand it will :):) Happy Hunting :)

@kretieg2943

3 жыл бұрын

@@dereksellars Now, you need oil based paint.

Here in Kentucky they bore right through treated wood with no perceivable side-effects! I built the benches in our greenhouse out of treated 2x4's in 2009, been putting up with the carpenter bees ever since. Can't wait to give the gray grocery bag idea a try! Beats spraying in an enclosure and running out to breathe :)

@countrygirl7402

2 жыл бұрын

Same here in TN. We moved here 4 years ago from KY. And it's the same. Treated wood meant nothing to these guys.

I have had them for several years. I've been picking them off one at a time with a badminton racket. I recently heard about the grocery bag thing, and put it up two days ago. I haven't seen any carpenter bees in both days. If I remember, in a few months, I'll comment again if it actually worked.

@CornholeSteve

2 жыл бұрын

did it keep working?

@Jgawalters72

2 жыл бұрын

@@CornholeSteve None in the carport. I have some other lumber out about 60 feet from there, that one came around, but didn't stay. So, I'd say it worked. Weird, but I guess.

I love my little carpenter bee buddies. They are the first to greet me in the spring! I agree, they don't drill into painted surfaces when unpainted is around. Thanks for teaching me things about them I didn't know!

Thanks for this reasonable and earth friendly approach! And acknowledging that they have an important role to play in the web of natural co dependency while being realistic about damage potential.

Used paper bag to simulate a wasp next. Seems to work very well

The woodpeckers cause more visible damage trying to get to the larva than the bees! I tried the grey bag trick in my open tractor shed and it seemed to work, but at the same time I run a big fan from spring through fall pointed at the rafters to keep wasps from building nests, so that may be a deterrent as well

Many years ago I lived in a house that had carpenter bees around. I just provided a length of 4x4 soft wood that was protected from the Sun and and what little rain we get (Arizona) away from the house and never had an issue with them. I just let them be bees and they left me alone. Win win in my book.

just bought a house in the winter with these guys and didnt know it!!! thanks for the tips - humble gardener.

My experience is the Bee hotels just attracted more bees lol! I live on a small farm and love carpenter Bees until this year when they have massively moved to my deck. They have crazy active this year 🙁

@tylerk.7947

3 жыл бұрын

Same here! There’s a tonnnn it’s ridiculous

@yellotang

3 жыл бұрын

They go after my decks, barn, wood fencing around our fields, my aluminum sided workshop, etc. This year I'm seeing about a 600% increase in their numbers.

Vinyl soffit and aluminum capping stopped them from boring holes in the beams and trim of our back porch roof, we had a lot of hole. the generations still come back every year, we can hear them tapping against the aluminum and sometimes the windows but I guess they eventually find another place. Thanks for the info btw, I learn a lot from your videos, keep up the good work.

@TheHonestCarpenter

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Ed! I bet when they can back after the aluminum clad, they were like, “Man, this wood got really hard over the winter...” 😁

I'm glad to hear they're not aggressive. I'm in the high desert of the southwest, and on a walk during one winter my boyfriend found a good yucca stalk that he thought would be cool to turn into a kind of flute (he's into all types of crafts, mostly knife and sword smithing). He expected it to be hollow; so he's blowing into it, beating on the ground, etc. I can't recall quite what he did, if it broke, but a carpenter bee was hibernating in there! He felt so bad, put the stalks in the garage over winter (nice and cool) and come spring he set them outside and were vacated. 🐝

I live up north in Ohio. We've had them for a few years now ever since we started our garden. Our first one was named "Bumble Bee Killer". My brother started a garden the same year that we did, and sure enough he got one too that he named, "Danger Bee". 🤣 We look forward to seeing them each spring. Since we've had them I noticed that they are just very curious when people come around. They face map, or fly and hover at your eye level to check you out. They are also very helpful in keeping the wasps away. One day when I was sitting on the deck I saw Bumble Bee Killer attack a wasp that was trying to start a nest in the siding of the house! 💖 He's very helpful!

a 3/8" dowel rod fills the hole perfectly, granted its wood and not a deterrent but for unsightly holes to fix...it works. The hole they bore is always 3/8"

@dezznutz3743

3 жыл бұрын

YOu can also wait till they enter their hole and dowel rod them. It is amazing how perfectly round the hole is and its the same size hole every time.

@pieman12345678987654

3 жыл бұрын

This. I waited until they went inside then I filled it with some wood filler putty lmao 😂

@markm8188

3 жыл бұрын

That fits most of them. Unfortunately some of mine are metric-sized; probably imports.

@pauldefillippo8490

2 жыл бұрын

@@markm8188 😆

I've used spray foam insulation in the holes with great success

@TheHonestCarpenter

3 жыл бұрын

Never tried that, Mike! But it makes sense...I bet it expands far into the tunnel

@thehumantoeRD

3 жыл бұрын

I think theres a "pest control" version of the foam too. Could be a good deterrent.

@tommyfunn

3 жыл бұрын

"Bee" careful with spray foam as it actually draws in moisture over time so it can rot wood or if next to mortar it will wick into it and cause damage

@rickyspanish492

3 жыл бұрын

Weird. Spray foam is useless at keeping out regular honey bees.

@keralee

3 жыл бұрын

Crickets love to eat spray foam...so I am gonna assume many other insects do too.

Glad I ran into this video. I tried the bag trick and it worked like a charm, they were swarming around the entrance of my garage, I hung a brown paper bag under the soffit and after a couple of days they were gone. Thanks a bunch!

I had bee holes in the top of my front door frame this spring. A woodpecker started digging for the larvae, making noise, and tearing up the wood. I installed a clear plastic shield over the area and had some fun watching a very confused and frustrated woodpecker..

This was incredibly informative, thank you so much. I was terrified they were going to do far more damage, now I’m not as worried. I’ll just wait until fall to put in the preventative measures so more bees don’t come back and make it worse. This was such a helpful video!

@krysc6669

Жыл бұрын

Yes. I plan on doing the same. This was a great video!

@TheMistashmoe

Жыл бұрын

They can do lots of damage. They split 2 joists on a deck.

Great topic Ethan. I’ve pounded corks into the holes, tried steel wool, finally gave up and love that I can offer them shelter, when so many hard working organisms are being terminated. I might build a hotel. Lots of invasive bamboo nearby I can use

@TheHonestCarpenter

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks, hs! I've heard bamboo works great. And once you can get one to inhabit, lots of other will get drawn to the spot, especially very early spring, or early fall.

@dereksellars

3 жыл бұрын

WD-40 in the hole--------their Done :):)

@georgeferlazzo7936

3 жыл бұрын

@@dereksellars Hello Derek After you apply the WD-40, will the filler stick? Or did you just create a mess?

@dereksellars

3 жыл бұрын

@@georgeferlazzo7936 Let dry for about a day and it will

@dereksellars

3 жыл бұрын

@@georgeferlazzo7936 You can also apply some Mineral sprits to clean the WD out if you don't want to wait.

Thank you for this film. I recently replaced the garage door jambs ( 24" ends of them to be more exact) and on one side (only on one) found some holes pretty smooth in the wood rail to which the door jamb is attached. That wood was very-very dense. There were no insects there, I filled all the holes with wood filler (saw dust and good wood glue, which is supposed to be of structural strength), let it dry, painted w/Kilz, installed new ends, sealed w/Exterior DAP, and painted twice w/oil based paint. I assume the carpenter bees got there inside through some slits in the old and rotted ends.

Thanks for the usual great advice. I learned several new things from this video.

We had carpenter bees for a few years in our fascia. Last year we needed the fascia around the house replaced, so they used the PVC "lumber" as well as the concrete boards. The bees came back this year and started looking around, but can't find their holes, so they seem to have left.

@TheHonestCarpenter

3 жыл бұрын

That’s good to hear, Rebecca. I think they can’t really drill pvc or cement fiberboard. Or they’re just so programmed to seek wood that they won’t want to mess with it. But I bet they were wondering where they left their house 😅

@thecloneguyz

2 жыл бұрын

PVC dries out and cracks and you'll have to do it again in 10 to 12 years

I live in a home with a lot of unfinished redwood, carpenter bees love it, parts of the house are like swiss cheese. Then the woodpeckers come in searching for the bees, and they add a LOT of damage.

Excellent video! More people need to understand the harmless nature of these bees and stop killing them. Thank you so much for the great work!

You are simply the best channel! Thanks!!

Excellent! And I really appreciated your appreciation for the important role bees play in our ecosystem. Refreshing!

@gr8dvd

3 жыл бұрын

Refreshingly enlightened, agree... made me a bigger fan of the channel!

Thanks for the video! Just this year i've started notice a larger number of these giant pollinators in my garden. And it's true the males do tend to get in your face a lot, but i'm just glad to know that they won't sting people! I've been doing my best to avoid them.. xD

@T0tenkampf

2 жыл бұрын

yes the bumping is what they do to scare you off since they cant sting, large male wasps like Tarantula Hawks and Cicada Killers do that too. Honestly my honey bee females will bump before they sting in most cases.

This was very helpful!! I put a used wooden swingset in the backyard and suddenly I have a ton of Carpenter bee's hanging around it. Now I know to paint the wood to help them move along!!

@debbino4249

2 жыл бұрын

Don't be surprised if that does not work. I stained a cedar porch, and they didn't mind drilling at all, - at the stained ceiling where it is hard to get to to patch the holes. I will say they do a good job of making perfectly round holes without a pencil & compass.

thanks for your short and informative videos

That hornet nest you made will be the big Halloween costume of 2021.

I have battled with them for many years. I agree we need to let them pollinate but they've done a lot of damage. What works for me is to spray them with WD40 (while they are in the hole) and use the traps. You can make the traps yourself...It won't stop all of them 100% but it will reduce the damage...and yes, the male bees may even bump you to get you out of their territory. I admire them and hate them at the same time.

@TheHonestCarpenter

3 жыл бұрын

Well put, Brent. I’d heard the WD-40 thing, but wasn’t sure if it worked.

@Sillyturner

3 жыл бұрын

I’ve used WD-40. They don’t like it. Later on I plug the hole and they don’t come back to the old ones but I will find occasional new holes. Probably new crop of bees.

I was surprised to learn one thing a while ago- most species of bee don't live in colonies. Great video :D

I share your content thru my Nextdoor acount . Love you work , thank you !

Thanks Ethan, this is fantastic info... Blessings

@TheHonestCarpenter

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Grams! 😄

I just learned about Carpenter Bees this year. We had a couple hanging around the deck for the past few years, but I thought they were Bumble Bees and left them alone. This spring, there were quite a few more. And then I learned what they were. A neighbor mentioned the gray bag trick. I tried that and only saw one bee over the next few days, so it seemed to help. I also read that they hate the smell of citrus. So I bought a bottle of orange oil concentrate and mixed up some with water and a little dish soap. I sprayed it all around my deck. I haven't seen any more Carpenter Bees, but it may be that they don't hang around much in the summer. I'll post a reminder on my calendar to spray again in early autumn, since that’s when they're likely to return. Thanks for mentioning that. Many thanks for the great info and advice on this subject (and many more). I'm also going to post a link to this video on our local Nextdoor Neighbor email chain. There is an ongoing discussion about Carpenter Bees, and I'm sure this information will be appreciated.

@novaangle2183

2 жыл бұрын

I reallllyyy love casual killing when we have insect population mass death and collapse. But hey, I'm just someone who cares more about the world at whole then a stupid house and yard. I also own a house and yard but the yard isn't sprayed and we have massive woods on it as well as many flowering wild brush to help out with our native insects and animals. I just... hate the normalization of destroying our world. But you do you if ya want to. I'm just depressed about the way things are in culture and in general.

@BigBenC1991

2 жыл бұрын

@@novaangle2183 You obviously didn't actually read the comment you're replying to as they did not spray anything that would kill the bees. They hung a bag stuffed with bags and sprayed some diluted orange oil to deter the bees from coming back to eat the house rather than to kill or harm them in any way.

@andrewcurry9910

2 жыл бұрын

@@novaangle2183 I hope you're trolling.

Awesome, thanks for the tips!

Have them in my work shed. Love them they are very calm and gentle. I leave them be. They only nest in one rafter the seem to like to watch me work.

Carpenter by day, biologist by night! Great vid thanks for the info :)

Good luck on the structural value of deck railings after swiss cheesed. Deck floor joists as well. They seem to like oil based surfaces less, will chew right thru latex. We re did the railings on more than 100 decks at an apartment complex. It was a liability issue for the property.

Interesting! Thanks for the tips! 👍👍

I keep a few pieces of old dried out driftwood in my yard. They love it. I get to keep them around. They do no harm to my house and the driftwood gives my yard that rustic touch.

So the house you have in the thumbnail is for mason bees that don't harm anything. They use existing 1/8 1/4 and 3/8 holes and you can get many different types of leaf cutter and mason bees using the same hotel. They do not drill their own holes. I do suggest getting mason bee houses they are great for your garden.

@andyid7440

3 жыл бұрын

Mason bees are solitary. They don't live in such close proximity to one another in the wild. Mason bee hotels are like intensive mono-cropping for bees. It creates a risk for easy spread of disease and mites. A better option is to emulate their natural environment: *don't* clean up the dead stems of your flowers and garden plants. Mason bees will find their own 1/8 - 3/8 size holes among the stems - just like they do in the wild.

@wallpello_1534

3 жыл бұрын

@@andyid7440 you are correct but better to atleast give them some habitat, most poeple won't leave wood chunks our for them to nest in or have a messy garden and most of their plants are from the other side of the world. I've had this discussion before in native plant groups and the scientist are split on the issue.

@rahowherox1177

3 жыл бұрын

Mason bees will / can nest in exhausts of things like chainsaws and weed eaters.. . And cause harm.

@rahowherox1177

3 жыл бұрын

@@andyid7440 perhaps but the mason bees where I live are very social. Not usual to see 10 holes per square foot... perhaps a different species.

@rahowherox1177

3 жыл бұрын

Sq foot of clay bank that is.

I have carpenter bees in an old shed. I love them! Don’t sting no matter what you do, they are native bees (unlike honey bees) and the are a blast to watch. Don’t kill em. Put up a carpenter bee hotel and enjoy them.

Good balanced approach. Thanks for the info

We have quite a few on our back porch, and they have dug into the bottom of the 2 x 6 joists, and they are always using the same holes. I never see any sawdust anywhere either. We walk right through them and they could care less about us, and we like being around them.

Not sure about carpenter bees (we don't get them in Ireland, but the bag idea definitely works re other bees and wasps.. I was having reoccurring wasp problems and put up a brown bag and haven't had an issue in the 3 years..

I had them here in western MA for one year about 10 years ago. I plugged their holes and never had another problem.

@TheHonestCarpenter

3 жыл бұрын

Good to hear, Harrison. I was wondering if folks up your way saw them very much.

@artagain8977

3 жыл бұрын

@@TheHonestCarpenter oh yeah. I live just outside Boston and they’re boring into my porch roof overhang (which is not painted!). It will be by fall tho.

Thanks for the tips

They're very good pollinators too. If you have areas setup for them to go they don't damage housing. They're good for the forests too

They may not have stingers but they can turn wood into saw dust! Years ago my father-in-law was laughing at me trying to avoid them as we watched one enter a hole in my fence. He said "What are you afraid of? They can't sting you" and he covered the occupied hole with his finger. A few seconds later he yanked his finger back and it was bleeding pretty big drops. But he was correct; they don't sting you.

@AllThroughALife

3 жыл бұрын

Your father-in-law lacked common sense. Did he really not realize that anything that can bore through wood could easily go through skin?

I have tried the plastic bags. It didn’t work. A nice tennis racket works good.

@TheHonestCarpenter

3 жыл бұрын

I’m hearing hit or miss on the bags, Doug. Everyone seems to agree on the racket though.

@jrdube

3 жыл бұрын

We used badminton rackets....smacked 'em down, they bounced off the concrete and flew....we started calling them armor plated

@bertwilder8700

3 жыл бұрын

That's funny. We used to play the same game on our wooden deck. Kept score. Good times with the kids.:)

You are very knowledgeable and thank you for doing the video

This was so informative. Thanks for posting!

Yeah I haver a pergola in my backyard. Its been there since the house was built. Someone built the thing and never treated and finished the wood in any sort of way. So the thing was just old and rotted. Carpenter bees loved that thing. I tried for quite some time to fill the holes and spray an outdoor finish over the hole I filled. They would just make another hole and find a way back in. It got to the point where friends and family didn't want to chill out under the pergola because there were always these big bees coming and going and bees freak people out even though carpenter bees are just shy of harmless. I finally grew tired of it and knocked the hole thing down. I built a new pergola and sealed every inch of it with Thomson's water seal. Its been a couple of years now I haven't seen one carpenter bee, so sealing the wood does seem to work.

@Paislywalls4767

3 жыл бұрын

My 3 yr old front proch i waited 18 yrs to afford is crawling with them. Someone in earlier post says the "treated lumber " is made of a different mix now. ..that's whats been irking us: its treated! Will try the Thompsons and that brown bag trick. Thank you, hope you have a great day!

Thank you. These things have been such a pest that friends would not even come onto our deck.

I had a problem on the underside of my porch railing that was 90 years old. I would use spray foam to seal the holes since I could flex the nozzle to get to the hole and I really could not see what I was doing. But I always admired their perfect 1/2 holes.

For years I thought they were called Black Jacks. Well you learn something new everyday.

Is there a way to cover up the bee pheromone so they don't come back to patched-up holes? Great video, Thank you for posting Ethan!

@zed8083

2 жыл бұрын

I believe he mentioned paint.

Carpenter Bees: Keeping me from being able to enjoy wooden park benches in the summer for 35+ years.

Absolutely love this advice. Thank you 🤗🐝🌱

THANK YOU!! Really appreciate this reasonable explanation. I’m so sick of the fear-based advertising to “kill” anything natural and living

We've had them for ages and houses still stand.

I wonder... do they somehow avoid boring out the side of the wood when making their tunnel? If so, that's a remarkable navigation ability!

@whatfreedom7

3 жыл бұрын

In my case they bored in and you can see numerous areas where the tubes come in and out of the wood so you can see long tubes in some areas. They are destroying my storage building but mostly leave my house alone.

@googlemustdie

3 жыл бұрын

They will bore an the way through thin boards.

Thanks for the video

We love our bumble bees. They’re like old friends buzzing around the barn.

Instead of a stuffed plastic bag, I just got a real hornets nest to put up on my porch. Your right ! no more bees. Works like a charm.

@RossMalagarie

3 жыл бұрын

Thats like inviting a gang of drug dealers to get rid of the kids playing in your yard. No more kids but now you have a gang of drug dealers😂👌

@user-wh1nr9rr1h

3 жыл бұрын

@@RossMalagarie Your right Ross, I was just joking to see if anyone caught on. 👌😂😂😂

@thebluelunarmonkey

3 жыл бұрын

I have wasps that will build a nest every year a foot from my front door. Helps with uninvited solicitors. They never tried to swarm after me and I have someone to come home to in the warm months.

@RossMalagarie

3 жыл бұрын

@Steve Fox tru dat, the cops are more sympathetic if you shoot a drug dealer

In my area of Ohio over the last 6 years, I have noticed a huge overgrowth of carpenter bees, before that it was the stink bugs. I don’t call them invasive, but more pest when their population grows that big. So for one year I did make and set out traps to kill some, probably around 300 in one year just in my yard. The second year I did not put out the traps. I noticed a significant decline in bee population but they were not absent, still a healthy amount buzzing a around. That’s my take on it. I only trapped to kill when there was an over abundance of them.

@bambamnj

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah, if you get the traps out early, you capture the females. Get rid of the females and you get rid of the problem. Isn't that how it always is? LOL I'm going straight to hell for that one. Hahahaha

@georgegrabenstetter5626

2 жыл бұрын

Use a vacuum, suck them off of your flowers when they land

@eklectiktoni

2 жыл бұрын

"75% of North American plant species require an insect-mostly bees-to move their pollen from one plant to another to effect pollination. In almost all crops, *native bees* are the primary pollinator or they significantly supplement the activity of honey bees." - source USGS (United States Geological Survey) Please don't kill the carpenter bees because we need food to eat, lol.

@Fed.Smoker

2 жыл бұрын

There’s really no such thing as an over abundance of bees. Especially such a non aggressive species with males that lack stingers.

@jaredsmith1871

2 жыл бұрын

@@Fed.Smoker Well when your wood siding & posts are pockmarked with all of these buggers, that's overabundant enough for most to do something about it!

I have always wondered about these guys. Thanks.

I LOVE Carpenter Bees. They are so curious about other creatures. They get right in your face and check you out. I have never been harmed by one.