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Carpenter Bees Can Be Stopped From Tunneling Into Wood

Information that can be found in the Log Home Library of the Log Homes Council, a member of the NAHB Building Systems Councils, tells home builders how they can get rid of wood-boring carpenter bees.

Sometimes aggressive but unlikely to sting, the bees drill round holes into logs, fascia boards, eaves, decks and other unpainted wood surfaces. Softwoods such as cedar, redwood or cypresses are preferred, but spruce, pine and fir, and sometimes even pressure-treated wood, can be attacked.

Painted wood surfaces discourage infestation because the bees have difficulty recognizing wood unless they can see or feel its grain.

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Big and black, and resembling bumble bees with shiny instead of hairy backs, the solitary carpenter bees don’t eat wood, but drill into it to nest and lay eggs, excavating tunnels that can run for several inches. If left unattended, over several years the wood can become severely damaged as the bees enlarge old tunnels.

In the spring and sometimes the late fall, when they are most active, spraying pesticides such as Bayer Advanced Home/Lawn & Garden Insect Killer, Spectracide Bug Stop and Ortho Home Defense System can deter bees from attacking unpainted wood. The treatment needs to be repeated every seven to 14 days.

Before filling holes with caulk or putty, it is important to check for bees, larvae and eggs inside the tunnel because they can dig new holes from the inside back to the wood’s surface.
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