Hi,
Cutting to the chase, what do I need to counteract what appears to be carpenter bee activity? I have found several, almost perfectly spherical holes in various logs, ranging from a quarter inch deep to two or more and beyond. Please advise. I appreciate it.
Thank you, J.
As explained in our CARPENTER BEE CONTROL ARTICLE, wood structures tend to get special attention from certain insects and carpenter bees are one of them. Log cabins in particular are extra attractive and if left unprotected, holes will be drilled in which the bees will live. To counteract the nesting, there are two things detailed in our article.
The first is to treat any existing nest with DRIONE DUST. I’m not sure you actually have existing nests thus far; based on the depths of the holes you described above you might be acting early enough to avoid the dust treatment. But if you find any holes a foot or two deep, get them dusted and plugged with our 1/2″ CORKS and they’ll be properly handled for sure. Remember, the dust is excellent to use for cracks and crevices so there are plenty of uses for it on the log cabin one way or the other. It works on a wide range of pests and when used in the spring can go a long way as a preventive treatment.
Next, spray with CYPERMETHRIN to prevent any future drilling. Treat as needed but in general once every two weeks will be expected during the peak bee activity time. Now once you get past the first 1-2 months, activity should be controlled for most of the year but keep watch in the fall as they might get active then too.
Lastly, if you intend on staining or using any other log treatment at some point in the future, be sure to add some NBS INSECT REPELLENT ADDITIVE. This is added directly to the tank mix and works like the Cypermethrin but lasts a lot longer. It’s ability to provide a long residue makes it worth using when treating logs and in some cases can last 2 years making it worth using.
Here are direct links to the products and information mentioned above:
Carpenter Bee Control: www.carpenterbees.com
Drione: https://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/drione-dust
Corks: https://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/equipment-plugs/cork-12
Cypermethrin: www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/viper-cypermethrin
NBS Repellent: https://www.bugspraycart.com/exempt/additive/nbs-paint-additive-16-oz
Give us a call if you still have questions.
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1-800-877-7290
Robert S Reishman says
I have a cabin with sawn wood siding and have a problem with dusting such a large area. Is there an effective spray that will prevent boring and kill the eggs or larva?
admin says
@Robert S Reishman: Sorry, but there is no spray option here. Siding in general is subject to such invasions and as our carpenter bee control article explains, any nest will take a long time to fully develop it’s eggs and pupae. For this reason you need a long lasting treatment and the only product that can last long enough is the Drione Dust. The good news is you’d only have to treat once a year; maybe twice. I have personally dusted many homes with siding on all four sides and yes, it takes time to do. However, the net result was well worth the effort. Drione will take care of any pest like wasps, silverfish, roaches, ants and scorpions just to name a few. Cabins with siding are particularly vulnerable to such pests and there is no spray which can come close to the protection the Drione will provide. If you wish to get rid of your carpenter bee problem (as well as prevent other pest problems), take the time to do the dusting or hire someone to do it for you. The benefit will justify the time and cost. Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:
www.carpenterbees.com/carpenter-bee-control
Drione Dust: www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page256.html