Carpenter Bee Trap

[Scott Patterson]

While inspecting a big log home this week I came across a device I have never seen. The owner had them installed around the home, at first I thought they were just a bird house but the caretaker of the property explained that they were Carpenter Bee traps. The bees go in the holes or bore their own hole and then head for the light (glass jar) at the bottom of the trap. Also the wood on the trap is bare or not treated with anything, the bees like it better than the logs that have been treated. Once in they can not get back out!

They really work because I did not find one hole from a bee on this home.

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[wayne soper]

That thing is PATENTED! Really! I tried to get it, too late

[Michael Chambers]

Ahh, but were there any bees in the jars? What was the mechanism that kept the bees from backing out?

[Scott Patterson]

Ahh, but were there any bees in the jars? What was the mechanism that kept the bees from backing out?

They had many in the bottom of the jars, you can see them if you zoom in on the photos. As for what keeps them from backing out? They are dumb!

[Bob Harper]

I've found if I seal the holes with construction adhesive, problem solved. The bugs inside remain entombed waiting on Geraldo Rivera while their friends outside go play somewhere else when they get sticky feet.

[wayne soper]

is that the fireproof or common type BOB?

[Jerry Peck]

Resurrecting an old thread rather than create a new one.

Two years ago, while on vacation in North Carolina, we stopped at a hardware store and found an interesting item - a carpenter bee trap.

Being as we had a number of carpenter bees around our house in Florida, we bought one. I put the carpenter bee trap up then forgot about it.

Last year I noticed it and thought, oh well, it works some, but not much (there were two bees in it as I recall). I emptied it and put it back up.

Last month I noticed it again and ... man, that things works!

See photos.

When I bought the Carpenter bee trap, I had forgotten that Scott posted about one 8 years earlier, I did a search before creating a new thread and ... there was Scott's posts showing the same thing!

[Scott Patterson]

They really do work!

[John Kogel]

JP, when you are done painting the little numbers on their backs, could you supply some critical info?
What is the diameter of the hole?

We actually don't have infestations of them here, but how would we know if nobody is trapping them?

[Mike Pagozalski]

JP, when you are done painting the little numbers on their backs, could you supply some critical info?
What is the diameter of the hole?

We actually don't have infestations of them here, but how would we know if nobody is trapping them?

I would guess 3/8-1/2 inch......I freaking hate those things and it is amazing how much damage they can do in just 5-10 years. I have literally heard them chewing on the fascia boards on my home, and you will literally see small amounts of saw dust drifting down as well. Active holes will have pollen staining around it more often than not (or at least around here)

[Jerry Peck]

Without going out to measure, as Mike said, 3/8" to 1/2", I think the holes are just barely short of 1/2" as in the past I used 1/2" by 1-1/2" lags (the shortest I could find) and plugged the holes with those, sometimes the lags barely grabbed the wood, which is why I suspect the holes are almost 1/2".

I can go out and measure if needed, but ... this should answer that question: Making Carpenter Bee Traps: 6 Steps (with Pictures)

And here:

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RHtEOQj4yo

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJx48PHcJpM

[John Kogel]

Cut and Paste:

The trap is a simple wooden box with 1/2" holes drilled in all 4 sides at an upward angle. Since the bees prefer to use an existing hole, these traps provide the hole they are seeking. Once inside the box, the bees fly toward the light and end up in the plastic water bottle at the bottom. Two things I saw mentioned online were that these bees like an overhanging roof and a sloped side to the box. I included these design elements by providing an oversized roof and angling 2 sides of the box.

[Jerry Peck]

Two things I saw mentioned online were that these bees like an overhanging roof and a sloped side to the box. I included these design elements by providing an oversized roof and angling 2 sides of the box.

Kinda like the photo of the one I posted.

[Elizabeth Chambers]

My reply may not be taken well, but I have to add my two cents.
I do realize that carpenter bees can do damage to a house, but why kill them? Why not put up simple carpenter bee houses instead?

If you provide them with alternative nesting sites they will use them and leave there's house alone. All you need is a few boxes with an open front packedd with small rolled up cardboard tubes about 4 or 5 inches long. They enter the end of the rolls and build a nest to lay their egg. Then the predate bad bugs and feed them to the baby.

They are pollinators, kill bad insects and are very gentle bees.
As far as I am concerned we can use all the pollinating bees we can get, because honey bees have been in trouble for a long time now.

[Jerry Peck]

Elizabeth,

Post a link to carpenter bee houses - there are a dozen or so outside flying around.

How does one assure that the bees will prefer their own houses and not attack the real house?

Convince me.

I don't like killing them either, but if it's them or the house ... it's going to be them.

If those carpenter bee houses work, count me in.

The saying goes "Some days you are the windshield, some days you are the bug."

I'd rather be the windshield, but alternatives are considered.

[Elizabeth Chambers]

Jerry, I dont know how to add a link using my tablet but I will try with my laptop, sorry, I had forgotten all aboit this thread. I will be right back. IF I cant do the link thing then I will post jp a pic of one.

[Elizabeth Chambers]

Here ya go Jerry,

easy to make, but if you want to buy one just Google up " Carpenter Bee nests" and set browser to Images. These nests have worked for lots of people's bee problems The only way to find out if they will work for you is to build or buy a few and put them up in problem areas.

[Jerry Peck]

The one made from a slab of tree trunk is intriguing, this past Friday we had a limb cut off a pine tree that I could have used for that.

The limb was about 50-55 feet up, growing towards the house, causing the tree to lean (and grow) towards the house (that and past hurricanes). When the tree guy cut it off, the tree straightened closer to vertical by about a foot to foot-and-a-half. Had 43 growth rings.

I could have saved some slices to season and dry out for some of those, but ...

Here's my question - the next year I would have more Carpenter Bees ... or it would have to take that at least 10 miles away so when the next Carpenter Bees came out they would be at someone else's house ... and that's not a very 'neighborly' thing to do.

What do you do with the next generation of Carpenter Bees?

[Elizabeth Chambers]

I do not have an answer for that Jerry. Ask an entomologist?