Carpenter Bee Traps Work Great (Update--June 15, 2011)

[Bearcarver]

Here's 2 of my traps one month later. I shot these pics while I was checking on my June 14th pair of chuckies:

Eastern peak of my house (24' above ground)---About 20 Carpenter Bees so far:

Southern peak of my house (front)----About 10 Carpenter Bees, and misc wasps & yellow jackets:

"Smart Carpenter Bee"---The only one I could find that didn't go into one of my traps:

Lots more in my other 10 traps,

Bear

 

[shooter1]

Now I know why they call them carpenter bees, that looks like a perfect circle. Damn, do they carry a drill with them in their toolbox?

 

[Bearcarver]

Now I know why they call them carpenter bees, that looks like a perfect circle. Damn, do they carry a drill with them in their toolbox?

I believe so!

Some internet sources say they make an exact 1/2" hole, but the ones around here make an exact 3/8" hole (strange).

However, the 1/2" & the 3/8" hole (or anything in between) work fine for the traps (in my area).

I have never seen one that wasn't perfectly round to the naked eye.

Also, putting poison on the wood does no good for prevention, because the darn little drillers don't eat the wood---They just drill it !

Bear

 

[meateater]

Evil looking buggers. I'm gonna have to make one, they buzz me during the summertime while I'm smoking. The ones here are solid black. 

 

[Bearcarver]

Evil looking buggers. I'm gonna have to make one, they buzz me during the summertime while I'm smoking. The ones here are solid black. 

The ones that are solid black are the males. They are the ones that fly around your face all the time.

They are also the ones that are unarmed, because they don't have a stinger---"Unarmed Guards"---LOL.

The females are not all black. They do the drilling, and lay the eggs, and they have stingers. However the females are so docile that you almost have to put your hand on one to cause it to sting you. The biggest problem is not just the holes & tunnels they drill, but the damage woodpeckers do when they tear your wood up, while trying to get the bee larva. 

Carpenter Bees can be a log home owner's worst nightmare.

A ticked off Bear can be a Carpenter Bee's worst nightmare!  

Bear

 

[gwest77]

Bearcarver,

  They do work good. I make mine so I can screw the bottle into the wood plate on the bottom of the trap. I little more trouble to build than yours. When I get a few in mine I just dump them out when they're dead. If they are in the sun it kills em quick.

 

[Bearcarver]

Bearcarver,

  They do work good. I make mine so I can screw the bottle into the wood plate on the bottom of the trap. I little more trouble to build than yours. When I get a few in mine I just dump them out when they're dead. If they are in the sun it kills em quick.

Thanks Greg,

I usually leave them in place through the whole season, unless I have to paint my log house.

I have had over 40 in one trap at the end of the season. The bottle was over half full !!!

Bear