Every spring, the bees attack our log home in the Catskill Mountain range of upstate New York. Every spring, i plug the new holes in an ongoing battle of man vs nature. How to plug Carpenter Bee Holes.
Supplies:
Bee Spray
Steel Wool
Aluminum Foil
3/8″ Dowel cut to 1″(ish) length
Carpenter Glue
Good Rubber Gloves
Hammer
Bucket
Ladder
source
i have heard mixing some of the bug killer with wood putty to fill the holes works if they come back to chew open same hole it kills them.
Helpful video. Seeing these bees nest in my boat trailer bunks. Crazy how deep some of the holes go. I sprayed WD40 in the holes and that drove them out. Now, just have to fill the holes. Thanks for the video!
No foil, No steel wool, No dowels, No glue, No plunger, All you need is Brown Silicone caulk, fill the hole bees won't touch that hole again.
Appreciated your video. Very entertaining as well. I normally prefer some “bee friendly” methods. But liked the knowledge or perspective gained. Your personality is great!
Lazy soft voice okay now I can hear you. You must have done something to increase volume. Thank you. Steel wool good idea then just use colored caulking. Thats it. No need for any dowel pins.
Usually they bore on the underside or back off wood fixture making it very difficult to get insecticide into hole without using a mirror to see the hidden holes, especially on a wooden privacy fence, they bore into the 4×4 which you will not see the hole. You have to look for the sawdust and then you know there is a hole somewhere above that dust.
I've used a preventive measure with good effect. If possible, spray surfaces with Cyper TC. Any insect coming in contact with the sprayed area won't last very long and it's a definite deterrent to carpenter bees.The product is persistent and will last a couple months unless it's exposed to rain.
Pl glue that all you need to fill up the holes
I watched this video to learn a good way to patch the carpenter bee holes in my log home on a lake in Virginia, but I did not expect to be entertained as much as I was. You seem to be a naturally jovial and funny guy and your “technical jargon” made me laugh out loud several times. Thanks for the informative video, but maybe thank you just as much for making me laugh this morning. Cheers! By the way, local lore teaches that hanging paper bags from eaves that mimic hornet nests will prevent the carpenter bees from approaching that area since they are non-confrontational creatures. I have tried this, but I’m not overly convinced that it works. Nevertheless, I’ll try anything that might help, especially in the spring.
What I use in my pole barn to plug holes is that winterizing spray foam, it fills the nest they don’t seem to return.
3:39 You mean the "owl".
It's amazing how they form a perfect hole, I have a log home that was treated with i believe borat from the mill so I was surprised, to see those little bastards boring into my logs. You have a beautiful place in the Catskills!! I appreciate the info. Now let me get out there and get those little bastards.
Thanks for the info! Also, coincidently from the shot of the mountain in the end I know exactly where that is!! My uncle lives at the top of that hill!
KILL CARPENTER BEES https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m39SCnfS93s
Just wondering what would stop them from drilling a hole right next to the one you plugged?
*holes
Hi, just watched a video where a woman placed wood blocks with pre-drilled holds above the rafters of her patio. It seems the lazy bees use them and problem solved. I plan to do the same. Came here for hole repair. Thank you 😊 I think her page was Know how now , or something similar.
Steel whool in your wood huh?
imagine catching fire..
I'm new to carpenter bees and have been using Great Stuff expanding foam. But I like your idea of steel wool. Chew on that you little bastards.
Looks like shit
It's good to see Woodglut have new instructions to save my money and energy to build it.
I used Woodglut instructions for this and I already did it 🙂
Oops. WD-40 not 45.
I spray WD-45 in the holes. In a few seconds the bee falls out and dies. Then plug hole with various methods.
I didn’t fill the holes from last year and now a woodpecker found them. It’s destroying my home! I have a fake owl but it just moves to the side the owl isn’t at. Amazing how the woodpecker knows that there’s food in those circles.
Woodglut plans are amazing!
can you just use spray foam instead?
You can fill all of the holes every year, but you need to eliminate the problem. Get yourself some good CARPENTER BEE TRAPS and hang one on each corner of the house. There are some OK videos on how to make your own, but the best ones are the bottle in a bottle. Mine were made from gatoraid bottles, and after 1 season, I have no more bees. Also another secret is don't empty out the traps. These guys are very territorial, and will enter the trap to seek out their competition. I've used WD40 or CARBURETOR cleaner to kill them in the hole (after the sun goes down) – both kill on contact. Paintable caulk to fill the holes has worked for me. Just keep an eye out for new holes and get them right away.
You also have a powder post beetle problem . So long term your cabin is doomed.
https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef616#:~:text=Infestations%20typically%20are%20discovered%20after,surface%20of%20bare%2C%20unfinished%20wood.
i love the Catskills. I used to go to Arkville to deer hunt with my dad back in the 70s. Also great trout fishing in lake Papackton.
I'm watching this thinking, "ok…he's got a bucket full of stuff…spending 5 minutes per hole…" Geez – he'll be up there all day!
I just spent an hour with a step ladder, tennis racket, and a can of WD-40. xxx number of holes and dead bee carcasses everywhere. I don't get it – bees have a 250 acre woodlot/forest 50 yards away but they prefer my treated lumber deck. And, I thought the treated lumber was poisonous?? Think I'll get one of those "salt guns" and just make it sporting…
the holes are bigger like 1/2 to 5/8 my trick is to use a stiff wire push it through and breach the chambers if possible and use delta dust for two reasons its moisture resistant and it last so long that it will kill young adults when they emerge and existing adults that enter
I used Flex Seal, its kills them instantly while filling the hole.
Beautiful home and view thanks for the info
Also that may not be a repaired bore in the beginning of the video. Sometimes they will mudd up the holes after laying eggs and sometimes other insect like dirt dobbers will use old bores.
This is way over thinking it and very ineffective.
1. Poison then plug holes with cheap liquid nails. Completely fills and restores lost strength
2. Make or buy wood block and bottle bee traps. You'll chase your tails trying to out poison them. Hang a few traps and you'll see how out numbered you really were.
FUCK YOU LEVE THE DAMN BEES ALONE YOU ARE DESTROYING HOMES