Carpenter Bees?
I’m curious if anyone else out there is having trouble with the Eastern Carpenter Bee?
In Virginia, I’m seeing fairly extensive damage to wood soffit and facia boards (they look like Swiss cheese after years of infestation). I’m also hearing reports about wood siding damage.
These bees are great pollinators, but they also cause a lot of damage. I don’t think that pesticides are the correct solution. I’m interested in hearing other perspectives.
Replacing damaged soffit and facia boards with fiber cement or aluminum would solve the problem in their preferred habitat—overhangs and other weather protected surfaces.
What about wood siding? Is anybody seeing infestations in clapboard siding (especially softwoods like cedar and spruce)? If so, how are you dealing with the problem?
Are these bees active in the New England area?
Thanks
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Replies
Carpenter bees are attracted to soft wood especially pine. First look for any shell issues inviting moisture into the exterior components and creating an inviting environment for them including blocked or no ventilation. If all that checks out ok and the finish coating is in good shape they may be expanding from neighboring deteriorating wood elsewhere. I like fibercement siding and trim or with composite trim to keep a painted look without the bug and other durability issues that wood exteriors have.
I dunno if the wood has to be bad. My redwood [40 year old CAH VG] facia was 'lightened' quite effectively and invisibly. Yes they are quite active in Mass.
As much as I hate insecticides, I do not know of an alternative to a squirt of Raid if they are intent on boring in your house.
I have not seen any actually drilling this year, with new Cedar facia, so we are Raid free so far
Surprisingly, I have had them boring into dry treated lumber as well, hate to use insecticides, but have been treating isolated cases in structural treated lumber with Boric acid...
Thanks for the responses.
Even worse than the damage caused by the bees? Woodpeckers! They go after the bee larvae, and can really make a mess of things.
From researching them, I understand that they don't eat the wood. It's simply their nest, a place to lay their eggs. That might explain the holes in treated lumber.
I'm no bug expert, but for carpenter ants I use a product w/ synthetic pyrethroids, at the suggestion of a long time pro bug killer. Boric acid kills ants too, but syn pyr can be carried back to the nest and kills everybody. Check to see if it is useful on carp bees, too. I am no real fan of insecticides either, but I draw the line at my house.