What will attract carpenter bees

Let me know if you ever have any questions! I must have missed something in the reading SO, I am assuming that one must put holes into the lid so the bees can get into the jar!!

Otherwise, they just go into the wooden box and come back out. What do you think? I have one similar to this one. The holes in mine are slanted a little more. This trap is great! I have reduced the number of carpenter bees that's for sure. I get about 3 or 4 a day that go in. I didnt have to make any kind of "syrup" to attract them, they just go right in.

I also sprayed my holes that they made in my deck with a store bought carpenter bee spray and the bees won't go back in those holes. The syrup isn't for the wood bees, it's there to attract wasps, hornets and yellow jackets so the trap can serve more than one purpose. I'll have to look into the carpenter bee spray Why would a wood bee go in the hole when there is nice fresh wood to drill on the exterior and interior.

Why wouldn't a queen wasp start a nest inside in a nice corner. Can they get back out the hole if they don't drink the death drink? That is all :. They are attracted to the structure. The liquid doesn't have any poison in it, it's there to attract wasps, hornets and yellow jackets.

And they cannot get back out because of the angle of the hole in the wood. The angle of the holes doesn't allow them to get back out. Hope this clears your question up! It's because they fall into the jar and they can't fly straight up to get back to the hole they fell from. They also can't walk up the sides of the jar.

The angle of the holes also doesn't provide the light to guide them back to the holes. They just buzz around the bottom of the jar, where it's lightest thinking that's the way out. It takes sometimes 48 hours for them to finally die. These traps absolutely work! When I lived in South Fl we built a wooden 2 story house with a wood deck on the second floor, the "wood bees" made a feast of it, we couldn't use it at all.

We are among the group of carpenter bee haters! We live smack dab in the middle of 25 heavily wooded Tennessee acres. Those darn bees are making our eve's look like swiss cheese! The traps work great, but you have to get them up there next to the eves.

I hate to brag but we got many more bees than you did on the first day of hanging! And, we didn't know to put "bait" in the jar. I'll have to try that little trick.

We got our traps at a local farmer's market We are swamped with carpenter bees and wasps and have been looking for a way to get rid of them. Could you tell me what you did to the mason jar top, I'm assuming you made a hole, but how large? What about bumble bees? They are on the decline in this country and should not be trapped as they are potent pollinators as are honey bees. And no, bumble bees are not the same as carpenter bees.

I have been confused lately about carpenter bees vs mason bees. Apparently mason bees are wonderful pollinators and live in pre-existing holes. Some people even make or buy special houses for them.

I have a trap like yours and catch tons of bees. Carpenter bees destroyed my children's swing set and have now moved on to my deck. Now I am worried that I am trapping helpful mason bees. How do we know the difference?! If you can email me so I can be sure to get your answer it would be great as I would like my husband to build a box tonight as my daughters hives are getting raided by yellow jackets. Mason jar lids are 2 pieces , a lid and a band, just leave the lid off , the band holds it to the jar.

I read the instructions a few times and for the syrup for the wasp and the jar do I need to put holes somewhere in the bottom of the house and the mason lid to get the yellow jackets and other bees in there? What do I use to attract carpenter bees, just the wood trap? Is the a lure for them like the wasps? We bought our trap at Lowe's. No bait is needed to attract the carpenter bees. We caught two the first hour it was up. I bought a carpenter bee trap, put no bait in it, and caught 6 my first week.

I use a badminton racket and have wonderful success. I found that when you hit the first one and place it some where close to where you want to swing at another one, others will come to it and BINGO, the score will go up quickly! I easily got 14 in a matter of 2 hours, and I wasn't paying too close attention.

I've played this game since I was a kid. I have grandchildren now and they love the game as well. Grandma always knows the best things to do! Jessica You have an incorrect attitude and methodology for wood bees. These bees are a critical part of elementary boys' entertainment! The correct methodology is described here.

At least two for the sake of competition, but a few more is even better. Bees with a white dot on their head have no stinger. Bees without a white dot get really po'ed and will come sting you. Is there way to just have this trap just the wasps, hornets, and other less efficient pollinators like yellowjackets? What are carpenter bees attracted to, and why are they in your yard? Contrary to popular belief, these bees are not mainly attracted to wood. The first thing that attracts them to your yard is pollen.

Like other bee types, they seek out the best flowers for pollinating and are essential to a healthy environment. Not all types of bees are harmful to humans.

Carpenter bees have an appearance similar to bumble bees, with a patch of yellow hair on their thorax and legs. However, rather than yellow markings on their abdomens, they are smooth and shiny. Female carpenter bees do sting, but only if you bother them, and male carpenter bees fly around and appear aggressive, yet they do not have stingers. What are carpenter bees attracted to? They are drawn to your yard for a variety of reasons, one of them being pollen. These bugs spend their time gathering pollen from flowers and plants and having a garden of colorful flowers draw them in just like other beneficial insects.

Another reason they enjoy hanging out around your home is softwood. Once they find a good piece of untreated wood or a tree, they build individual nests and burrow holes in unfinished or weathered wood of eaves, siding, and porches. They lay eggs in the nests, and the larvae develop into adults in late summer.

This activity often draws woodpeckers, which tend to cause more damage. The adult bees overwinter in the existing holes and emerge in the spring. Note that this remedy will not work for ground bee removal. There are several ways to take care of carpenter bees, including insecticides and traps, and they are all easy. Here is how to trap and kill carpenter bees using a few simple steps. Untreated softwood is her number one preference. Older homes with exposed soft, rotting wood are also very attractive to her, because she can drill through it quickly.

Existing nests or holes in exposed wood are also a key attractant to carpenter bees. To the female carpenter bee, this means less work and more immediate shelter. If a female is able to find an unoccupied nest, she will absolutely choose this location.

This is why carpenter bee infestations need to be handled in a timely manner. If the infestations grow unchecked over the years, the structural integrity of your home could be jeopardized.

Carpenter bee females also search for a location that is well sheltered from the exterior elements and potential predators. Prime locations include eaves and corners of homes where the roof overhangs.