Wood bees are tame animals that are usually harmless to humans, but can damage wooden structures or buildings. This animal is so named because it can make holes in wood to lay eggs and build nests. In addition, wood bees are also pollinators so their role is very important for plant and garden growth. Fortunately, there are several ways to get rid of wood bees. Some methods do not use insecticides and can prevent further damage to your property or building.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Getting Rid of Wood Bees Without Insecticides
Step 1. Play a loud sound through the loudspeaker to keep the bees away
Wood bees are notoriously sensitive to sound (more precisely, sensitive to vibrations). Place a loudspeaker or boombox near the problem area and play loud music for 2-3 days to repel swarms of bees.
- This method is one of the safest and least annoying ways to get rid of wood bees.
- It is possible that the swarm of bees will return to the previous area after you have pushed them away with a loud noise. For best results, take precautions on wooden structures after the entire swarm has left.
- If you have neighbors who live fairly close to your home, make sure you tell them your bee expulsion plan by voice before starting the process. Music that is too loud can annoy them.
Step 2. Spray the problem area with a natural citron spray
Cut the skins of several types of citrus fruit (oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit or limes) and boil them in a short saucepan filled with water. Fill a spray bottle with citron extract water and spray the mixture on the beehive.
Like other insects, wood bees instinctively do not like citrus oils (this is why the skin of the citrus fruit serves to protect the flesh inside from predators). This means that the bees will be bothered by the citron extract spray. This mixture alone will not kill swarms of bees, but it can repel them from any wooden structures that serve as hives
Step 3. Use almond oil or essence around the hive to repel swarms of bees
As with citron sprays, almond oil and essence are another good and proven option that can repel wood bees. Place or apply oil around the hives and visible holes to repel bees and prevent swarms from coming back.
Step 4. Place physical traps to attract attention and trap wood bees
A more “friendly” way to get rid of bee nuisance is to buy a bee trap and place it in the problem area. The trap will attract swarms of wood bees and prevent them from escaping, thereby gradually reducing the bee population that disturbs your home.
- Hang the trap just above the hole or beehive. If a raid or nuisance is not occurring in your home, hanging traps can also be a good method of prevention.
- You can get bee trapping kits online, pest control or garden supply stores, and supermarkets.
Step 5. Use a tennis racket to kill the wood bee while it is active
In spring, wood bees usually wander around looking for nests to lay eggs and store pollen as food for bee larvae. This means the swarm will be very active for 2-3 weeks. Use a badminton or tennis racket to effectively hit and kill wood bees.
- To determine if the bee dies after being hit, you can also step on it with a shoe after the bee has fallen to the ground.
- Since male wood bees don't sting and usually wander around the hive, there's a good chance that you won't be stung by a bee when you try this method.
- Keep in mind that this is NOT the recommended method of exterminating swarms as the wood bee itself is a beneficial pollinator species that is essential for the reproduction of various plants.
Step 6. Use a beekeeper or beekeeper to remove the swarm if you don't want to kill them
If you want to eradicate a swarm of bees without killing them, the best thing to do is to contact a professional beekeeper and ask them to remove the hive. You may need to pay a service fee, but at least this is a better option than killing lots of bees.
Method 2 of 3: Using Pesticides
Step 1. Spray insecticide powder on the holes or nests to kill the bees and their larvae
Insecticidal powder is the most effective product for destroying active nests deep in the wooden structures of buildings. Use a small air pump or hand duster to spray the insecticidal powder directly into the hole or beehive and kill the existing bee swarm, and prevent the development of future bee populations.
- Spray the product at night to reduce the chances of you being stung by a bee.
- Spray insecticide once per season.
- Some recommended insecticide products include Sevin and Delta Dust Insecticide.
Step 2. Use a liquid sediment insecticide if the nest is not deep in the wooden structure
If the bees haven't dug deeper into the wood to nest in, you can more easily spray insecticide on any visible hives. There are several insecticidal products available in stores that are common to buy gardening supplies. Try buying a liquid-sediment insecticide and spraying the product on wood bee holes or hives to get rid of them.
- Some recommended products include Cyzmic CS, Demon WP, and FenvaStarCap.
- For best results, spray insecticide on the holes, twice in the spring, about 3-4 weeks apart.
Step 3. Kill wood bees with gasoline if you don't have pesticides
A tried and tested bee control measure is spraying gasoline on the hive as a “homemade” pesticide. Use this method if you don't want or can spray real insecticide on wooden structures.
- Fuel, both gasoline and diesel, is a flammable liquid. Make sure you don't use it near a fire source.
- Do not apply or apply gasoline to the skin or inhale the fumes. Wear an N-95 respirator, protective goggles, and gloves when pouring gasoline into holes or honeycombs.
- If you use a spray bottle to pour gasoline on the hive, make sure you label the bottle and keep it for future gas only. You should never use the bottle to water plants after filling it with gasoline to kill wood bees.
Step 4. Try spraying the hives with a carburetor cleaner
Carburetor cleaners are effective at getting rid of beehives, although they are not the most “friendly” products to use. An aerosol carburetor cleaning product with an extension tube in the tube can kill bees quickly and discourage swarms of bees from nesting in your home again.
- Aerosol carburetor cleaning products can be purchased at affordable prices at automotive supply stores.
- Be careful when using the product so that it doesn't get on your face or eyes. Wear protective clothing and read the precautions to keep yourself safe.
Step 5. Hire a pest extermination service to deal with wood bee nuisance by an expert
If you don't want to eradicate the existing swarms of pests yourself, the best option you can try is to hire an exterminator. Professional exterminators know what to do and can remove swarms of wood bees from your home efficiently.
Method 3 of 3: Preventing the Nuisance or Spread of Wood Bees
Step 1. Use insecticidal powder to stop the bee's reproductive cycle
Killing adult bees or female bees that lay eggs is not enough. You need to kill the bee larvae in the hive to prevent them from reproducing. Put insecticide powder into the beehive hole to ensure that the hatching larvae can be killed.
- Make sure you use a powder insecticide to stop the reproductive cycle. Other types of insecticides can be absorbed into the wood and evaporate before the larvae hatch.
- Do not cover the hole that was there when you first applied the insecticide. Closing holes encourage wood bees to dig or make new holes. This means there's a good chance the bee swarm won't get through your insecticide layer.
Step 2. Close the hive hole after all the bees are killed
Once the swarm is expelled from the hive, cover the hole with a plug, putty, or waterproof coating to prevent it from being reused by other bees.
- Make sure all the bees are dead before you close any holes. The bees trapped in the holes will dig new tunnels in the surrounding wood.
- The best time to fill or seal this hole is in the fall months.
Step 3. Coat or paint wood surfaces outside the house to prevent nuisance or bee infestation
Although it can attack any wood surface, wood bees prefer “real” wood (in this case, unpainted or varnished). Paint or apply varnish to the surface of an outdoor wooden structure that can attract the attention of wood bees.
Painted wood can prevent wood bee nuisance or invasion better than varnished wood, but the difference in effectiveness is small
Step 4. Spray insecticide on the wood surface in the spring
The final step to prevent wood bee nuisance is to spray an insecticide on the surface of an outdoor wooden structure that can attract bees. If you don't want to use insecticides, hanging bee traps near wood surfaces is an effective method of prevention.
- Areas that are susceptible to bee attacks include the underside of fences, decks, and around window sills.
- “Natural” wood surfaces are susceptible to bee attacks and need to be protected with insecticides if not painted or varnished.
Warning
- Do not use prohibited pesticide products as they are not good for your health and can cause serious environmental problems.
- Make sure you wear protective clothing when handling bees. Although the chances are relatively small, you can still get a bee sting.
