DO CARPENTER BEE TRAPS WORK?

WHAT IS A CARPENTER BEE TRAP?

Setting up a trap for carpenter bees remains the only way to get rid of them when the damage seems uncontrollable. Homeowners are unable to recognize these bees and mistake them for bumblebees. Although, there are discernible differences between the two. Still, people don’t pay attention unless the damage becomes significant. 

Therefore, a carpenter bee trap remains the way out. The trap is a pre-drilled wooden block that stays attached to the plastic bottle or glass jar. The trap seems like a nest for these bees. Hence, they start gathering but they try to escape while moving to the jar as they realize it’s a trap. Eventually, bees are captured in these jars and removed later.

It’s very unnerving to walk by a carpenter bees nest site when mating and nest construction is in the works. Carpenter bees potentially harm your outdoor wooden furniture. They are fond of softwood varieties like redwood, pine, and cedar. They usually don’t sting but they cause great damage to different sorts of wooden materials. What’s the best way to keep these bees from making holes in your home? Carpenter bee traps are the best way to get rid of carpenter bees and protect any wooden furniture.

It’s important to understand carpenter bees’ habits first to know why the trap works a certain way. What are carpenter bees? Carpenter bees like to burrow in exposed wood to create nests. They are called “carpenters” because of their skill in drilling through wood and nesting in it. They live alone and rarely swarm and sting.

IT’S EASY TO DISTINGUISH A CARPENTER BEE FROM A BUMBLEBEE FROM THEIR OUTER POSTERIOR.

The upper surface of a carpenter bee’s abdomen is bare, shiny, and black while the bumblebee has a fuzzy abdomen with yellow stripes. Bumblebees don’t nest in the wood but on the ground. The female carpenter bee may sting if they’re provoked. Male carpenter bees linger around the nest, protecting it. The females bore into wood to lay eggs then they build six cells to stage eggs. Every cell has one egg and pollen that is covered with regurgitated wood pulp.

A carpenter bee trap is an effective solution to remove unwanted carpenter bees. In simple terms, it’s a pre-drilled wooden block with a glass jar attached to it to trap the bees so they are successfully removed. The carpenter bee solutions mimic the nest which makes the bees crawl inside it, thinking it’s a good habitat.

The carpenter bees will realize that the trap isn’t an ideal place to lay eggs and try to escape and fly towards the light. The only light source comes from the bottom clear funnel. This tricks the bees to travel through the funnel system quicker making it impossible for them to escape as they cannot fly upwards.

Its base consists of soft composite plywood. Softer wood is better when carpenter bees build a home. The drilled holes on the wooden base are angled upwards and have the same diameter as the holes carpenter bees make. The angled property of the holes removes the light for bees when they enter the wooden chamber. The trap is made of durable plastics designed to survive different weather elements to last longer. The carpenter bee trap doesn’t need bait. Dead carpenter bees attract more carpenter bees because of the pheromone they release when they perish. Once a bee is trapped, there will soon be more. The dead bees are disposed of by unscrewing the jar and removing its contents.

Carpenter bee traps work because it’s an intuitive trap. Its simple design eliminates wood burrowing bees from possibly ruining beautiful homes and furniture. It works quickly and fulfills its promise to trap bees.