Q&A for How to Build a Carpenter Bee Trap

Neither the male nor the female bee have the ability to bite a human. The female does have a stinger but usually will only sting if handled or provoked in some way. The male does not have a stinger, so cannot sting at all. Carpenter bees are generally non-aggressive and won’t go out of their way to sting you unless they feel threatened.

In terms of human safety, carpenter bees are not usually aggressive. Only the female has a stinger and she will only sting if provoked or threatened. The males have no stinger and while they might buzz around and look scary sometimes, they are of no threat to you. In terms of your property, the bees are usually not a problem if they don’t hang around for long. However, their natural nesting habit is to drill into dead wood and unfortunately, they’re not bothered with whether that wood is out in nature or nicely embedded in your house. Since carpenter bees tunnel into wood (both hardwood and softwood), they can cause damage over time if many of them continue tunneling in the same area, as the tunnels will eventually weaken wooden beams, walls, etc. In this case, if you see carpenter bees doing their carpentering in your house, it is essential to get them away from the built structure and back into their natural environment.

Carpenter bees have an average lifespan of 1 year but some of that year is spent in hibernation during the colder months. After pupation, they turn into adults in late summer, and remain active till winter. Once the cold sets in, the bees hibernate until spring. They revive to find a mate, then the males die not long after mating. The females live long enough to lay eggs in the nests and to carve out new nests. They may also survive through the summer but will die by the end of the second summer, making way for the new generation that emerges from the end of summer.

Use vinegar, sugar, and a little salt. Mix them together til the salt and sugar dissolve, and change it out every week or so. The vinegar deters honey bees (which are beneficial) but doesn't bother wasps.

Absolutely. It's best to place the traps anywhere you find existing bore holes, but be sure to block those existing holes to prevent the bees from returning to their previous homes. You could use wooden dowel rods, or even an appropriately-sized stick from the yard.

Yes. Have a look at the picture in this article. While it might work with one, two makes it virtually impossible for a bee to find its way out.

It could. The angles are just to keep rain off the trap.

The other bees. When they see them in there they will attempt to get in there to mate. Mine are already working from last year!

At an upward angle of 30 to 45 degrees, drill a 3/8th to 1/2 inch hole on each side. The hole is drilled at an upward angle so as to reduce the amount of light it sheds into the trap. They will enter and will not see the light from whence they came. A large hole at the bottom with bottle or jar will provide the light necessary for their capture.

Carpenter bees are lazy and will look for an existing hole to crawl in to lay their eggs. Once inside the large opening, they decide this isn't for them. They fly down to the light at the bottom. Once through the bottom funnel, they get trapped.

No attractant is needed. They just go in the hole and get trapped in the bottle.

My experience has shown that unfinished, untreated raw pine seems to work the best. The bees around my house generally do not bore into pressure treated, stained, or painted wood.

Since they already found a nesting spot, you may not be able to draw all of them out with a trap. It can get some of them, but you should still deal with the existing holes.

You could hang it just about anywhere. The height isn't as important as putting it in a location near where you expect the bees to be. If you can, put them as high up as possible so they are easier to spot.

You will need to deal with the bees first to prevent them from getting back out. You could crush the bees inside or place a cotton ball soaked with isopropyl alcohol to suffocate them. Fill in the hole afterward. Insecticides also work. Or, you can wait for them to leave and trap them.

It helps get rid of the bees, so, in that way yes. But if you use the right bait, you will only attract the certain bee.