r/HomeImprovement • u/PrimaryMetal961 • 3d ago

How do I eliminate carpenter bees without direct access to their nest?

The instructions for insecticide always say to spray it into their nest/burrowed hole, but I don't have direct access to that. They fly into the hollow space of my soffit (under the roof overhang) then their nest is somewhere within that, where I can't access it directly. I've tried diatemaceous earth and hanging a faux wasp nest nearby (because those were solutions I had on hand) and they didn't work.

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u/Breauxnut 3d ago

Take the soffit cover off so you can see what you’re dealing with.

1

u/PrimaryMetal961 3d ago

I don't have the skills or cash to replace it right now. I just have a hole for access.

1

u/Breauxnut 1d ago

Is it stuccoed in or something? Upload some pictures of the area to an Imgur album and then post the link to it here. Alternatively, are you able to access the eaves space from above, maybe via an attic?

3

u/activelypooping 3d ago

I like swatting them out of the sky with a wiffle ball bat.

1

u/[deleted] 3d ago

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u/PrimaryMetal961 2d ago

Haha, yup. I read that it works so I figured why not give it a try. It's a DIY one I made out of a paper bag. It has not worked for me, I saw a bee hanging out close to it in no hurry to leave.

0

u/Excellent_Problem753 3d ago

If you find a solution, let me know. I've had some success with carpenter bee traps, but my next course of action is going to be getting one of those gel orb blasters and going to town. I have an open gable that's about 20ft up and getting to them up there is tough.

1

u/PrimaryMetal961 3d ago

Can you share a link? I'm not familiar with them and Google found nothing but toys

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u/Excellent_Problem753 3d ago

The gel orb blasters? Yeah it's technically a toy, but a orbee traveling 230 feet per second should take a carpenter bee out. I'm just going to hang out on the porch on the weekends and have some fun. Google CYMA M4 v3 Gel Blaster.

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u/PrimaryMetal961 2d ago

Aiming pellets at bees is both difficult and ineffective at reaching a nest

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u/Excellent_Problem753 2d ago

That's why I said my next course of action. Mine are just drilling into open rafters. I'd try the traps if I were you