How to get rid of carpenter bees
Carpenter bees drill perfectly round 1/2-inch holes into unpainted wood — eaves, deck rails, fascia, fence posts — and tunnel sideways inside. A few bees won't ruin a house, but they come back to the same wood every year and over time woodpeckers expand their tunnels into real damage. The fix is treating active holes, plugging them, then making the wood unattractive next season.
Tools
- ✓Most carpenter bee holes are high — eaves, fascia. A bulb duster on a pole is the safest way to treat.
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Materials
- +Puffed into each active hole — the bees track the dust through the gallery and back to larvae. This kills the brood, which stops next year's emergence.
- +Plug holes only AFTER dust treatment — sealing live larvae in just makes them tunnel out a new exit.
- +Hang under eaves and at deck corners. Bees enter the angled holes, drop into the clear chamber, can't get out.
- +Carpenter bees prefer unpainted softwood (cedar, redwood, pine). Painting or coating exposed wood is the long-term fix.
Steps
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1
Identify carpenter bees vs bumblebees
Carpenter bees have a shiny, hairless black abdomen. Bumblebees have a fuzzy yellow-and-black abdomen. The males that dive-bomb you don't sting — only females sting, and only if grabbed.
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2
Find every active hole
Look for perfectly round 1/2-inch holes in unpainted wood — eaves, fascia, deck rails, fence posts, the underside of railings, shed siding. A yellow sawdust pile below the hole means active. No bees in/out and no fresh sawdust means inactive.
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3
Dust each active hole at dusk
Carpenter bees are active during daylight — treat at dusk when they're in the gallery. Puff Tempo or Drione dust 2–3 times into each hole using a bulb duster. Wear safety glasses — bees will fly out angry the first time.
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4
Wait 48–72 hours, then plug the holes
Don't plug right away — workers need time to track dust through the gallery. After 2–3 days, push a 1/2-inch wood dowel coated with exterior glue into each hole, or stuff with copper mesh and seal over with wood putty. Sand and paint to match.
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5
Hang traps under the eaves
Set carpenter bee traps under eaves, at deck corners, and near previously infested wood. Empty when full. Best installed early spring before the bees emerge for the year.
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6
Paint or seal the wood
Carpenter bees actively avoid painted or polyurethaned wood. If they keep hitting the same fascia or deck rail every year, scrape, prime, and paint or finish those surfaces. This is the only permanent fix.
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7
When to call a pro
If you're seeing 20+ holes in a single structural area (porch posts, header beams), or large woodpecker damage where birds have chased the larvae — that's structural and worth a pest pro plus a carpenter consult.