The spring is already here. However, with its coming, tons and tons of annoying and harmful bugs usually appear, including the carpenter bee. This beautiful season has to be associated with such nasty creatures that can almost destroy the nice feeling of spring by boring into your house, as well as giving some very painful stings.
This is even more relevant as of early 2020, because we are all confined to our homes due to the global pandemic, and the only feasible way to get some fresh and safe air is to kick back in our backyards. In our backyards, we are very exposed to this bug, as our homes are great breeding grounds for carpenter bees! Being an expert entomologist, I know from my own experience that if you want to get rid of carpenter bees, then the specialized traps are the only preventative solution you can get.
The Carpenter Bee Trap Reviews
- Mac’s Carpenter Bee Trap Natural Wood with Bark – My Top Pick
- RESCUE! TrapStik for Wasps
- Our Best Carpenter Bee Trap
- Mac’s One of The Best Carpenter Bee Traps
- Original B Brothers-Carpenter Bee Trap
- Donaldson Farms Mason Bee House Attractant
I have searched through the net and, found the best bee-trapping devices that you can get just about anywhere in the world. I have familiarized myself with each item on the list and written a short review on them to help you understand what suits your situation best.
1. Mac’s Set of Carpenter Bee Traps from Natural Wood with Bark – The Best Carpenter Bee Trap Overall
Specifications:
- Bee Safe, Easy To Use, Free Of Toxic Chemicals
- Material: Wood, Natural Wood
- Number of Pieces: 2
- Item Weight: 5 pounds
- Target Species: Bee
Do you want a secure way to eliminate carpenter bees from your backyard? If so, then Mac’s Set of Carpenter Bee Traps from Natural Wood with Bark is the option for you. This USA-manufactured bee-trapping device completes its job excellently. It is a run of the mill, which is a standard trapping device for various insects. Although the product is simple and easy-to-use (just latch it onto a branch with the available hook atop of it), this model is highly efficient in luring and trapping the annoying insects.
Only the natural wood was employed in the creation of this device, which means the bees will be naturally attracted to the trap. Still, the models are treated with a special solution that attracts these insects specifically. Due to the fact wood is a natural material, it can crack, but it does not compromise the performance whatsoever. However, this con is negligible, especially because you get two devices for an average price of one bee-trapping device.
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2. An Alternative to Common Traps for Carpenter Bees: RESCUE! TrapStik for Wasps, Mud Daubers, Carpenter Bees
Specifications:
- Is Electric: No
- Number of Pieces: 1
- Item Weight: 7.8 ounces
- Item Dimensions LxWxH: 4.75 x 4.13 x 11.3 inches
- Target Species: Bee
Are you more interested in killing the carpenter bees as quickly as it is possible rather than simply trapping them? Well, in such a case, RESCUE! TrapStik for Wasps, Mud Daubers, Carpenter Bees is the way to go. This model differs quite a lot from common bee-trapping devices by mimicking a fly trapper. This model is coated with a special mixture that can not only attract the carpenter bees (and only these species mainly) but also is sticky. As soon as this annoying bug lands on the device, it is forever stuck there, dying from exhaustion in mere hours.
This type of trap has proved itself to be most useful for battling carpenter bees if a small hive appeared near your house (or in your house) only recently as it can lure out the queen and kill it. As soon as this happens, the hive crumbles and dies out too. This device has a protective guard to keep birds safe and not injured by the device. However, although the solution targets carpenter bees specifically, a couple of honey bees usually fall victim to this device.
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3. CBS Carpenter Bee Trap: Excellent Carpenter Bee Catcher
No products found.
Specifications:
- Bee Safe, Easy To Use, Free Of Toxic Chemicals
- Material: Wood, Glass
- Number of Pieces: 1
- Item Weight: 5 pounds
- Target Species: Bee
If a few unessential cracks are a big concern to you, then you should opt for the CBS Carpenter Bee Trap. It has a common two-part design (wooden top and glass bottom). However, only premium materials were employed in the manufacturing of this product: you will feel it as soon as you get the item out of the box.
This is an exceptional device, and you need to put a lot of effort for it to crack — the piece is very solid. It has a hook atop of it, and the wood is treated with an effective solution: simple and easy. One negative thing: the price is quite high when you compare it to other listings from this category, but this is what you get with a premium option.
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4. A Great Pair of Traps for Wood Boring Bees – Mac’s Carpenter Bee Traps Set
No products found.
Specifications:
- Bee Safe, Easy To Use, Free Of Toxic Chemicals
- Material: Wood, Glass
- Number of Pieces: 2
- Item Weight: 1.55 pounds
- Package Dimensions: 9.37 x 6.54 x 4.49 inches
- Target Species: Bee
If you own a garden or even a farm of a significant size, then you might want to get yourself Mac’s Carpenter Bee Traps Set, and not only a single set, but rather buy them in bulk. Yes, I recommend one more product from Mac’s here, because in case you need a lot of bee-trapping devices, this particular product will be the best for you. It is more affordable than my top pick, and it sacrifices only a fraction of effectiveness, which is great if you have tons of land to protect. The structural design is partially similar to the top pick, and the bee-attracting solution stays the same. However, the wood is processed, and its general size is smaller, which makes it more resistant to different weather.
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5. Original B Brothers-Carpenter Bee Trap: a Decent Wood Bee Trap
Specifications:
- Bee Safe, Easy To Use, Free Of Toxic Chemicals
- Material: Wood, Glass
- Item Weight: 2.92 pounds
- Package Dimensions: 6 x 7 x 8 inches
- Target Species: Bee
In case none of the options above appeal to you, then the Original B Brothers-Carpenter Bee Trap is another great option for your consideration. This bee-trapping device was manufactured specifically to copy the shape of nests to attract the insects better. Two hook screws allow more freedom in terms of the placement of this bee-trapping device. The bee-attracting solution is also non-toxic to humans. The only thing to fault here is the model’s relative structural weakness. If you will decide to buy this option, in the end, I recommend handling it carefully.
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6. Bonus: Donaldson Farms Mason Bee House Attractant – Amazingly Efficient Carpenter Bee Attractant
Specifications:
- Environmentally Friendly
- Item Form: Spray
- Item Weight: 2.88 ounces
- Package Dimensions: 5.2 x 1.5 x 1.2 inches
- Target Species: Bee
If you want to get the best results while using a bee-trapping device, then purchasing a carpenter bee trap lure would be a smart idea. Donaldson Farms Mason Bee House Attractant is my personal favorite that I recommend to all of my acquaintances. It consists of exceptional quality natural oils and is extremely effective at attracting carpenter bees and them only!
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All You Need to Know About These Devices
Here is the general information about bee-trapping devices that will guide you through the endless product listings. The section below contains everything you need to know.
How to Trap Carpenter Bees?
Apart from calling up insect killer services and having them spray your property with pesticides or killing the annoying bugs with your own hands, your only real solution to get rid of carpenter bees is buying a proper bee-trapping device. The ones that are made of wood and glass jars give you the option of just trapping bees, and not killing them. You put some honey inside the jar to sustain the caught bees for some time, after which you can let them go.
Related Post: 5 Best Bee Killer Sprays on the Market.
You can do this if you are just concerned with driving bees away for a short time, for example, if you are having a picnic in your backyard. However, in case you have bees nests on the territory of your property, it is best advised that you poison the insides of the jar by putting inside honey mixed with soap.
If your only concern is to get rid of these insects in any way possible, then there are some other bee-trapping devices available to you. First of all, there are items similar to RESCUE! They attract insects with a specific solution, and the coating of the trapping device itself makes it impossible for the bees to leave its surface.
Without any sustenance and overtiring themselves, the bugs die rather quickly. Still, there is an even faster way to kill carpenter bees — with electrical zappers. There are some products available on the market that can emit bee-attracting scent and light, lure the insects close enough to zap them with an electrical charge, thus killing them instantly.
DIY Carpenter Bee Traps
Many people opt for making bee-trapping devices themselves. If you are an experienced handy person, then this might be the option for you. Technically, there is nothing that complicated that someone with extensive experience in handicrafts cannot do when it comes to making DIY traps specifically for carpenter bees.
The materials that you will need are a 4 by 4 post, a glass jar with a steel lid, and two screws. Apart from that, you will require such tools as a saw, a drill, a screwdriver, and a marker (if you want to). There are tons of detailed guides available on the web that you can easily follow. Still, if your handy skills are not that great, then you should buy a trapping device, as they are not that expensive and will save you tons of time and effort.
How Do Carpenter Bee Traps Work?
The most common bee-trapping devices imitate the nest of carpenter bees. That is why a wooden part at the top of it is needed. The woodblock has side holes at 45 degrees. They connect into one path that is perpendicular to the jar. These holes fool carpenter bees into thinking that it is some kind of nest and guide them into the jar. Once the bees are in the jar, the glass and the metal lid trap the bees inside it, because they cannot fly up the same way they entered it.
How to Attract Carpenter Bees to a Trap?
Commercial trapping devices are usually treated with special coatings that attract insects. However, if you want more out of your device, you can buy a commercial bee-attracting solution additionally: they are usually a mix of special oils that attract specifically carpenter bees, and not honey bees. Putting honey in your trapping devices will attract all kinds of insects.
Frequently Asked Questions
In this section, I decided to place some of the most common questions regarding bee-trapping devices. As they are frequently asked, this information will clarify any of the queries you may have on the topic.
Do Carpenter Bee Traps Work?
Yes, these devices have proven to work with time. There is even a research paper on how devastating bee-trapping devices can be to a bee colony, and how they influence the behavior of the bees. Also, if there was no feasible effect produced, there would not exist a massive market for them.
Why Is It Important to Deal with Carpenter Bees Specifically?
Although eastern carpenter bee (the one we meet in the USA; also called Xylocopa virginica) are pollinators, they are pests, as they nest in wood. Recently, they have exposed the ability to make nests in even pressurized wood, which poses a great threat to the structural sturdiness of most of our homes.
When to Trap Carpenter Bees?
Due to the nature of the trapping devices (hanging and luring bees over days and weeks), there is no “best” time to put up the trapping devices. As soon as you deem the number of carpenter bees in your garden is enough to damage your property, you should use the trapping devices.
Where to Place Carpenter Bee Traps?
Around 30 inches above the ground will be a perfect height for you to place carpenter bee traps. Therefore, it will not be too far from the flowers and grass and not too low.
What Is Good Bait for Carpenter Bees?
Anything sweet will do just great. You can mix and match any of the following ingredients: sugar and water, cider, beer, soda, honey, jams, etc.
The Bottom Line
When choosing a bee-trapping device for yourself, first, you should figure out why you need it. Is there continuous damage to your house accumulating over the years? Then go for common wood plus jar trapping devices. If you need some rest from the carpenter bees while you are just relaxing in your backyard, then some bug zapper or bee-trapping stick will do it for you.
Thank you for reading my article. Hopefully, you have enjoyed reading as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Did you like the products on the list? Did I mention everything that you would like to hear about? Please tell me in the comments down below!
References:
- The influence of different bee traps on undertaking behaviour of the honey bee (Apis mellifera) and development of a new trap (Norbert Sachser University of Münster):
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281307152_The_influence_of_different_bee_traps_on_undertaking_behaviour_of_the_honey_bee_Apis_mellifera_and_development_of_a_new_trap
- Eastern Carpenter Bee (Missouri Department of Conservation):
https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/eastern-carpenter-bee
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