What is the proper treatment for carpenter bees?

The proper treatment for carpenter bees involves dusting each gallery and closing the opening. This method effectively targets the bee's nesting sites. Carpenter bees create tunnels in wood, and simply spraying with insecticide may not reach all the areas where the bees are active, potentially leaving some untreated or unnoticed. By using a dust formulation, the pesticide can be more effectively delivered deep into the galleries, ensuring that any adult bees present, as well as developing larvae, are exposed to the treatment.

Closing the openings afterward is crucial because it prevents new bees from re-entering or further infesting the area. This also helps deter future nesting, as the treated tunnels become inaccessible. In contrast, removal of nests with soap, while potentially effective in some contexts, does not ensure that all the bees or their lifecycle stages are treated effectively. Traps can also be a part of an integrated pest management strategy, but they are often less effective on their own in different environments where carpenter bees are prevalent.