How to get rid of woodpecker bees with natural methods

Woodpecker bees – also known as carpenter bees – are very useful pollinators, but they can also do a lot of damage to wooden structures. If you have woodpecker bees where you live, you’re probably thinking about how to get rid of them without having to use insecticides or insecticides in your home. Fortunately, there are many natural ways to help you deal with this situation and prevent bees from returning next year.

Table of Contents

Use loud sounds.

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Wood chipper bees are sensitive to noise. Put the radio or speaker towards the hive and play the music as loud as you can for at least a day, eventually most bees will fly out and probably go elsewhere. Try to play loud music for a few more days to make sure the bees don’t return. ^{[1] X Research Source}

You can also use a hard object to repeatedly tap the wood to make a loud noise to repel bees.

Pour almond oil over the wood and surrounding area.

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Bees don’t like the smell of almond oil. Buy a jar of almond oil and use an eyedropper to pump some oil onto the wood and around where bees live. If you want to treat the entire length of the wood, fill a spray bottle with water and add 10 drops of almond oil. Spray this mixture over the entire area and cover the entire length of the wood. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Essential oils are generally safe, but they can also cause irritation on contact. You should always dilute essential oils before use and try not to get on bare skin.

Create a new home for the bees.

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This is a great way to get rid of woodpecker bees without having to kill them. Woodpecker bees play an important role in pollinating plants, so you should consider finding another area for bees so they don’t disturb you and are still free to do their work. Find a spot where it’s sunny and out of the rain, then place a bunch of softwood in it. You can encourage the bees to move to this place by drilling holes about 1.3 cm in diameter into the top of each log. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Softwoods include pine, fir, and spruce.
Keep the wood bundle dry to prevent rotting.
Combine this method with natural bee repellents, such as almond oil. This way, the bees will have an incentive to find a new place to live.

Suck the bees out of the holes in the wood.

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Woodpecker bees are not very strong, so you can get rid of them by physical means. Attach the end of the straw to the vacuum cleaner and place the other end into the holes in the wood, then turn on the machine to suck the bees out. After you’ve sucked in a lot of bees, you can either pour them into a basket and drown them in water to kill them, or take them to a woodpile where you don’t mind them living there. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

You should do this in the evening, when bees are least active.
The bee extraction method is most effective on new hives, but with large and established hive it is not very effective.

Spray petrol or diesel into the holes in the wood.

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Petrol has the effect of killing bees. Note that gasoline is very flammable, so you need to remember to use this method only when the hive is not near an open flame. Place the end of the petrol can into the hole in the wood. As you continue to pour, you will see the dead bees drifting out of the wood. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Wear a mask, gloves and goggles for safety.
When you’re done, take the water to wash the wood and the surrounding ground to dilute the gasoline and prevent it from catching fire.

Kill bees naturally with diatomaceous earth.

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This powder contains fossil matter called diatoms that can kill insects. Diatomaceous earth will cause the insects to dry out and die without you needing to use any drugs. Buy a bag of diatomaceous earth at gardening stores. Put on gloves and carefully sprinkle the powder into the holes punched by the bees; the bees will die when stuck in diatomaceous earth. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

If a large number of woodpeckers invade your home, you may have to use diatomaceous earth more than once. Keep sprinkling diatomaceous earth once a day until the entire colony is destroyed.

Seal the holes with steel wool and metal mesh.

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Woodpecker bees cannot dig through steel wool and metal mesh. If you find holes in the wood made by bees, insert a small piece of steel wool into each hole, then use a nail or screw to attach a metal mesh outside the holes so the bees can’t get in and out. . If you block the way to the bee’s nest, they will eventually die inside the wood or have to find another place to live. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Stick a large garbage bag at the top of the chimney to prevent bees from entering the chimney.
You can also do this after the woodcutter bees leave the hive at the end of summer. Thus, they will not be able to go back and make a new nest in the old location.

Pump boric acid into the holes.

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Boric acid is a natural salt that can kill bees. You should wear a mask, gloves and goggles when working. Take a tube of boric acid and sprinkle it in the holes. Bees will die when exposed to boric acid. Continue doing this once a day until you no longer see bees. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Boric acid is a sodium borate salt, similar to table salt.
If you have small children or pets in your home, you must prevent children and pets from coming into contact with boric acid as it can be toxic.

Set a bee trap.

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You can make your own bee trap or buy it at a hardware store. Place bee traps near their nest, then wait for the bees to fall into the trap. Once trapped, bees will die because they do not have access to food and water. When the trap is full, you can dump the dead wasp in the trash. ^{[9] X Research Source}

Bee traps are effective with a small number of bees, but with a large number, they are not very effective.

Paint the wood surface.

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Painted surfaces make it difficult for bees to dig through. Although paint won’t cure bees, painted wood will create a nice, thick barrier against chipping insects. If you have a structure with a wooden surface, you should consider painting it over to prevent bees from chipping the wood in early summer. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Use pressure-treated wood when building large structures.

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Insects will have a hard time chiseling through pressure treated wood. If you’re building a new building and are given the option, consider using pressure-treated or high-pressure wood to allow water and preservatives to penetrate deep into the wood grain, helping to protect the wood from bees and termites. ^{[11] X Research Source}

You can find pressure treated wood at any building material store.

Fill and seal holes in wood.

Advice

If you’ve tried several methods and none of them work, it may be time to call a professional pest control company.

Steps