How to Get Rid of Carpenter Bees under Vinyl Siding

Carpenter honey bees always find a way to settle in your wanted areas, especially under vinyl siding. And most people feel scared to deal with them, fearing being bitten off. But worry not. This extensive guide will turn you into a professional who can dispose of these bees without harming yourself or their habitation area. For that, follow these steps individually, and you won’t have to worry about those creatures occupying your space. Let’s see how to get rid of carpenter bees under vinyl siding.

How to Get Rid of Carpenter Bees under Vinyl Siding

Step#01: Protection first!

Every craft project requires necessary precautions. Otherwise, you are not only endangering yourself, but also the people around you. Eradication of bees is an especially dangerous process, and one step in the wrong direction can lead you to the hospital or, worse, death bed. So wear the following equipment gear before starting: 

• gloves
• Sleeve clothes
• Safety goggles

Make sure to expose as little skin as possible. If possible, keep antihistamines on hand. 

Step#02 Picking the Ideal Time:

Bees are only sometimes active. They are especially buzzing and flying around during the time, more precisely, the peak hours of the day. So, waiting till night or early morning before you attack is smart. The lazier they are, the less they are prone to attacking you.

Choosing the ideal time minimizes the cha cues of them Getting unnecessarily aggressive. And the only way around an aggressive Carpenter bee attack is to abort the mission immediately and run for your life!

Step#03 Making the Solution:

The next step is to make a DIT poison for our invaders. For this you need: 

• Water
• Dishwashing liquid

The process of making this mixture is quite simple. Mix equal parts water and dishwashing agent, and voila! You are done. Now, could you put it in a spraying bottle? This solution might seem easy to make, but is just as effective. It will wipe out the area by killing all the honey bees. 

Step#04 Finding the Entry Holes

This is the most crucial step and the one where you get in contact with the bees. Make sure you have the protective gear on before diving in. Take a closer look at the area inhabited by bees. Notice all the entry and exit points. Mark if you need to. This is where the clogging will occur so that the bees have no way out. 

Step#05 Applying the Solution:

The mixture you made in the spray bottle will be sprayed at the entry points. The mechanism of action is that the water and dishwashing liquid mixture suffocates and consequently kills the honey bees. Avoid any holes and use a lot of soap and water solution. Move away immediately if you see the bees getting aggressive.

Step#06 Sealing the Holes:

Give the bees a whole day. They will be restless initially but then will be killed immediately. Then, plug the holes using silicone caulk or clay to close off those entry points completely. This is done to avoid reinhabitation by the bees if the eggs hatch and decide to establish another colony. 

Step#07 Using Honey Bee Traps:

Even after all these measures, you are less likely to eradicate the whole colony. Some bees are bound to escape this fate. So, as an additional measure, place bee traps around the vinyl siding. Pay special attention to the area where the hive was previously located. As a result, all chances of bees settling there will be minimized. More so, the trap will also restrict any invasions happening in the future. 

Step#08 Applying Insecticidal Dust:

It is necessary to sprinkle some insecticides in the area. The best one in this regard is diatomaceous earth. This removes the eggs that might have escaped their fate at the hand of the soap and water solution. 

Step#09 Insecticide spray Application:

You’re mistaken if you think your work is done after one eradication. Every spring season, make sure to spray insecticides in the vulnerable areas. Remember the vinyl siding.

Step#10 Monitoring:

Monitor after every few days for any signs of action. By that, we mean honey bees settling there again. In the case of a re-invasion, repeat the above steps. 

My Opinion

The most crucial step is to locate all the entry points of the honey bees. So, make sure to take your time with it. The consequences of carelessness mean that the whole process will go to waste. At the same time, please don’t be too harsh with any step, as it can damage the vinyl.

The most important step is to know when to abort the mission. At any stage, if you feel that the bees are getting more aggressive than usual, abort the mission. Keep first aid kit at bay, with antihistamines and anti-allergic.