Carpenter bees are back

Raider Bill · April 02, 2015, 08:40:20 AM

LaneC · April 03, 2015, 11:10:32 PM

That is a nice pistol. I am sure it does the trick. ;)

21incher · April 04, 2015, 03:48:05 PM

Why is that bee still in one piece? Usually you are lucky to find more then a small body part when they are shot. :D

Magicman · April 04, 2015, 10:09:54 PM

Bill only shoots them in the heart. ;D

LaneC · April 04, 2015, 11:02:37 PM

Quote from: Magicman on April 04, 2015, 10:09:54 PM
Bill only shoots them in the heart. ;D

:D :D :D :D :D :D

LaneC · April 05, 2015, 06:22:09 PM

So far we have caught 4 of them in the bee traps. I will keep yall up to date on the numbers. ;D

Banjo picker · April 05, 2015, 06:28:02 PM

I shot two with 22 rat shot and put one in each of the two traps I built out of cedar....then I loaded up a few .44 mags with rat shot and I have not seen a bee in two days....except the two dead ones in the traps....it has cooled off a bit though...I would like to see one to try out my new shell...Banjo

LaneC · April 05, 2015, 10:03:55 PM

It has cooled off here too and raining as well. That .44 is like shooting a .410 :D. Surely you will be able to hit one in the heart with that ;D. Let us know how many you get. I sleep better at night knowing they are constantly being taken out, 1 by 1 :D I bought some .44 rat shot years ago and it was high then. Is it still high now? (The price was about $12.00 about 10 years ago for 10 rounds I think)

Raider Bill · April 06, 2015, 10:21:21 AM

About everyone up there thinks I'm Billy the Kid shooting bees out of the air with a pistol. Few realize I'm using rat shot. Many do not even know it exists.

I Had a bunch of it for years but have pretty much used all the .22 up on bees. I do have some 38/357 and .40 RS but may as well use a .410 which is how I got started shooting the but found that my gutters and fascia got dented.

LaneC · April 06, 2015, 06:56:49 PM

I found that .44 rat shot and it was $7.99 about 10 years ago. That was for 10 CCI cartridges. I hate that it dents siding :D. So far 6 bees out of 4 traps.

Banjo picker · April 07, 2015, 10:13:26 PM

It warmed up today and the bees showed up with a vengeance. I caught 4 bees in one trap and none in the other...they are placed about 5 or 6 feet apart...gona move the one that's not doing anything if it don't get any action in a day or two...but the reloads out of the 44 are deadly...8 kills out out of 8 shot...I made me a wad cutter out of a 300 Winchester mag shell. Filed some teeth in to it....

Put a wad over the power and seat it with a 16 penny nail..add some # 12 shot add another wadding.

Put a drop of elmers glue on top and seal the edges with a toothpick....If you were shooting one at a time you wouldn't even need the glue..Banjo

LaneC · April 07, 2015, 10:52:53 PM

That is Mississippi engineering at it's finest. ;) Great idea. Dad said the bottom of 1 bottle was full today so they must have moved a lot here today as well. I will try to get a number on the little devils. I killed 2 in a treated fence post today. They drilled about 6" from the ground and ate the crud out of the fence post. There was saw dust all over the ground coming from the hole so I stuck a green stick about 16" into the post and whacked 2 of their heads off as they tried to make their escape. That is the lowest I have ever noticed them from the ground. Nothing is safe from them at any height! I will sleep better tonight knowing that a few more have bit the dust ;) I hope the fence post will last a while longer. The fence post is treated good too. Nothing is safe.

bucknwfl · April 07, 2015, 10:57:10 PM

I have the traps made from pine and or cedar but they work great. Put a little liquid soap and water in the bottom. It makes it easier to clean out

pineywoods · April 07, 2015, 11:04:44 PM

I've got swarms of them over the past week. I leave them alone until they finish polinating my blueberries, then it's open season. Did somebody post some pics of the traps ? I need to make a bunch..

LaneC · April 08, 2015, 01:12:52 PM

I checked and on you tube type in "carpenter bee trap" They have several on there. One video called "Jason explains the trap" or something like that will show a good model of one and you can get a good idea from there. If needed PM me and I can explain them a little more if it will help.

ozarkgem · April 08, 2015, 09:09:02 PM

Killed one Sunday. I am going to try some traps this year.

LaneC · April 08, 2015, 10:44:07 PM

I wish you luck. I hope you get a whole bunch. (before they eat your place down)

Banjo picker · April 08, 2015, 10:54:28 PM

All the ones I have shot, has the yellow dot on the head. I thought only the males had that dot...if that's so where are the girls? I am gona check the ones in the traps and see if they have the dot or not...Banjo

LaneC · April 09, 2015, 10:49:48 PM

I counted them today. Out if 4 traps, so far 14 bees dead. I will sleep good tonight :D. They have been out a week. That is not a lot but that is 14 less than before.

Buckshot00 · April 13, 2015, 07:19:59 AM

Up to 53 dead with my racket. lol

submarinesailor · April 13, 2015, 09:29:36 AM

Got one with my hat yesterday. 8) 8) 8) 8)

21incher · April 13, 2015, 12:41:44 PM

Quote from: Buckshot00 on April 13, 2015, 07:19:59 AM
Up to 53 dead with my racket. lol

What kind of racket do you use? I bought one of the electronic ones and it works on every other type of insect but carpenter bees. It just seems to smoke a little bit of their hair off and make them mad.

Raider Bill · April 13, 2015, 02:42:46 PM

A badminton racket slices and dices them.

LaneC · April 13, 2015, 07:57:13 PM

Dang, 53! you are going to get tennis elbow(or bee elbow

) I have not checked the traps again, too much rain down here. Yall keep up the good work. I sleep good when I know they are being taken out ;D.

LaneC · April 20, 2015, 10:49:54 PM

17 and counting. Not too many but it has rained hard every day for 8 or 9 days. One had just gotten in one of the bottles and after a good shaking, the ants enjoyed him. I also noticed that there were maggots in 1 of the traps and a bow fly. They were feeding on the carcasses of the dead bees. The ants ate the maggots too. ;D