Hey everyone!
I’ve been having a bit of trouble with carpenter bees in my backyard. They’re cute, but they’re drilling holes into my deck and causing some damage. I’ve heard that certain smells can deter them.
From what I’ve gathered, things like peppermint oil, citrus scents, and even vinegar might work, but I’m curious if anyone has had success with this or has other suggestions.
I’ve read that peppermint oil is a strong deterrent for carpenter bees. I mixed it with water and sprayed it around the areas they frequent. Seems to work pretty well!
Interesting! I actually used citrus peels around my deck, and they seemed to stay away. Not sure if it was purely the smell or just a coincidence though.
That’s great to hear, HomeHelper! Did you just leave the peels there, or did you try anything else with them?
Just left them there. I put them in strategic spots where I noticed the bees hanging out. After a week, I saw way fewer of them!
I’ve had some success with vinegar! I mixed it with water and sprayed it near their entry points. They don’t seem to like it at all.
Vinegar sounds like a good idea too! How often do you need to reapply it? I imagine it might wash away with rain.
Yeah, I usually reapply every couple of days, especially if it rains. It’s a bit of a hassle, but it seems to help!
I heard that cedar wood has a strong scent that bees dislike. Maybe if you have some cedar chips or anything, it could help?
That’s an interesting idea! I might try placing some cedar wood pieces around my deck. Have you tried this yourself?
I haven’t tried it yet, but I plan to soon! I read that cedar can repel a variety of insects too, so it seems worth a shot.
Just a heads-up, while it’s great to repel carpenter bees, make sure to avoid harming them. They’re important pollinators!
Totally agree! It’s all about finding a balance, right? Repelling them without causing harm is key.