Not only are they destructive to my house and fence...(I've had to replace the cedar facia several times over the years from woodpecker damage getting to the larva...can't blame the woodpeckers) but carpenter bees are annoying as shit flying at you...they mock, taunt and probably laugh at you later...

So this morning when one flew at me...I took off my hat and knocked his ass to the ground (males are the fly at you bastards) then stepped on his ass ending his reign of terror...

However...my swat ended up with me pulling a muscle in my arm and it hurts ...

Hell...I will give red wasps and cicada hawks leniency (actually cicada hawks are benign even though their size make them look scary) ...but I kill carpenter bees with extreme prejudice...now more so than ever (I do make sure they are not bumble bees, which I've never known to be assholes like carpenter bees)...

Bastards.

I have a tennis racket when I am outside working.

Get's a pretty good swing on them and "pank" another one gone.

quote:

they mock, taunt and probably laugh at you later...

+1

A friend gave us 3 of those carpenter bee traps, with the holes drilled downward and a mason jar attached - didn't seem to work last year but they are murdering them this year.

Still, you have to go hands on with some of them occasionally, I use a broom or BugAsalt

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
I have a tennis racket when I am outside working.

Get's a pretty good swing on them and "pank" another one gone.

I opt for the badminton racket. Gives me a faster back swing if they dodge the forehand.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
I have a tennis racket when I am outside working.

Get's a pretty good swing on them and "pank" another one gone.

I tried the tennis racket, but found that a bad minton racket works better for me. Lighter and faster response time.

Is a cicada hawk those big, black bastards? I understand they won't sting unless severely provoked but cause excruciating pain if they do.

I read that the males are aggressive and will attack but they don't even have stingers. The females have stingers but are non-aggressive.

Used to play with them when I was a kid. We were told that those with a white spot in middle of their head wouldn't sting and I never got stung by one. Still, I don't like them chewing up my old shed and overhang where I park a car and tractor; gets crappy chewed up stuff all over.

I swing a running weed whacker over my head, Leatherface style. Knocks the shit outta them. Keeps the neighbors at bay, too.

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:
Is a cicada hawk those big, black bastards? I understand they won't sting unless severely provoked but cause excruciating pain if they do.

Yep...they are quite large...the males are larger but will not sting...I've had them lite on me while I'm sitting on my deck and they never seem aggressive at all...some years I have had four or five nests around the house and they just ignore me in their comings and goings. To be honest I have never known anyone that has been stung by one...but I'm sure they could be painful...

They are pretty interesting insects...

https://www.cicadamania.com/ci...cicada-killer-wasps/

Another vote for the weedwacker. String is too fast for them.

We took the tennis racquet down to the barn today. Smoked about 10, including my first double (yay me!).

I've used one of those huge red wiffle ball bats, in college we called it the drunk bat. Knocks them out of the park, and with a very satisfying thhhhhwack! Step down to the skinny yellow bat for a real challenge.

A badminton racket works great. I make traps out of 4x4 and pickle jars and they work quite well. I have a log home and so far no holes. We've been in this one for 3 1/2 years.