How to keep carpenter bees from drilling stacked lumber?

[glenintenn]

I need to stack some untreated 2x4 / 2x6 lumber in a barn and wondered if there's any way to keep carpenter bees from decimating it.

 

[Heavyopp]

Can always try a paper bag.

The idea is to mimic a wasp nest by inflating a paper bag and hanging it where you don’t want carpenter bees. Wasps and carpenter bees are mortal enemies.

 

[Coralillo Lo Pro]

I need to stack some untreated 2x4 / 2x6 lumber in a barn and wondered if there's any way to keep carpenter bees from decimating it.

borate treatment - premixed liquids they sell are too expensive but if you buy borate powder like Tim-bor and mix your own it's apparently the best all purpose defense against carpenter bees and all kinds of wood borers as well as fungus. https://www.amazon.com/Tim-bor-Professional-Insecticide-Fungicide-1-5/dp/B09M2GHBBC/

 

[Lightning Performance]

Can always try a paper bag.

The idea is to mimic a wasp nest by inflating a paper bag and hanging it where you don’t want carpenter bees. Wasps and carpenter bees are mortal enemies.

Getting anything milled in this rain?

 

[hardhat]

Just spray with permethrin/fipronil mix.....Permethrin for quick kill. Fipronil sticks around and is amazing at keeping bugs away for a long time. It is used mainly for termites, but is really good stuff.

Permethrin is also a good insect repellant and has has very low human toxicity.

 

[Oletrapper]

Just spray with permethrin/fipronil mix.....Permethrin for quick kill. Fipronil sticks around and is amazing at keeping bugs away for a long time. It is used mainly for termites, but is really good stuff.

Permethrin is also a good insect repellant and has has very low human toxicity.

I have found that permethrin stays around a long time also and I use it straight. Will also kill the eggs if they have already bored into the lumber. OT