6 Best Carpenter Bee Traps and Lures – Attract & Catch

No matter how efficient a carpenter bee trap may be, if you feel like you can expedite the bee catching process even further, you can resort to using some sort of lure. Even though it says that it's made to attract mason bees, it works pretty well to lure in carpenter bees into a trap.

The formula is not too toxic, which makes it safe to use on traps placed on the ground, such as deck traps. It won’t bother pets and it won’t attract honey bees. It’s also based on a proprietary mix of mostly natural ingredients, all known attractants for carpenter bees.

It’s not a sugary formula that could also attract honey bees, so you won’t be messing up the honey bee population in your area. I would also like to mention that a little goes a long way with this particular lure. You shouldn’t need more than one or two drops in a mason jar half-filled with water to attract lots of carpenter bees.

Of course, as a lure, it doesn’t do a lot on its own. Use it if you’re tired of messing around with poorly formulated pesticides or DIY mixes. This lure can be used to enhance the performance even in homemade bee traps.

This looks like a simple carpenter bee trap but it’s much more than that. For one, the wooden box is very sturdy and has large enough openings to allow carpenter bees to fly in easily. The wood is also treated and it can withstand quite a bit of harsh weather.

Secondly, the jar attachment is tightly secured to the bottom of the box and has a decent capacity. It can hold dozens of dead bees without messing up the balance of the trap. It also won’t break easily, meaning that you can use the trap in high bee-traffic areas, as well.

The bees can check in but they can’t check out. No matter how smart your carpenter bees are, I've found that this trap should works reasonably well even without any bait. This is because these traps are pre-applied with scent that lures in bees. Once the bees see the bottom hole inside the box they’ll fly straight through into the jar.

I managed to catch just 2 carpenter bees on the first day of using one of these traps, but that count increased to 11 at the end of the second day!

Finally, I like the strong chain hanger on this trap. You would be surprised how many traps come without the accessories you need for a quick and secure setup.

Although this is technically not a lure or a trap, the BioAdvanced 700430A Termite & Carpenter Bee Killer is a foam pesticide that you can use to trap carpenter bees in. The foam has an impressive expansion ratio of 30:1, which means that it’s capable of sealing in any carpenter bee nest.

The solution comes in a well-engineered bottle container with its own dispersal system. The tube is quite long and will get into those hard-to-reach tunnels with ease. The main active ingredient in this formula is Imidacloprid. It’s present in .05% concentration. That’s enough for carpenter bees, termites, and many other insects.

Unlike other traps, the BioAdvanced foam works on the “set it and forget it” principle. The formula will remain active for up to three months. This means that even if some of the bees escape the nest, when they return, they won’t stand a chance.

You can apply this foam anywhere from damaged wood and spaces between joints, to attics, basements, and foundation junctions. Just keep in mind that it is more efficient indoors. Exposure to the elements will reduce the long-term effect of the foam.

If you have a serious infestation to deal with, then I recommend starting out with two carpenter bee traps. The Original B Brothers two-pack Carpenter Bee Trap offers a quick and potent solution. You can use both traps in the same area to increase the chances of success or you can scatter them on the property if more areas are affected by these flying wood burrowers.

The hardwood boxes look pretty well-made and have one opening on each wall. However, the wood doesn’t seem to have the best weatherproof treatment. Don’t get me wrong – these traps will still handle hot, cold, and humid environments -but they won’t last too long if constantly exposed to heavy rain without protection.

The mason jars attached are quite durable and removable too. Though you don't need to do this as these traps are already pre-applied with lure, the jars being removable means that you can optionally add some homemade lure to the bottom of the jars. Any sweet and slightly yellow/orange-ish liquid works wonders as an effective bait, including fruit juice, margarita mix, you name it. Thus, buying something that's branded exclusively as 'carpenter bee lure' is kind of a waste of your money, if you ask me.

Another reason why I recommend this design is because the openings are drilled at an angle. This means that the bees will have a hard time seeing the openings as viable way out once inside. Because of this, going down to the jar seems like the best option or, in their case, the last option.

If you are worried about bait quality and bees nesting in your trap, a sticky trap is always an alternative. The Rescue Trapstik is designed for wasps, carpenter bees, as well as other flying insects. It doesn’t smell and doesn’t contain chemicals harmful for humans or common household pets, making it safe to use inside and outside your home.

The trap has some weather resistance. However, consistent exposure to heavy rain will eventually mess up the sticky layer of the trap. Now, as far as how the trap works, it’s basically a visual attractant. The vibrant colors are supposed to attract pests to the surface of the trap.

This will work on many species of insects, but it needs a bit of help with carpenter bees. Mainly, you should get the trap installed close to their nest.

Keep in mind that this trap is disposable. Once the glue wears off or after the surface layer is filled with bees, you’ll have to throw it out. You should also know that the best time of year to use this kind of trap is between the spring and fall. Depending on where you live, you may have to cut that period shorter by one season.

The Mac’s LLC Carpenter Bee Trap has an interesting design. It’s made from a block of Douglas fir and features three entrance points. It follows the classic box into jar trap design. The jar at the bottom is detachable and can be filled with bait or poison.

What makes this a very interesting alternative is the actual box trap construction. Instead of going for an elaborate four walls and a roof design with entrance holes on every side, this one looks like a piece of wood with three holes in it. You can plug the holes with the corks that come with the trap.

The wood is not treated, meaning that it may crack after continuous exposure to harsh weather. However, this shouldn’t affect the integrity of the trap. The bees will be more attracted to the Douglas fir trap than others made of laminate or hardwood. This is great as you may be able to catch more bees with less bait.