[RidgeRunner]

There’s Leather Necks, Chicken Necks, Turkey Necks, Rubber Necks and Rednecks. Welcome to my world:
Every spring we have a problem with wood boring bees. They drill a perfect hole
about 3/8” in diameter in any wood on the house or shop. My battle cry started years ago with my ball cap. Then I moved up to a badminton racquet. Last year I added a wood boring bee trap to the arsenal. All of the mentioned “weapons” work to some degree. However, this year I started an entirely new approach. Since I never got to take my .410 squirrel hunting I decided I would use it to hunt the dreaded wood boring bee. So far I am two outta four. I am using a box of 71/2’s that cost me $ 10 many years ago, so I’m averaging eighty cents per bee. The bee trap cost $20, so financially, shooting bees is a fair return on investment…..at least in the mind of this redneck! :twisted:

 

[tx gun runner]

I use a 357 or 44 mag case and 6" barrel gun , I put 4 gr of Unique or another fast burning powder in the brass and fill the case with cream of wheat or corn meat and I used wax or card board wad to keep the corn meal from falling out . Will not hurt paint or go more then 10 ft . Spray the inside of holes with hornet spray and plug hole with silicone caulk . That is the best I found for them .

 

[Terry_P]

I had them and they went after the pine trim boards but would not touch the cedar clapboards. I tore out the pine and replaced it with Azek, problem solved. A few years later I tore off the clapboards, sided the house and put white tin over the azek. It wasn't due to the bee's just didn't want to have to stain the house every few years and the tin dressed up the trim. On the barn I tore off the old bee boards and put on more pine and then tin over the pine when I sided it. All my bee's moved to Georgia. :razz:

 

[RidgeRunner]

Yeah. They moved to Georgia all right, but 5 more just met their maker. My last hunt resulted in 5 kills outta 6 shots. I'm getting better and my average cost is dropping.
I like the cream of wheat idea, but I don't reload. I fill the holes with Seven dust and caulk them. On a side note I went quail hunting one time with a .44Mag pistol with rat shot. When the covey flushed I got a bird. I only tried one time, but it was pretty cool.

 

[RidgeRunner]

Another 3 outta 4

 

[RidgeRunner]

OK....3 more down. Terry there is one still out there. I think he is headed back to your place.

Total tally.
410 = 13 outta 18 = $ 7.20 or .55 ea.
Ball cap = 3 yesterday and 3 today
Trap = 5 in 5 days

Total count = 24

Looks like the combined count of the .410 and the ball cap far exceeds the trap.
Don't ya just love scientific research.

So much for my silly day.
Later y'all.

 

[tx gun runner]

Get a black powder gun and put powder then corn meal in it and try that .

 

[RetiredSeabee]

I swear I would pay good money to watch this hunt on pay per view. :-D

 

[Dennis H]

Reminds me of my uncle a few years back. He had had a stroke a couple yrs prior and he had the usual residual effects of a stroke and was in an all out war against the squirrels raidin his bird feeder. He had a 410 judge and was 20ft from one one sittin on the corner of the eve of the house, he figured he'd just aim a little high. Needless to say that piece a facia was never the same!

 

[RidgeRunner]

My wife and I ended the day going to the grocery store. We pulled up to the back of the house to unload the groceries, left the back door open......and can you believe it, that last, lone, aggressive, obnoxious, hole drillin', flyin' SOB, flew into the house!! My wife screamed "one of them bees is in the house!".........Well, I immediately went into combat mode, grabbed my ball cap and assumed the position..! I slammed the door knowing HE was mine!! Sure enough that combat war vetran, evil doer of fine furniture, destroyer of homes far and wide, worthy of breaking gunrunning blockades in the War Between the States, capable of making enough sawdust to start his own mulch company, appeared on the inside of a window of the house. I am here to tell you.....a .410 fired inside the house is NOT as destructive as you might think......but I didn't let him tempt me toooo far. I stayed with my ever loyal, war proven, bullet ridden, ball cap and let him have it, full force........the results were ugly. My wife immediately went into triage, and cleaning up the aftermath. One spray bottle of Windex, a few swipes of a paper towel..........and rest easy Terry.....he ain't comin' your way.

 

[RetiredSeabee]

Good choice of weapon for the task at hand. Glad you were able to take the home invader down with minimal collateral damage.

 

[Terry_P]

When the gypsy caterpillars were real bad in the north. They had these big cocoon nests in the trees and I knew a guy that shot skeet and he would blast them with his 12 ga loaded with #8's. He claimed it worked well. He'd wait until the leaves were off the trees and the nests obvious.

 

[RidgeRunner]

good choice of weapon for the task at hand. Glad you were able to take the home invader down with minimal collateral damage.

victory is ours........!!

 

[tx gun runner]

Great hunting :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: Remember Black Powder can cause a fire !!! The charcoal in in black powder is like a BQ briquette and can stay hot a long time . I seen at the San Diego police pistol range catch on fire . It was a very small fire from dry grass and unburnt smokeless gun powder laying on the ground and black powder lite it up one time in a match we had there . So be careful shooting BP it in the house ........

 

[Terry_P]

FYI:

They won't bore into cedar boards or shingles. The problem with them is they get established and then the woodpeckers start drilling on the house to get them out. A lot of damage can be done in a short period of time.

 

[RidgeRunner]

I had fun yesterday, but I think I will build some traps. I found a trap using 4X4 posts. It looks easy and cheap to build.
http://www.myfrugalhome.com/how-to-build-a-carpenter-bee-trap/