Bees in trailer bunk boards

[kabcpapc]

The other day I took the bunk boards off the trailer I was refurbishing. When I looked at the bottom of the boards I noticed several holes. I tapped the boards on the concrete and heard buzzing. I got a bottle of lighter fluid and sprayed some in the holes. Carpenter bees started coming out of the holes. Four came out of one board and seven came out of the other. In my research on carpenter bees, it said painted or stained wood would help to keep the bees from eating through the wood. The trailer bunk boards were painted black at the factory. Was this black paint a special type? I plan on putting several coats of varnish on new 2x4's before I install the new bunk carpet. About 30 years ago I did this to some home-made trailer guide-ons that I put artificial grass on and the boards are still in great shape. The artificial grass was toast though.

 

[Rocky_Road]

Re: Bees in trailer bunk boards

The factory black 'paint', probably wasn't heavy enough to discourage a carpenter bee...just meant to give the wood a dark appearance.

Your idea of spar varnish, on the other hand, will definetly not taste good to the carpenter bees...and you should not have any future 'tenants'!

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Bees in trailer bunk boards

agree

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Bees in trailer bunk boards

A light strip of aluminum or vinyl (siding) bent around the bottom and stapled with stainless or monel staples will discourage them completely.

Round my neck of the woods, they even eat through pressure treated "guaranteed against insects" wood. The eat through the surface of plywood until they get to the glue layer. All in all, nasty insects that cause a lot of damage.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Bees in trailer bunk boards

Are y'all talking about the fat little bumblebees that like to bore holes in anything from porch rafters to mop handles?

 

[mphy98]

Re: Bees in trailer bunk boards

can you retrofit to rollers? eliminate wood and eliminate bees

 

[kabcpapc]

Re: Bees in trailer bunk boards

can you retrofit to rollers? eliminate wood and eliminate bees

Might could but whole project (refurbish trailer and boat, buy used motor) is on a tight budget.

 

[kabcpapc]

Re: Bees in trailer bunk boards

Are y'all talking about the fat little bumblebees that like to bore holes in anything from porch rafters to mop handles?

Yeah! Aggravating little bugs, aren't they?

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Bees in trailer bunk boards

I had them in my one trailer a few years ago, they bored into the 2x4 pressure treated bunk boards. They were pt wood, about a year old when I found them.
The bunks were sprayed with glue, covered in bunk carpet and fully wrapped. the bored through the bottom seam in the carpet and hollowed out about 3' of one board.
I replaced the boards, coated them in spar urethane, recarpetted, and sprayed the carpet with pesticides, they were back in two months. I finally tossed the wood and used two sets of those roller bunks. I got tired of replacing boards every year. They are no in the neighbors deck and many exterminator visits since have still not rid him of them. (They may have already been there but he started looking for them after all the trouble I had).

They don't bother one wood decked trailer I have, but that's so soaked in motor oil, tar, and other solvents and what ever, nothing would touch that wood.

 

[kabcpapc]

Re: Bees in trailer bunk boards

The bee-infested bunk boards and the home-made guide-ons that I used spar varnish on were on the same trailer. So I believe the spar varnish worked in keeping the bees away. The artificial grass completely covered the guide-ons. Maybe that helped too.