Killing Carpenter Bees with Salt Shot

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JackDaniel

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Lynchburg, TN
I been using lead #12 shot loaded into .38Spl cases on carpenter bees and it is very effective. The cost of #12 lead shot is high (~ $39/ 10 pounds plus shipping).

I want to substitute the same weight in table salt to see if I can get the same results without damaging the revolver. The bees are at very close range (they try to intimidate by flying and hovering close, but they do not have stingers so their gesture is harmless.)

My main question: Can the salt damage or harmfully abrade the lands and grooves?

Question 2: The current poisons I have available are not very effective. Do you know of any that are really good? BTW, I have traps (12) that are getting some of them, but not enough to halt the damage or make a big dent in the bee population.

Thanks for ANY assistance… we are getting desperate!
 
I don't think salt will harm the bore due to abrasion.

But the gun will start rusting right in front of your eyes if you don't clean it with hot water every time you use it.

rc
 
I seriously doubt that you can load and shoot fast enough to do more than dent the GROWTH of the hive population. Never mind control and eradicate it. Fun though this option may be.

What do the local exterminators say?
 
Way back when,,,

My Pops back deck attracted wood wasps,,,
I bought an El-Cheapo Chinese made break barrel pellet pistol for him.

A .22 LR case of salt poured down the barrel,,,
He was routinely taking wasps out of the air at 4-5 feet.

And yes, it controlled the population only momentarily,,,
But it was a heck of lot of fun zapping the buzzing little beasties.

I never looked down the barrel though,,,
But for a $9.95 investment who cares if it corroded.

Or you could always buy a purpose driven shooter.

angled0217_1024x1024.jpg


Aarond

.
 
10365873_10100882370739243_2576907118637272278_n.jpg

Oh they have stingers all right!

I have waged war on them for a few years. My weapon of choice is a single action revolver chambered in 22lr loaded with Winchester or Federal shot shells. The CCI's work but don't have as much power. Its a little spendy but great fun... If I could only get my hands on one of the smooth bore 22 pump guns!

My next weapon of choice is an electric fly swatter. They are very effective and can be had for less than 10 bucks. You can usually get a Harbor Freight one for less than $5.

The chemical option is Sevin insecticide. You can get the bottle that attaches to a garden hose and meters out through the spray. A few applications a year should slow them down considerably.

Have you tried crushed walnut shells or cream of wheat loaded in your 38 shells? That should work at short range, wont harm your gun, and is very inexpensive.
 
Last edited:
aarondhgraham said:
My Pops back deck attracted wood wasps,,,
I bought an El-Cheapo Chinese made break barrel pellet pistol for him.

A .22 LR case of salt poured down the barrel,,,
He was routinely taking wasps out of the air at 4-5 feet.

And yes, it controlled the population only momentarily,,,
But it was a heck of lot of fun zapping the buzzing little beasties.

I never looked down the barrel though,,,
But for a $9.95 investment who cares if it corroded.

Or you could always buy a purpose driven shooter.

angled0217_1024x1024.jpg


Aarond

.
Click to expand...
I'd love to see a youtube video of someone using this on a bald-faced hornet.
 
Bore BEES I use the "Red Rider' with sun glasses on the back deck! I track um by the saw dust that you would think a termite might leave. It's usually when iam sipping a tall drink w/umbrella and the particles fall on my chest in saw dust form! Thought they were hornets when I moved down here 20+ ago. ( good practice).
 
Carpenter bees don't like noise/vibration. Try putting a radio/CD player in the area and turn it up loud and let it play all of the time. It worked for me.

I think I would pass on using salt. The rice as mentioned earlier would be my first try. Maybe millet or sorghum would work. The grains wouldn't hurt your weapon and not be a rust grabber.
 
Rather than shooting them in the air, although it does sound like fun... You must find the nest. Follow them long enough and you will find the nest. I found a nest under an overturned wheel barrow under my back deck. It was about 2 ft. in diameter and 10-12 inches tall. Got all them little buggers with foaming wasp spray.

To practice my racket ball technique I use a racket and bat them out of the air, good fun... The bigger bees make the racket sing!

Why bother them you ask??? First the bees do their destructive work then the woodpeckers hunt the bees. Came home from work one day to find a 12"x16" hole ripped out of the soffit by a wood pecker. Look like he used a small explosive charge... He was after the bees in their tunnels.
 
There is a misconception about this thread,,,

There is a misconception about this thread.

We're not looking for effective ways to eradicate the buzzing beasties,,,
We're looking for fun ways to blast the little flying demons.

My Pop had more fun and giggles with that $10.00 pellet pistol,,,
Than I could have bought him with $1,000.00 at a casino.

Aarond

.
 
I wore out 3 airsoft AR15 shooting carpenter bees. It's truly great fun. We always enjoyed getting them with badminton racquets as well. Was fun with CCI 22lr shot shells but range stunk and it's too noisy in comparison.
 
oldpapps said:
Carpenter bees don't like noise/vibration. Try putting a radio/CD player in the area and turn it up loud and let it play all of the time. It worked for me.

I think I would pass on using salt. The rice as mentioned earlier would be my first try. Maybe millet or sorghum would work. The grains wouldn't hurt your weapon and not be a rust grabber.
Click to expand...
While that is true, the grain would attract other pests, from ants to rats.
 
I swear to god, I have seen these bee type creatures in my neighborhood. They are like 2.5-3 inches long, big wings and a stinger that's like .75 inches long. I would feel undergunned with a salt shooter.
 
I've killed dozens at a time with a badminton racket, squirt bottle with gasoline to spray their holes, wood putty to fill them and block them in for a while with the gasoline. That doesn't work use pest spray.
 
I don't think we are all talking about the same bee.Never seen a hive of carpenter bees.You can catch the white heads they can't sting.The hotter the day the faster they move.
 
They are like 2.5-3 inches long, big wings and a stinger that's like .75 inches long. I would feel undergunned with a salt shooter.
Click to expand...
That sounds like a Cicada Killer wasp in this neck of the woods.

They are solitary wasps that live in burrows in the vicinity of where you see them.

A squirt of Ortho Home Defense, or gasoline down the tunnel is the end of them.

Never known one to harm a human or animal.
They just look real scary!

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphecius_speciosus

rc
 
When it comes to bees that eat into my buildings, I have zero mercy.
Killing that hive is the main goal.

Can also relate to not being serious about eradicating them, just having fun killing them. (yes, I said FUN killing something for you sensitive folks)

Used to set up on the back side of mom & dads garage with bb guns, and later .22 shotshells shooting at all of the flying stinging insects we could.

Once I started having to pay for ammo, that black can that said Raid on it proved to be a far more efficient option.
 
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