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I am having massive trouble with carpenter bees.  They are currently setting up house in the covered area around my back door.  I have tried to plug the holes, spray, and covered the area with a vinyl screen (which they promptly ate through).  I have called exterminators and they don't seem to be much help either.  I am afraid that after they are done with the covered area they will move onto my house because it is all wood.  Any advice would be helpful.

Thanks!

Found this online (http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef611.asp); is your area unpainted?

Control

Carpenter bees prefer to attack wood which is bare, weathered and unpainted. Therefore, the best way to deter the bees is to paint all exposed wood surfaces, especially those which have a history of being attacked. Wood stains and preservatives are less reliable than painting, but will provide some degree of repellancy versus bare wood. To further discourage nesting, garages and outbuildings should be kept closed when carpenter bees are actively searching for nesting sites.

Liquid sprays of carbaryl (Sevin), chlorpyrifos (Dursban), or a synthetic pyrethroid (e.g., permethrin or cyfluthrin) can be applied as a preventive to wood surfaces which are attracting bees. Residual effectiveness of these insecticides is often only 1-2 weeks, however, and the treatment may need to be repeated. Tunnels which have already been excavated are best treated by puffing an insecticidal dust (e.g., 5 percent carbaryl) into the nest opening. Aerosol sprays labeled for wasp or bee control also are effective. Leave the hole open for a few days after treatment to allow the bees to contact and distribute the insecticide throughout the nest galleries. Then plug the entrance hole with a piece of wooden dowel coated with carpenter's glue, or wood putty. This will protect against future utilization of the old nesting tunnels and reduce the chances of wood decay.

Although carpenter bees are less aggressive than wasps, female bees provisioning their nests will sting. Treatment is best performed at night when the bees are less active, or while wearing protective clothing.

Ruby,

 Carpenter Bees are a pain!  Try using a metal screen?  Also, because they fly in they are a continual maintenance critter.  The is no way to exterminate them one time and be done. Try usin a paintable borate wood treatment on the wood they are attacking.  You should fnd it at any hardware store.  When you paint it on the wood they ingest the borate and die.  Be dilligent in your efforts and don't let them get the best of you.  I have been a in pest contol for 16 years and have had to deal with these bees, yet have never seen them in a home. I hope this inforation helps.

Please think twice about battling your carpenter bees. They will do very little damage - and they are major pollinators.

Due to the mysterious disappearance of bees all over the US, our fruit trees hardly bore anything the past couple of years. This year,  carpenter bees moved into our yard to fill the vacant niche, and we have more apples, plums, and berries than we can use.

I'm going to welcome them next year, and you can send yours over here. :)