I'm working on outdoor deck bug defense to keep my deck protected thru the spring/summer months. I'm on defense mode to protect the deck from wood eating bugs and the elements. I'm pulling out all the heavy artillery to protect and make this deck last several years. I bought a pack of hanging traps to attach to deck. The traps are supposed to capture wasps, flies, and carpenter bees. I have been having a serious battle with carpenter bees with my previous and current deck. These bees don't play! They basically helped destroy my previous deck. I'm trying my best to be preventative and tackle concerns as they happen.
I am also using a blower to blow off any debris on a regular basis. I am not playing with this maintenance lol. I currently have a leaf blower with a cord attachment, but I'm going to invest on a cordless leaf blower soon. I also shared how I previously stained and sealed this deck. This really helps with strengthening the wood to combat the sun and water elements. I may add some wood hardener to some areas of the wood that look a little aged.
I noticed that the carpenter bees have already started getting to work. I first noticed some saw dust on the bottom of one of the railings. I kept noticing some dust appearing on the wood thru the window in front of my deck. I realized I took too long to investigate after I saw the hole in the wood. I purchased the traps after I noticed the hole. I added a Trapstick on opposite sides of the deck.
I easily connected Trapstiks to the rails of my deck. You can see how I assembled and attached these traps here. I also had to address the carpenter bee hole in the rail. I purchased some Spectracide foaming spray to keep the carpenter bees away. I followed the instructions on the Spectracide to spray the inside of the hole.
My goal was to repair and fill the hole with wood filler after the Septracide dissolved. I have learned thru trial and error how important it is to try and tackle issues as they appear. Usually it's easier to fix a small issue before or in case it becomes a larger issue.
I hung some of the traps vertically and horizontally based on the packaging instructions. I was able to capture a lot of flies and wasps on the traps. I was not able to capture any carpenter bees that I anticipated initially. I also adopted the best practice of checking under the deck periodically to make sure new wasp nests and spider webs are not being newly created. I usually get a broom and swipe away any nests that I see.
What are your thoughts? How do you preserve and protect your outside space?
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