How to deal with carpenter bees in NJ this time of year

How to deal with carpenter bees in NJ this time of year

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I'm not sure what the situation is in your part of New Jersey, but in Burlington County, and especially my backyard, carpenter bees are constantly buzzing. They seem to be a little more prevalent this year than in years past, or maybe I'm just noticing more.

On warm sunny days starting around mid-April, they start their hunt for food. Their food in this case is my deck and shed.

A few years ago, I looked for a remedy online since everything I sprayed either didn't work or was too localized to get that many.

You can spend hours chasing them with a can. I ordered something homemade from Georgia, but it didn't work.

Finally, I found something promising online and bought a few of these traps. Now local hardware stores are selling them as fast as they can get them in. It's a Gatorade bottle attached to a wooden box. It works OK, but they're still around in droves.

I have several of them up around the deck and a few have gone in but not enough for my liking.

Someone told me to use an old tennis racket and swing downward, so you know where they land, and you can dispose of them properly. I deposit them in the lake by my house, where the bass can feed on them.

That means I'll know exactly where to go to catch a big bass. Hey, it's a win-win-win. I get rid of a few bees; the bass get a high-protein meal and I know where to find big bass when I fish.

This past weekend, I was batting about .750, nailing about 3 out of 4 of the bees I took a swing at. It's good exercise and I don't have a big bee problem anymore!

BE CAREFUL NOT TO HARM THE HONEYBEES. It's easy to tell them apart once you get used to seeing these buggers around your deck and woodwork. Here are a few more ideas on how to get rid of these nasty creatures.

This has to be the best farmers market in New Jersey

If you’re looking for a great farmers market, you have to visit the Summit Farmers Market. This year they have over 50 vendors, offering a large selection of great produce from various local farmers, lots of specialty foods and more. There is also plenty of free parking. My dog and I went for a visit last week and took pictures of what they have to offer.

Vendors Not Pictured:

  • Adventure Kitchen
  • Angel Planet Foods
  • Anita's Baked Wonders
  • Bull 'N Bear Brewery
  • Fit Fed Puppy
  • Foraged Feast
  • Hummus Boss
  • Jana's Jammy
  • Java's Compost
  • Kariba Farms
  • Louis Organics
  • Luxx Chocolat
  • Made with Clay
  • Mangalitsa
  • Our Woods Maple Syrup
  • Roaming Acres Farm
  • Spice Sisters
  • Stefan's Polish Foods
  • Sustainable Haus
  • Valley Shepherd Creamery
  • WoodsEdge Farm

The Summit Farmers Market will be open every Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will last until November 20th. The market is located at Park & Shop Lot #1 on the corner of DeForest Avenue and Woodland Avenue.

Below are photos of some of the local vendors joining the farmers market this season:

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy only.

You can now listen to Dennis & Judi — On Demand! Hear New Jersey’s favorite best friends anytime, anywhere and any day of the week. Download the Dennis & Judi show wherever you get podcasts, on our free app, or listen right now.

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