The Nutty Cooking Oil That Keeps Carpenter Bees Out Of Your Kitchen

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Bugs, creepy-crawlies, or insects? Whatever you want to call them, these pests have no place in the kitchen where meals are being cooked on the daily. But aside from being unsanitary during food prep, there are some clever little insects, like carpenter bees, that can actually damage the wood in your cooking area, too. Fortunately, there's a simple way to deter these guys from flying into your kitchen and causing havoc — all you need is a bottle of almond oil.

Carpenter bees spend their days boring tunnels into wood to build nesting chambers where colonies can gather. These holes can be 3/8 to ½ of an inch in diameter, which can seriously cause unsightly damage to anything made of wood in the kitchen. Worse still, later generations of bees can return to the same spot unless those round apertures are filled and mended. So what is it about almond oil that deters carpenter bees from buzzing around your kitchen island and potentially devastating your wooden cabinetry? It's the smell. While it may be mild with only a subtle nutty fragrance, carpenter bees dislike the aroma of almond oil, which means they'll steer clear of any areas that have been scented with the stuff.

There are a couple of ways to safeguard your kitchen from carpenter bees. The first is the simplest — grab some cotton balls, soak them in a food-grade almond oil, pop them in a bowl, and place them in any areas of concern to act as a deterrent. The second option takes more work but is worth it if your home has exposed wooden beams or other characterful features that need to be protected; coat any wood with a layer of almond oil in the same way as you'd apply a stain or wax. This move will enliven the natural grain of your wood, but it won't result in a permanent color change, so don't be worried about it affecting the considered aesthetic of your kitchen. You can do this with a painter's brush or apply it using a sponge or cloth. If you notice any existing holes in the wood while doing this, you might need to get a pest control expert to check that your kitchen hasn't already become home to a swarm of carpenter bees. It's unlikely that the smell of the almond oil will get rid of existing bees, but it can be an effective deterrent before any damage has occurred.

Almond oil makes a great alternative to olive oil, so if you have any left over, feel free to add it to your favorite dishes to lend them a nutty aroma and flavor. Refined almond oil can be used for deep frying, too.