Bees are boring into my pressure treated wood
Greg and Leanne Darlington
that these large bees seem to love to sit on my weigeala(sp) bush and
then fly to their little homes they have made in my deck. I couldn't
figure out why there was sawdust on my deck everyday, until I looked
up. Above my head were perfectly drilled holes in my pressure treated
wood. I later checked my kids swing set and they have also been
drilling there. I can only assume that they want to lay their eggs in
them. Anyone know what kind of bees(if that's what they are) they are
and why they like my wood so much. I have never seen this before and am
anxious to know how I could stop them. Hope someone can help.
Leanne
David J. Bockman
Carpenter bees. I seriously doubt the wood they are burrowing in is pressure
treated. They would be ingesting copper arsenic and perishing fairly
quickly. Regardless, it seems they are doing damage. Malathion or Pyrethrum.
--
David J. Bockman, Fairfax, VA (USDA Hardiness Zone 7)
Bunabayashi Bonsai On The World Wide Web: http://www.bunabayashi.com
email: d...@bunabayashi.com
Greg and Leanne Darlington <darli...@golden.net> wrote in message
news:395A6655...@golden.net...
Bill Morgan
<djb_m...@bunabayashi.com.invalid> wrote:
> Leanne,
>
> Carpenter bees.
Most likely the correct identification. In particular, large carpenter bees
(genus Xylocopa).
> I seriously doubt the wood they are burrowing in is pressure
> treated. They would be ingesting copper arsenic and perishing fairly
> quickly.
Except that they don't eat the wood. They just hew it out...
> Regardless, it seems they are doing damage.
Sometimes structural damage, but not usually. Usually it is just cosmetic.
Those who go with preventative strategies suggest a layer of paint or
varnish. I've never had to deal with this problem, so I don't know how
effective that is.
Regards,
Bill
--
Bill Morgan <wtmo...@pilot.msu.edu>
"Those who do not learn the lessons of science fiction are condemned to
live them."
grownteach
Greg and Leanne Darlington
I'll keep a broom handy to swat them.
Leanne
Dave Green
>I'll keep a broom handy to swat them.
A gardener killing pollinators? An oxymoron, to be sure.
They won't hurt you. The females, who can sting, are too busy to pay any
attention to you. The drones who will investigate you, have no stingers.
Sacrifice a little wood to give them a home, and enjoy their work and their
play. They are fun to watch, especially when the drones chase birds or other
insects. If you leave them alone, they'll nest in the same holes year after
year.
Polli...@aol.com Dave Green Hemingway, SC USA
The Pollination Home Page: http://pollinator.com
Jan's Sweetness and Light Shop (Varietal Honeys and Beeswax Candles)
http://users.aol.com/SweetnessL/sweetlit.htm
Scott R.
bees drilling into it. I thought the same thing....until they kept
coming back year after year. If they have a favorite area in the deck to
bore (like on mine) they can cut years off the life of a deck by eating
away at structure. I haven't found anything that works other than
plugging up the holes as soon as you find them. I haven't tired varnish
however. Good Luck.
Scott R.
PA zone 6
Kubwa
then rip it open and see where they have bored
the length of it then tell me they don't do damage.
Richard
"Scott R." <nos...@mail.intergrafix.net> wrote in message
news:395B5591...@mail.intergrafix.net...
Bonnie Espenshade
Greg and Leanne Darlington wrote:
> This doesn't have a whole bunch to do with gardening other than the fact
> that these large bees seem to love to sit on my weigeala(sp) bush and
> then fly to their little homes they have made in my deck. I couldn't
> figure out why there was sawdust on my deck everyday, until I looked
> up. Above my head were perfectly drilled holes in my pressure treated
> wood. I later checked my kids swing set and they have also been
> drilling there. I can only assume that they want to lay their eggs in
> them. Anyone know what kind of bees(if that's what they are) they are
> and why they like my wood so much. I have never seen this before and am
> anxious to know how I could stop them. Hope someone can help.
> Leanne
They sound like carpenter bees. You may have a problem for an exterminator.
--
Bonnie
NJ
Starr Cash
damage comes after the woodpecker makes a great big hole to get at the
bee's larvae. You should see the holes in our fence posts and rails!
Starr
BeeCrofter
pollination these bees provide.
I have about had it up to here with the kill everything that moves people.
Some folks should not be allowed out of their condos. There sure as hell ain't
gardeners or good stewards of the land.
If you have a few holes in your deck read up on carpenter bees- you may find
them fascinating and wish to keep them.
Tom
There is an extra Bee in the Email address after the AOL.com
Greg and Leanne Darlington
problem with them congregating right where my kids are playing (deck and playset)
They seem to love my weigealia(sp again) and that is good for the bush, I'm
still not so sure about the deck. But I will read up on them, thanks for the
info.
Jane3l36
evening.
This should solve the problem.I usually have trouble with bumble beens in cedar
wood.
Scott R.
and squeeze it carpenter bees are pretty benign. I've never heard of one
actually attacking someone for coming too close. I was mowing a
customers lawn a couple of weeks ago and there were a swarm of them
around me. Seemed they liked her old wooden awnings. They were flying
right into me and I just kept mowing without a worry.
Scott R.
Greg and Leanne Darlington wrote:
>
Bill Morgan
(Jane3l36) wrote:
> I usually have trouble with bumble beens in cedar
> wood.
Um, probably not. These would no doubt be large carpenter bees again, not
bumble bees. Bumblers tend to nest in old rodent burrows, used bird houses,
wall voids etc...
BeeCrofter
and has no stinger.
The female is very busy and has no interest in stinging but can sting.
If we kill the pollinators what will the kids eat?
If we kill everything that seems inconveniant how many more species will
vanish?
Do you really ever wan't to hear
Daddy- what's a butterfly?