skip to main content

Bees & Beekeeping

Bumble Bees drilling holes in cedar shakes?

18 years ago

We have a number of drilled holes on one side of our house. Someone said it could be Bumble Bees. Haven't heard the woodpeckers on that side and the holes are usually no more than one half an inch across. They don't seem to penetrate through the insulation, but they are numerous! Do you think that it is bees? And what can deter them?

Thanks!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (2)

treebeard
18 years ago
If they're bees, they're not Bumblebees. They're more likely Carpenter Bees. The female Carpenter bee will bore a hole about the size you indicated, and about 3/8 to 1/2 inch deep into the wood. At that point, she'll turn 90 degrees and continue boring, parallel to the surface of the wood, for another couple of inches. Within this little wooden cave, she'll lay her eggs. On her way out, she'll seal the hole (to varying degrees) and leave. When her off-spring hatch, they'll bore their way out, leaving the hole open.

There's many suggestions on how to keep them at bay and away from the house. The most often heard suggestion is paint. Unpainted wood is an easy target. There are those who swear by paint, saying that painted surfaces keep the bees away. I wouldn't know that from personal experience. The Carpenter bees around here don't seem to mind the paint at all.

Try Googling for 'Carpenter Bees' and experiment with the methods of deterent you find. It can be a challenge. Haven't found one that works well, yet.
davidandkasie
18 years ago
i have the same EXACT problem! my wife and i just bought our house and the carpenter bees seem to be in love with it. I called an exterminator friend and he soaked the house AND the shrubs around it. since then, i have not seen anymore bees. he did tell me that the best thing to do is to paint the cedar, as the chemicals will not work forever.

the guy i bought the house from said that he would get something from the paint store that he mixed in with the stain whenever he restained the wood. he could not remember the name of it, so i can't help there. but he did say that it would work fine for a few years, until the stain started to wear thin again.
Related Discussions
Problem with bees boring into cedar shakes to lay eggs?
Q
Comments (3)
>> Someone responded and said that they were more than likely trying to get at eggs laid by bees that had been there. >> I sure makes sense to me. Have never seen bees making holes into healthy wood. >> And what can we do to stop this? >> One thing that comes in mind...perhaps coat the shingles with some kind of penetrating oil, what makes the wood somewhat "unnatural" to woodpeckers and hopefully avoid looking for bugs. Konrad
...See More
Which kind of bees are what??
Q
Comments (3)
Yes, those are carpenter bees. Very large bumble type bees. I don't believe they sting. They are not agressive. They like to hover while looking for a mate. (My brother and I used to use badmitten rackets to swat them while they hovered.) They are not good for your house. You could spray something around your eves to discourage them. I sometimes spray WD40 in the holes if I can reach them. I sometimes just plug the hole with hardwood dowel. They can't chew through the hardwood.
...See More
Any organic solutions to get rid of carpenter bees?
Q
Comments (22)
Find a bee keeper that will come out and remove that hive. Normally, and contrary to what many people seem to believe, bees will not sting you or the children. Bees are out and about for one reason, to collect pollen from plants and make honey. The only reason a bee might sting anyone is because they feel threatened and once a bee stings that bee dies, so there is no incentive for any bee to sting. I have worked out in the garden with tons of bees working the blossoms with no problem. The one time I was stung by a bee I was no where near any flower, the bee was traveling somewhere and flew into the shop door I had just opened and was knocked down onto my arm where the wee bugger stung me, and died. In my experience, most everyone that has been stung by a "bee" has actually been stung by a Yellow Jacket, a wasp that looks a bit like a bee to people that do not know the difference. kimmq is kimmsr
...See More
Ground bees are taking over my garden!
Q
Comments (10)
I had a bumble bee nest in the ground near my garage for two years. They came and went and left me alone as I worked the ground a few feet away. We sort of trusted each other. Then they were gone the next year, perhaps cause I added a board where one was rotted? Last year they were on the east side of the garage where I came and went more often. Again they were bumble bees, distant cousins of the first ones I think they said. I left them alone and they left me alone but I did notice more bumble bees pollinating my tomato plants. So I thanked them and worried a bit about messing around in the garage on the other side of the wall where they came and went. I left that area alone and never did find their nest. This year there is a large container for container gardening there so who knows where they will turn up next. Anywhere is fine with me. If it is in the yard, I would only work that area early morn and late nite so as not to disturb them much. Hope this helps. Did you indentify the kind you have? If they are ground wasps, forget everything I said.
...See More

Related Stories

EARTH DAY 12 Entertaining ‘Bee-haviors’ of Native Bees

By Debbie Ballentine

The parade of pollinator antics is another reason to create a garden that nurtures native bees

GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES Gardening for the Bees, and Why It’s a Good Thing

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

When you discover how hard bees work for our food supply, you may never garden without them in mind again

EARTH DAY How to Design a Garden for Native Bees

By Debbie Ballentine

Create a garden that not only looks beautiful but also nurtures native bees — and helps other wildlife in the process

FARM YOUR YARD Hello, Honey: Beekeeping Anywhere for Fun, Food and Good Deeds

By The Best Bees Company

We need pollinators, and they increasingly need us too. Here, why and how to be a bee friend

GARDENING GUIDES Support Bumblebees by Providing Forage in 3 Seasons

By Pollination Press LLC

Bumblebees are fascinating and fun to observe foraging in gardens. Find out how to create a buffet for these fuzzy, charismatic bees

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Grow Blueberries for Their Fruit and More

By Ellen Sousa/Turkey Hill Brook Farm

Eastern gardeners should consider growing blueberry plants for their delicious fruits, bee-friendly spring blooms and brilliant fall foliage

GARDENING FOR BIRDS Wild Birds Transform a Woman’s Garden and Life

By Mary Jo Bowling

How Sharon Sorenson created a wildlife haven and became the Bird Lady of Southern Indiana

PETS Houzz Call: Show Us Your Summer-Loving Dog!

By Mitchell Parker

Share a photo of your pooch kicking back in the backyard, helping you in the workshop or enjoying your favorite summer getaway

DECKS Decking Materials Beyond Basic Lumber

By Ventana Construction LLC

Learn about softwoods, tropical hardwoods, composites and more for decks, including pros, cons and costs

WINTER GARDENING 6 Reasons I’m Not Looking Forward to Spring

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Not kicking up your heels anticipating rushes of spring color and garden catalogs? You’re not alone

Sponsored

Dave Fox Design Build Remodelers

49 Reviews

Columbus Area's Luxury Design Build Firm | 17x Best of Houzz Winner!