vandenberg
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Control big black bumblebees
Does anyone have a method to control those beasts.
I have clear redwood bannisters around my deck since 1990. The first 14 or so years no insect bothered them, but than, those big black bumblebees, who
show every spring, discovered them, and are making hash of them. No insecticide I've found seems to bother them, so, nothing short of killing them
with brute force, a feat in itself, seems to help. They manage to do a lot of damage in a very short while. Lot worse then termites.
Any help would be appreciated.
[Edited on 5-14-2008 by vandenberg]
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Osprey
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Van, those are carpenter bees -- they don't eat wood (nectar feeders mostly) but they dig holes in wood to make nests for their eggs. I spray
insecticide into the holes (saturate). All the smart guys down here who have carriso bamboo shades fill the ends with mud or glue or putty to keep all
the bugs out. Maybe you can find something to fill the holes with that defeats them, no way to keep em off your patio that I know without hurting
them. They do have stingers so bee careful.
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Taco de Baja
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You likely have carpenter bees.
Products that kill ants and bees/wasps should work with carpenter bees too, but apparently the larva can live for months deep in the wood, protected
from most insect sprays.
Here's some info:
http://www.carpenterbees.com/
http://www.pestproducts.com/carpenterbees.htm
http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC2451.htm
Truth generally lies in the coordination of antagonistic opinions
-Herbert Spencer
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Marie-Rose
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Our contractor told us to paint the wood with diesel once a year. So far, so good.
They do not seem to have any interest.
Remember, when in Mexico, yes may be no and no may be
maybe!
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Pompano
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Tennis racket. Wham...Love 15.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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CaboRon
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Marie-Rose
Our contractor told us to paint the wood with diesel once a year. So far, so good.
They do not seem to have any interest. |
That seems to be the standard answer for a lot of things down here.
Aren't you creating a fire hazzard ?
And doesn't it stink ?
Gotta be a better way than diesal fuel.
CaboRon
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BMG
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| Quote: | Originally posted by vandenberg
Does anyone have a method to control those beasts.
I have clear redwood bannisters around my deck since 1990. The first 14 or so years no insect bothered them, but than, those big black bumblebees, who
show every spring, discovered them, and are making hash of them. No insecticide I've found seems to bother them, so, nothing short of killing them
with brute force, a feat in itself, seems to help. They manage to do a lot of damage in a very short while. Lot worse then termites.
Any help would be appreciated.
[Edited on 5-14-2008 by vandenberg] |
We don't have the black bee problem, but they do come around occasionally. A few weeks ago, one flew into the house. I grabbed my trusty electronic
fly swatter (you may recall the story of Kate's gigantic spider that she released at our house a while back), put in fresh batteries to make sure it
had a good ZAP, and hunted down the black beast. The first contact with the swatter resulted in the bee spiraling to floor and buzzing around in
circles. Not sure if he would have recovered from the shock therapy or not as I put the swatter over him and kept the power on till he was well done.
I then popped a Pacifico and sat for a while basking in my glory. I usually take photos of everything but LinguineLinguine came in and 'requested'
that I take the smoking corpse out of the living room. With a broom in one hand, a cerveza in the other and my swatter under my arm, I didn't record
the event on my camera. Bottom line is that everyone needs an electronic swatter regardless of the game you are hunting down.
This may or may not help with your problem but at least you will amuse yourself while finding the solution to it.
I think the world is run by C- students.
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vgabndo
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We have a very entertaining cedar picnic table. The cute little guys get disturbed by all the banging around when we are sitting there and start a
lot of buzzing in their tunnels.
Like most living things, they take the path of least resistance. redwood and cedar both being very soft woods are most welcoming it seems. In my
experience they are not at all aggressive. They are really cute with their little Groucho Marx eyebrows.
[Edited on 5-14-2008 by vgabndo]
Undoubtedly, there are people who cannot afford to give the anchor of sanity even the slightest tug. Sam Harris
"The situation is far too dire for pessimism."
Bill Kauth
Carl Sagan said, "We are a way for the cosmos to know itself."
PEACE, LOVE AND FISH TACOS
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vandenberg
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Pompano
Tennis racket. Wham...Love 15. |
I'm into the 3rd set and they are winning.
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Marie-Rose
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Posts: 894
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Location: Victoria, B.C. and Todos Santos
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| Quote: | Originally posted by CaboRon
| Quote: | Originally posted by Marie-Rose
Our contractor told us to paint the wood with diesel once a year. So far, so good.
They do not seem to have any interest. |
That seems to be the standard answer for a lot of things down here.
Aren't you creating a fire hazzard ?
And doesn't it stink ?
Gotta be a better way than diesal fuel.
CaboRon |
No smell a couple of hours after application. Mexicans have been doing it for ages...
Area of application has very little chance of being a fire hazard.
[Edited on 2008-5-14 by Marie-Rose]
Remember, when in Mexico, yes may be no and no may be
maybe!
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Don Alley
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My dog eats them live.
Picante?
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Phil S
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Ed. Wendy says put several saucers of beer and set them out for the critters to get drunk on. Then "step on them"!!!!!!!!!
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Von
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 so funny
Phil!!!hahahahahahaha!
READY SET.....................
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dao45
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WD 40 sprayed in the holes kills them
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Bob and Susan
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"No smell a couple of hours after application."
oh noooooo...it STINKS for days and days
here they mix some tar and diesel fuel and it looks like a stain
it's horrible!!!
diesel doesn't burn easily
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longlegsinlapaz
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I keep a spray bottle filled with water & liquid dish soap at the pool, it kills them immediately. My Mexican friend has thrown a bucket of
powdered laundry soap & water on a swarm in a tree & NOBODY flew out, the entire swarm dropped to the ground instantly. There was NO angry
buzzing! It's instantaneous, smells good & it works on wasps, too!
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bajaguy
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Use Fabuloso.....it will kill anything!!!
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toneart
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| Quote: | Originally posted by longlegsinlapaz
I keep a spray bottle filled with water & liquid dish soap at the pool, it kills them immediately. My Mexican friend has thrown a bucket of
powdered laundry soap & water on a swarm in a tree & NOBODY flew out, the entire swarm dropped to the ground instantly. There was NO angry
buzzing! It's instantaneous, smells good & it works on wasps, too! |
That sounds like a great solution (no pun intended).
I sealed the holes they drilled into my palm-log fence beams with cement. They just dug their way out, or in...not sure which.
During the winter I brought one in with the mesquite firewood. I kept hearing the buzzing but thought it was the wood sizzling. After about 5 minutes
a Carpenter Bee came flying out, hot and pi**ed. He dive bombed me several times and then the ol' fly swatter took care of him when he landed.
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