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I hope this thread is not too far off topic - but I hoped that beekeepers might be knowledgable
about bees in general.
I've got these really big buzzing bees around the back side of a shed. I have my mushroom
soil or compost delivered near by. They never bother me. Someone told me they are
carpenter bees. Should I be trying to relocate them? Do they do damage?
Hi, Tam. Carpenter bees are so named because the females often cut holes in wood to make burrows for egg-laying. Interesting that they are attracted to the mushroom compost - maybe it is the woodchip base of the growing medium that tempts them. They are pollinators, too, so are probably good to have around. Here's an article:
Thanks for the link Yuska. I don't think they are attracted to the compost - I mentioned it
only because they are there buzzing around me but never bother me. I think they are
working on the shed but I haven't looked hard for their holes. I'm happy to have pollinators
around and as long as they aren't drilling into my house or 200 yr old barn, they can
enjoy their current digs.
They're drilling into your 200 yr old barn they like old dry wood that has an easy fly-way to get to. Look of piles of "saw dust" then look up and there you'll find the holes they can in time weaken the wood to a point that the structure will fall depending on how many you have.
This might not be nice and green but when I find their hole I grab the chaulk gun with Liquid Nails and fill the hole up as much as I can to ... 1. stop them and 2. give a little strength back to the wood. I get dozen of them in my barns. Yes they can be helpful and they can eat your barn too. Make take a few years but those hole don't grow over.
oh P.S. never been stung by one don;t think that's their style. But I have sent a few sailing with a swat of the hand as they hover.
Thanks for the tips. We haven't seen them in the barn (yet). I just told my DH your suggestions
and he said that sounded like something we could do. He's seen the holes in the shed. He's
going to fill in the holes & paint it. (Its in need of paint)
I wonder if we push them out of the shed, they'll move on to the barn? Or would they just expand
their population and get there anyway?
