Bumble Bees

[SarahMoore]

Hi everyone. This is my first time posting! We recently converted our wooden shed into a coop and now seem to have a bumble bee problem. They are boring holes all over the building and are making it unsafe for our kids to be outside with the chickens. We certainly do not want to kill the bees, but I also can't put my family at risk. Nor do I want to use any chemicals that will hurt my family or my hens. I'm not sure what to do. I'd appreciate some advice. Thanks!

 

[zbit]

It sounds like Carpenter bees not bumble bees, google them and you will find several ways to get rid of them. The dusting the holes at night (so sting risk is lowered and they are in the hole itself) and sealing the holes with putty/caulking worked for us. Some people spray them in the air with wasp killer but my concern with that was my chickens might eat a fallen one. Our Carpenter bees were on our shed also, lots of them and we had to replace a length of 4x4 because of the damage they had done. First I tried putting tape over the holes thinking they would leave if the holes were not visible but they chewed right out or back into those holes! At the local garden store they told us which dust to buy and about sealing the holes. A friend who had them said to use wd-40 and push that long tip right into the hole to spray and then seal so we did both, wd-40, dust then seal. We have not had a problem since and we felt bad about it but the darn things were turning our shed into swiss cheese and were attacking anyone who went near the shed.
Anyway that was our experience with the things others here might have a better solution for you, good luck.

 

[bonbon31316]

Someone once told me that only the females sting and only come out of the hole to eat,the males dont sting they are the ones you see flying around and are trying to scare you away from the nest. If you throw something towards them they will fly after it... Pretty funny!!

 

[chfite]

Carpenter Bees aren't much of a risk for stinging. They are rather benign as are dirt daubers. As with honey bees, they rarely sting. The stinging insects that I watch for and manage are yellow jackets and wasps.

Chris

 

[Wrooster]

Being the only person I know to have been stung by a carpenter bee I can say yes, they sting but it could be a lot worse. I picked up a 2 x 4 that a bee was just starting a hole on the under side of. Grabbed right over the bee and got stung.

Badminton rackets are really good environmentally-safe carpenter bee killers. After you knock them down, squish them before they get up.

Sevin dust is not as dangerous as wasp spray and is very effective. Put some in a squeeze bottle, spray into the holes and leave it for a couple of days so they contact it. Then plug the holes. A short piece of 3/8" dowel with glue works well and will paint well.

The holes are bad but worse is when woodpeckers open up the tunnels to get the larvae. We need bees, but around structures, these have to go.