dooley
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| Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2005 9:39 pm Post subject: Carpenter Bees appeared while splitting logs |
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Today, I had a scary experience. I was splitting some logs that we had stored from last year. They are bigger since we bought them already cut. I split one and out came a lot of big black bees and they were buzzing around me. I dropped the splitting maul and took off for the house. Brian came out with me and we sprayed them. The log was buzzing so we took it away from the house with the shovel. I came inside and looked for bees that live in dead wood. I found Carpenter Bees. They don't eat the wood, they just bore holes in it and lay eggs, stick in some pollen and leave. The bees eat the pollen, mature and dig out. I guess we disturbed a log that the bees hadn't left yet. It says that they are not aggressive unless disturbed and that the males cannot sting so we weren't in too much trouble. It said the females can sting but usually just fly away. I did go back and finish the row of logs I was working on and didn't find anymore.
Brian said he noticed a few smaller logs with holes in them when he was stacking them in the woodshed. I guess when we get to those logs this winter we'll be very careful not to bring them into the house. Dooley
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eileen
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| Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2005 11:16 pm Post subject: |
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Gosh Dooley what an experience. When Frank has our blogs up and running you should write things just like the bee incident in yours.  I wouldn't have gone back to split the logs (I'm a devout coward) I'd have made my OH do it for me. 
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Frank
Happy Gardening
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| Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2005 3:40 pm Post subject: |
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Wow that's scary dooley! Maybe Al will have something to say about Carpenter Bees?
By the way did the bees form an arrow like in the cartoons and charge for you 
They are scaaary...
Source: http://www.americanextermination.com/pst.html
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eileen
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| Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2005 5:05 pm Post subject: |
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 DEFINATELY would'nt have gone back to split those logs!!!!! Your one courageous woman Dooley.
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dooley
Official Garden Turtle
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| Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 12:14 am Post subject: |
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No arrows. They are huge, especially when they are circling you. After I found out they are not aggressive, I wasn't too afraid. We did spray them. They are hard to kill though. There were a few still around today. Looking for their home, maybe. I split that log by accident so now I will be careful and look for the holes before I split a log. The holes are about 3/8th inch in diameter. Dooley
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alleyyooper
Showing Great Promise
Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Location: Michigan (Map)
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| Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 1:37 pm Post subject: |
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Carpenter Bees like most bees are doctile for the most part compared to wasp (yellow Jackets) they are even sold. They are very good pollinators and are profered by some people for the apple groves.
Yes they drill those perfect 3/8 inch holes and seem to really like my fatherinlaws gezobo trim. He had found the best way to kill them is with WD40 and shoots it from a spray bottle. Of course he only does it to the ones that are in the and after the trim.
It is fall so they are readying for the winter with the laying in of pollen for the larva to eat before hatching as a adult bee in the spring.
I wold sort thru the wood to find any with the tell tale holes and set them back out side some place out of the way.
Al
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dooley
Official Garden Turtle
Joined: 03 Jul 2005
Location: Arizona, U.S.A (Map)
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| Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 5:30 pm Post subject: |
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The bees were in the old wood from last year. We sorted it out to put in the current burn shed. All of the wood with holes were put to one side to be disposed of separately. We still have a few hanging around but they haven't bothered us. I guess they need a place to live and as long as they stay out of the house it's okay with me. Dooley
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