Gosh, if I didn't have enough already...

[Spoof]

I apparently have a new tenant.

One voracious carpenter bee, she moved in while I was out seeing my horse.

 

[Rickman]

You might want to get some spray killer - a friend watched one for a day go through a 4x6, and the next week, there were 4 more! Once they start, they're almost impossible to get rid of!!

 

[Chinmama]

We had one in the front porch railing. I kept seeing piles of sawdust and actually caught her in action one day. We sprayed and haven't had any since (that I've seen...).

 

[Spoof]

What did you spray with? I'm going to fill the hole with putty tomorrow. I sprayed it with some bengal roach spray (all I had on hand) then some lysol around the door frame. Strangely enough lysol seems to keep a lot of bugs off things in this state...

 

[starleomach]

I am sorry you have such an unwanted guest

 

[Spoof]

Ooo, maybe I should charge her rent! Excellent idea!

 

[susansheila]

Wow, what a destructive little guest. Throw his butt out!

 

[Sandi]

Holy cow! I mean bee. I've never seen such a pest!

 

[Spoof]

I took a picture of some two years ago at a stable I boarded at. They were burrowing into brick. So much for the "they only burrow into untreated wood products".

Here's a link that shows how big they are.

There are tons of them in the old pump house, but I don't use it anymore so don't care too much.

 

[greychins]

Wow, um... that's a big bee. I'd be running away screaming...

 

[Sasha]

Awe man what a beast! I'm deathly allergic to bees, literally can die from anaphylactic shock if I get stung so that totally creeps me right out!

 

[Essentia]

I have also found that Lysol works really well at killing/keeping away insects. In a pinch I used some on ants that found their way into my bathroom. Lo and behold it killed them quicker than ant spray and made my bathroom smell good.

 

[Chinniechantel]

Haha...windex works too! We had boxelder (sp?) bugs everywhere, and that would kill them right away!

Do those bees sting too? That is crazy.

 

[Chinmama]

I'm not sure what it was sprayed with. We have Terminix come out quarterly, or more if needed, and he just happened to be coming out that day. He sprayed it with something (permethrin maybe?) and then we sqwirted the hold full of the expanding foam spray stuff.

Do we only have them in the south? They are huge, and are everywhere right now. I have problems with my dogs trying to chase and eat the males. The males don't have stingers, but the females do. The females are usually busy burrowing a hole, so it's rare to actually see a female around here.

http://entweb.clemson.edu/eiis/pdfs/hs8.pdf

 

[mishellyshel]

i wuld totally scream like a little girl if that thing came near me. i hate any bug that buzzes......bees, flies & the most disgusting is the Mosquito!!

I can't believe how much damage the female can do! wow.

 

[Rickman]

The one I saw was about 7 years ago, in the southwest suburbs of Chicago, and I've never before witnessed such a intense insect on a mission!

 

[Spoof]

I used to be bothered by insects, but after two years in this state I've somewhat gotten over it.

I only have four exposed wood areas on my house - three doors and where my step is. I'll be spraying them today too.

The males are funny, they'll do a buzz and dance around your head but are harmless. The pumphouse is like a full-time band, they're going nuts in there. Maybe I'll take a picture...

 

[Newt]

Yikes Im glad we dont have those in good ole New Zealand......