Every year, these damnable winged termites go to work on my eaves, boring around inside of them as I work to wipe out as many as I can before they do too much damage and hopefully before their #1 enemy shows up--the Woodpecker.
Uh...Hooray? Honestly I'm not really sure which one is worse. I like woodpeckers. I have ever since Walter Lantz introduced my generation to Woody so many years ago. However in their zeal to find and eat the bees inside my eaves, these little bastards cause just as much damage if not more, and the infernal loud pecking on the side of my house is the verbal insult added to the financial injury.
GET OFF MY HOUSE!!!!
Anyone got bee-killing suggestions likely to be more efficient than just spraying the hell out of my eaves then standing around trying to nail each individual flying bug until they're all gone? Is there a way that I can just convince them to go to my crazy cat neighbors' house instead?
I get tubes of wood putty that have tapered ends. Then everywhere I find a bore hole I first soak it good with bee killer, then plug the hole with as much of the putty as I can get in there.
ReplyDeleteA pileated tore the heck out of a back deck post going after those buggers a couple years ago.
In early spring, before they begin active nesting, apply a liquid residual insecticide to all wood surfaces you want to protect.
ReplyDeleteIn my limited experience, they prefer unfinished wood - so paint and/or finish tends to discourage them, too.
Have you considered aluminum soffits?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.menards.com/main/store/20090519001/items/media/BuildingMaterials/Appleton/Install_Instruct/SE_DIY_2009.PDF
Slathering their house in honey might work...
ReplyDeleteInstall vinyl soffets.
ReplyDeleteI have heard, but have no practical experience, that painting your eases a "sky blue" that the bees and wasps will not build their nests there. I has to do with the color spectrum and instinct. Of course, this sounds like a good experiment to me.
ReplyDeleteObviously the hordes of cats keep them away. Your only option seems to be to start your own collection.
ReplyDeleteNow that you mention it, our resident woodpecker has yet to be seen or heard this year (he/she was around the past two years).
ReplyDeleteMaybe SuperStorm Sandy took away his/her favorite trees. Or maybe he/she is poised, waiting for me to post this, and then come out pecking as in seasons past.
Yep, Vinyl soffits are the 'best' option... Not the cheapest... Second is a long duration spray!
ReplyDeleteI hate them and have the same problem! Vinyl is the answer. I just can't get there right now for my house.
ReplyDelete[They long to be] Close to You.
ReplyDeleteOh, wait, you said bees, didn't you?
Nevermind...
Yeah, carpenter bee's are a PITA, treated wood doesn't stop them either. Set up some large plastic bottles or jars with pine plank's around your gutters and deck. You'll need a trap set up at the mouth where the bee goes in but can't go out, plastic mesh or wire screen with a jury rigged flap will work.
ReplyDelete