Carpenter Bees are boring holes in my new deck, what can I do (more in details)?
Image by J.G. in S.F.
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Ranunculaceae – Western Europe (see below); Italy origin of plant above
Stinking Hellebore
Shown: Habit of plant in spring bloom, displaying branched inflorescence of light green flowers
"Helleborus foetidus, known variously as stinking hellebore, dungwort, or bear’s foot, is a member of the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, native to western Europe, from England south to Portugal, and east to Germany and Italy.
It is a herbaceous perennial plant growing to 80 cm tall and 100 cm across, with a thick succulent stem and evergreen glossy leaves. Flowering is in spring, usually on lime-rich soils. The drooping cup-shaped flowers are yellowish-green, often with a purple edge to the five petal-like sepals on strongly upright stems. The flowers, typically for the family, contain numerous stamens as well as up to ten nectaries which make them attractive to bees and other insects. Each flower produces up to five (usually three) wrinkled follicles. Foliage is pungent when crushed.
"All parts of the plant are poisonous, containing glycosides. Symptoms of intoxication include violent vomiting and delirium.
"Yeast colonise the nectaries of stinking hellebore and their presence, has been found to raise the temperature of the flower, which may aid in attracting pollinators to the flower by increasing the evaporation of volatile organic compounds. It was the first species in which this effect was discovered.
"It is grown in gardens for its handsome evergreen foliage and large numbers of green, bell-shaped flowers borne in late winter." (Wikipedia)
Photographed in U.C. Botanical Garden at Berkeley – Berkeley, California
Question by Veritas et Aequitas (): Carpenter Bees are boring holes in my new deck, what can I do (more in details)?
I thought these things hated treated lumber but they loooooooooovvvvvvvve my new deck. I had to fill three holes today. I got so frustrated I got a badminton racquet and went to work. What can I do?
It still needs more time to dry out.
What do you think? Answer below!
5 Responses to Carpenter Bees are boring holes in my new deck, what can I do (more in details)?
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finish the deck with sealer?
pickedon
January 23, 2013 at 8:15 am
A cheap and effected way to get rid of bees is rubbing alcohol. Spray the nest and run like heck. But that will kill the babies and even rid them.
dcarpenter72
January 23, 2013 at 8:26 am
Are you sure you mean carpenter BEES? I’ve never heard of them. Or, did you mean to say carpenter ANTS?
If it is ants, then you can follow their trail and track down the nest, then use a good poison ant bait to kill the entire nest.
Another nest might start up again sometime, so you’ll just have to keep watch for them and kill the new nests as soon as they get started.
oracle
January 23, 2013 at 8:28 am
I never heard of carpenter bees either or do you mean carpenter beetles? The beetles: There larvae bore into trees and lay dorment in the winter and they bore out of the trees and make holes or something like that.
kc
January 23, 2013 at 9:12 am
I feel your pain. You have to kill the bees or discourage them from boring holes. I have tried everything, the little buggers will clear out the hole even if you fill it with caulk. I finally sprayed the holes with bug spray then covered the holes with tuna can lids. You need to stop them from raising their babies from those holes. Sheet metal will also work but at the time I did not have any.
Good Luck
D J
January 23, 2013 at 10:08 am