Scottpat Posted October 3, 2010 Report Share Posted October 3, 2010 The other day I had an inspection of a home up on a hilltop in the middle of the woods. It was a really neat looking "A" frame style weekend type home overlooking a valley. It had a few issues and one was that carpenter bees had made Swiss Cheese of the soffits and other parts of the home. The home was clad with western ceder, but the soffits were I think pine. Click to Enlarge 81.3 KB Click to Enlarge 97.32 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted October 3, 2010 Report Share Posted October 3, 2010 http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef611.asp http://cipm.ncsu.edu/ent/Southern_Regio ... 7/bees.htm http://www.pestworld.org/carpenter-bee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted October 3, 2010 Report Share Posted October 3, 2010 It looks like at least some of that damage was present before that piece of wood was nailed onto the house. When cutting lumber with existing carpenter bee (or carpenter wasp) damage, sometimes the path of the saw blade is along the length of the tunnels leaving a streak instead of a hole. Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kogel Posted October 3, 2010 Report Share Posted October 3, 2010 It looks like at least some of that damage was present before that piece of wood was nailed onto the house. When cutting lumber with existing carpenter bee (or carpenter wasp) damage, sometimes the path of the saw blade is along the length of the tunnels leaving a streak instead of a hole. Marc Everybody's got to bee somewhere. []That is too many bees in one plank, though, and they don't normally bore along the surface like that, do they? I agree, the planks could be sawn from insect-damaged logs. I would suggest they have a talk with the builder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgbinspect Posted October 3, 2010 Report Share Posted October 3, 2010 I did a log cabin once, out in the boonies, that had been vacant for a season. It was the middle of the Summer and the place was infested with carpenter bees - holes everywhere. Walking the roof was especially fun, because the darn things were hovering around me, like helicopters, and darting at me every time I moved. Carpenter bees do drift too close to the surface, now and then, leaving an open streak, but their holes seem to be pretty consistently about the size of a marble. That photo does cause one to wonder if it wasn't like that when nailed into place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottpat Posted October 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2010 My first thought was that it was pecky cypress, but it was not. This picture is of one soffit that was replaced a year ago according to the agent who was also the owner. The bees had only made a few holes in it. This house was built in 1995 and those soffits on the "A" frame are original. Click to Enlarge 87.62 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kogel Posted October 4, 2010 Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 Thanks Scott. I understood they are generally solitary, but they are rare here. Tennessee must be the place for bees to bee. Would painting the wood help discourage them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgbinspect Posted October 4, 2010 Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 Thanks Scott. I understood they are generally solitary, but they are rare here. Tennessee must be the place for bees to bee. Would painting the wood help discourage them? They are solitary, in that they don't nest together. Each has it's own little hole (hangout) and they are ferociously territorial, so when there are a lot of them around they dart at any movement, and will confront each other mid-air. They are masterful little aviators - hovering and darting much like humming birds. They don't sting, but can bite the He$$ out of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inspectorjoe Posted October 4, 2010 Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 Each has it's own little hole (hangout) and they are ferociously territorial, so when there are a lot of them around they dart at any movement, and will confront each other mid-air. They are masterful little aviators - hovering and darting much like humming birds. They also make great sport. I've entertained myself for many an hour by swatting them out of the air with a tennis racket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottpat Posted October 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 Each has it's own little hole (hangout) and they are ferociously territorial, so when there are a lot of them around they dart at any movement, and will confront each other mid-air. They are masterful little aviators - hovering and darting much like humming birds. They also make great sport. I've entertained myself for many an hour by swatting them out of the air with a tennis racket. Yep, but try it with an Ultra-Stinger flashlight! I knocked one about 20 yards with a lucky hit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Raymond Posted October 4, 2010 Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 I agree, the planks could be sawn from insect-damaged logs. That is the result of years of exposure in an environment that the bees thrive in. If that board were milled that way it would have been culled and burned to heat the mill, sold as pallet stock, or marketed as a premium "character" piece. Once it's cut it gets used for something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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