Many wasps/bees entering sleepers in garden

banchang

In the last few days I have had dozens of these wasps/bees flying in to try to crawl into the cracks between railway sleepers in my garden. They're not all going for the same entrance (so don't appear to be trying to nest, I think!) but trying to crawl into the gaps along a stretch of the sleepers (see pics). Perhaps its the sap they're attracted to in the war weather ?

They are a real nuisance & I'm concerned as we have children coming to stay & if weather is good they'll obviously be in the garden playing.

Can anyone advise

- what kind of wasps/bees are these
- how do I get rid of them !

Advice appreciated.

Ultimate Seduction

banchang wrote: »

In the last few days I have had dozens of these wasps/bees flying in to try to crawl into the cracks between railway sleepers in my garden. They're not all going for the same entrance (so don't appear to be trying to nest, I think!) but trying to crawl into the gaps along a stretch of the sleepers (see pics). Perhaps its the sap they're attracted to in the war weather ?

They are a real nuisance & I'm concerned as we have children coming to stay & if weather is good they'll obviously be in the garden playing.

Can anyone advise

- what kind of wasps/bees are these
- how do I get rid of them !

Advice appreciated.

Why do you have to get rid of them ? Tell your kids to stay away from them?

Stigura

Carpenter Bees. About as notoriously docile as a bee can be. Ye'd have to practically pick one up and squeeze it in ye fist to get it to react to ye.

They're also every bit as great at pollinating as other bees.

How about ye learn a bit about ye little guests. Then, educate the children. " Look, kids; Our continued existence depends on these little, buzzy buggers. Aren't they amazing? "

Or, would ye prefer; " Okay, kids. Clear! I've had the entire area napalmed. It's now a desolate, post apocalyptic dead zone. Go play! "

Gorgeous sleepers, by the way!

Del.Monte

I'd be more concerned about letting children near the creosote impregnated sleepers - the bees won't go near anyone.

banchang

Ultimate Seduction wrote: »

Why do you have to get rid of them ? Tell your kids to stay away from them?

The other parts of my garden are a pollination heaven, but these swarms are a real nuisance & I want to do something about them, as most people/children have an understandable natural fear of bees/wasps, & there are very many of these.

Hard to say to children & parents 'don't worry, they don't sting' when they're flying around the faces of children. These sleepers are also right by the back door of the house.

Does this explain ?

New Home

Would you react the same way if butterflies were to fly around their faces?

banchang

New Home wrote: »

Would you react the same way if butterflies were to fly around their faces?

No, because the different families of butterflies don't have a history of stinging & badly hurting people. Bees & wasps do.

New Home

These don't, though.

banchang

"Hard to say to children & parents 'don't worry, they don't sting' when they're flying around the faces of children. These sleepers are also right by the back door of the house."

New Home

Again, butterflies don't sting either. These bees are as harmless as butterflies. And it's not that hard to tell them. The fact that they just look like stinging bees doesn't make them dangerous.

HoteiMarkii

In my experience photographing these solitary bees over the years I've never been stung by one, and I've been up close and personal many times with my camera and macro lens.

From the National Biodiversity Data Centre re. creating wild pollinator nesting habitat:"Wild bees (bumblebees and solitary bees) nest in small
colonies and are completely focused on collecting food
for themselves and their young. They have no interest in
interacting with humans, are not aggressive and pose no
threat to the public, even while nesting."

fiacha

The bees are there because the habitat is suitable. Remove them and they will be replaced by more.

You could move the sleepers to an area that suits you better. Or just move house.

banchang

fiacha wrote: »

The bees are there because the habitat is suitable. Remove them and they will be replaced by more.

You could move the sleepers to an area that suits you better. Or just move house.

Thanks for your feedback.

magicbastarder

this is the nature and birdwatching forum, the reaction was always going to be 'that's cool that you have carpenter bees in your back garden'.
it's not the best forum to come to, to ask about how to remove/drive away wildlife.

Bees are gorgeous. I've seen a huge decrease in bees in the garden in recent years- about 4 years ago I'd have 80 or so bees around the lavender every day. In recent years, there's been about 10 and a few bumbles. They absolutely aren't interested in humans even if you're sitting right by the plant- they're interested in nectar only - that's it. Go educate yourself and then your kids.

Graces7

banchang wrote: »

The other parts of my garden are a pollination heaven, but these swarms are a real nuisance & I want to do something about them, as most people/children have an understandable natural fear of bees/wasps, & there are very many of these.

Hard to say to children & parents 'don't worry, they don't sting' when they're flying around the faces of children. These sleepers are also right by the back door of the house.

Does this explain ?

Yes it does and I sympathise.

HoteiMarkii

Graces7 wrote: »

Yes it does and I sympathise.

No matter, the bees have probably already been obliterated at this stage anyway.