When carpenter bees tunnel holes in the wooden parts of your home, that's just the beginning of your pest problems. If they attack the house shingles or underside of your deck, you could be hosting other nuisances, including carpenter ants or fungus.
It's one of the things that makes carpenter bees a challenge for homeowners. There are no central hives as with other bees and wasps, just the tunnels they bore in anything that's made of wood on your property.
The holes that are formed by carpenter bees are significant - the holes are 1/2 inch in diameter and as deep as 1 foot, leaving plenty of space for a new generation of the bees to be laid in the spaces. Sometimes several bees will use the same entrance hole and bore individual galleries off the main tunnel. If the same hole is left open for several seasons, the tunnels could eventually extend several feet into the wood.
Because the bees don't ingest the wood they bore through, spraying those areas has little effect on them. Caulking the holes is a time-consuming effort and may not have a lasting impact. They're also best plugged at night when the pests are less active, but that makes it more difficult to find all the holes.
When the infestation becomes too much to handle, it's best to leave the pest management to experts like those at commercial services like Abell Pest Control. They'll evaluate the extent of your problem, devise a treatment plan and make recommendations to prevent the issue from reoccurring.
You'll know if the holes you're finding are in active use by the bees if there are fecal stains near the openings. You may also see bees hovering under eaves, gables and decks. Virtually any wood surface is endangered when carpenter bees are about, including porch and shed ceilings, railings, overhead trim, wooden porch furniture, dead tree limbs, fence posts, wooden shingles and siding, windowsills and wooden doors.
One of the continuing maintenance tasks that you can observe to stop carpenter bees from returning is to paint wood that's become weathered from the elements or is bare and untreated by stains or paint. The bees' target is bare, unpainted wood - preferably softwoods like pine, fir, redwood and cedar - and painting the wood is the simplest step you can take to discourage these pests.
You probably already know that most people are repulsed by the simple sight of cockroaches. If you are personally dealing with a cockroach infestation, the feelings of disgust are probably even more intense. Unfortunately, the cold winter weather tends to be one of the reasons this pest ends up in your home in the first place, according to Any Pest. While you may know that you don't want to share your home with cockroaches this winter, there are a number of interesting facts about this pest that you've probably never heard.
Because of the high amount of traffic and the versatility of the facilities, pests are naturally attracted to long-term care institutions. Many nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and other care facilities include on-site kitchens and cafeterias as well as private rooms and common spaces. All of these places are susceptible to attracting pests because of the presence of food, water and viable habitats.
During the summer months, some people love to go camping with family and friends. Yet this fun trip can be ruined with a few unwanted visitors, most notably different types of bugs. Crawling spiders, hungry mosquitoes and buzzing flies can become annoying quickly. How can you avoid these pests when you're outdoors? Consider these tips to keep bugs out of your campsite.
Carpenter ants can chew through the strongest studs and stringers in a house as they hollow the wooden beams out for nesting. The resulting damage can weaken the home's structural support and require expensive repairs. Professional pest control workers can remove a colony of ants, but the best practice for homeowners is to learn the best ways to keep out an ant colony and prevent the problem before it begins.
As the weather cools, you'll probably see fewer pests than you did during the warmer months, but that doesn't mean they're all gone just yet. Some insects can actually come out in full force during the autumn, while others might seek refuge in your warm home. Here are some key tips to keep in mind as fall gets underway:
As the middle of summer approaches, you need to be vigilant about keeping your garden free of pests. Many insects breed during the summertime, which means they're on the lookout for great places to lay their eggs. For many bugs, that means near a source of food. In fact, some species of insects will lay their eggs inside budding vegetables and fruit so their larvae have something to eat as soon as they hatch. That's why you have to keep harmful bugs out without damaging the bugs that could help you, such as bumble bees.
You might have noticed that, with the exception of the kitchen, you find more pests in your bathroom than in the rest of your home. This is because insects and rodents see the bathroom as a convenient watering hole. Pests love leaky pipes and standing water because these offer them a hydrating oasis in the otherwise dry biome that is your house or apartment. And if your bathroom develops mold, all the better for pests, who may eat fungus or use it to lay their eggs.
The kitchen is largest gathering place for pests in a residential home. The reason is simple: pests can grab a bite to eat and take a sip of water while they're here. And when they find such a bountiful place, they will return home to their nests and report the finding - before you know it, your whole pantry is a buffet for ants! The problem could get even worse if a piece of food falls somewhere and begins to rot. Similarly, fruit and vegetables you bring into your home may be harboring unseen pests waiting to hatch.
