NF boring beetles

[chris.brock]

I haven't seen one yet, but these critters are boring into my gazebo, the holes they are making are about 1cm in diameter, once in awhile they will throw out a little puff of fine, sawdust, they are going vertically and horizontally

 

I don't think they are powder post beetles because the holes are too large

 

just wondering if I should retaliate with a counter attack because my structure is going to collapse, or am I okay just to watch these little buggers

 

thanks

[DRIFTER_016]

I haven't seen one yet, but these critters are boring into my gazebo, the holes they are making are about 1cm in diameter, once in awhile they will throw out a little puff of fine, sawdust, they are going vertically and horizontally

 

I don't think they are powder post beetles because the holes are too large

 

just wondering if I should retaliate with a counter attack because my structure is going to collapse, or am I okay just to watch these little buggers

 

thanks

 

 

I would kick their little buggy butts before you have a pile of sawdust where your gazebo used to be.

[Guest gbfisher]

I've seen what you are talking about. We dealt with them by spraying poison in their holes. Haven't seen them since. Fine saw dust isn't the only thing they get rid of out their holes...

I thought they were termites. They would just barely show themselves and disappear right back into their hole.

Spray bug killer worked good.

Edited May 30, 2010 by gbfisher

[DanD]

They might be carpenter bees; I’ve been battling them for a number of years; down at our trailer deck’s wooden awning/roof. They look a lot like bumble bees, in size and shape but have a hard shell like head.

These things will bore a perfectly round 3/8” hole; that looks like somebody’s taken a drill to the wood rafters.

These bees seem to be impervious to almost anything; I’ve tried spraying all kinds of insecticides in the holes and they keep coming back.

The sprays; whether it is liquids, foaming or the paste type; will kill the one in the hole; but the next day, one of his buddies will take over and start drilling again.

These buggers must like the poison as well; the awning has untreated facia boards, backed by pressure treated (arsenic) wood. They leave the untreated wood alone and attack the pressure treated like its candy?

I given up on the insecticides and have been filling the holes with automotive silicon; that seems to deter them and they seem to go elsewhere; sometimes a foot away and start over or gone altogether.

They only seem to be around for a month or so and by mid June they’re gone?

Good luck and if these are what’s eating/drilling into your gazebo and you find something that deals with them; please post back. I’m thinking of having the awning caped with aluminum.

 

Dan.

[Jason B]

I was thinking carpenter bees too. Dusting the holes is the only thing that works.

[Guest gbfisher]

I was thinking carpenter bees too. Dusting the holes is the only thing that works.

 

 

HUH, ,,,that'd BEE them for sure. I saw them flying around but didn't think it was a Bee. I thought I saw one go in the hole but only thought it was by accident(lost Bumble) and that maybe it got stuck in there and died. Guess I was wrong. Ah well...live and learn. They did go away after we sprayed the holes. We used one of those ant hill spray bombs with the long tube applicator.

 

Thanks for asnwering the dilemma...

[aplumma]

We deal with them in two ways here on the farm.

 

1. Use 22 rifles with rat shot and shoot them like skeet.

 

2. If that is not possible then we use badminton rackets in the no shooting zones.

 

They also seem not to bore into painted wood my barn is painted with an oil based stain and I havent seen a hole yet.

 

 

Art

[chris.brock]

I was thinking carpenter bees too. Dusting the holes is the only thing that works.

 

 

what is dusting the hole?

[robertag]

We deal with them in two ways here on the farm.

 

1. Use 22 rifles with rat shot and shoot them like skeet.

 

2. If that is not possible then we use badminton rackets in the no shooting zones.

 

They also seem not to bore into painted wood my barn is painted with an oil based stain and I havent seen a hole yet.

 

 

Art

 

Makes sense, I have them as well, but my pergola is stained cedar and they only use existing holes.

[Bill Shearer]

The badminton racquet is fun, I also have one of the battery operated swatters, that look like a racquet, but instead of the gut/nylon, it has wires. Press the button, and when you hit them, it electrocutes them. Craaaack!

I really like the idea of rat shot, but can't do it (city livin')

Sick.....

[bassdreamer]

I just killed two of the bees that were drilling in my bay window roof !!The good old broom worked great !

I tried plugging the hole with silicone,but the bee just ate its way out !!Now i stuck a wood peg in and i will see what happens ? Hope this works !

[Mike Pike]

Had one of those carpenter bees working on a hole in my deck. When it's quite, you can actually hear 'em scrapping away! Anyhoo, just a little blast of standard bug spray into the hole seemed to work.

[blaque]

I think all beetles are boring