Mortar Bees

pollyskettle · 18 April 2009 at 6:14PM

Oh, don't apologise. it's ok.

I'd like to point out the following, before I get vilified for not knowing what these darn things are.

Firstly, I see something looking bee/wasp like disappearing into the vent hole things in my home. As I have no idea what these are, but bee.wasp thing = sting/nest/problem in my mind, I ring my OH.

He tells me that they are mortar bees and that they will slowly destroy the mortar in my home and I have to get them dealt with before they cause a real problem.

I google for 'mortar bees' and find a plethora of sites offering to come and kill them for me. I don't think this is a good idea. I also discover that they are probably stingless - this obviously pleases me. I read a couple of .gov.uk sites which inform me that they will indeed damage the house.

As I'm getting reasonably conflicting information regarding these things, I think it might be best to ask on here as you lot are pretty knowledgeable about most things garden-like. So I do. Next thing I know you're having a go at me and making vague attempts to patronise me as I have never heard of these things before and have no idea:
a) what damage they can do?
b) if they are a real problem or not?
c) if I need to do anything about them pronto?

Yes, I would prefer it if they moved elsewhere. You may not see what the problem is, Annie, but that's because you are not me and if we were all the same with the same quirks, the world would be a boring place. I don't particularly like flying things. I like looking at butterflies, if they fly near me, I scream like a girl. I wish I didn't, but hey-ho. Therefore little flying bee like insect flying around my back door provides me with a problem.

If they don't move, I'll live with it. I simply wondered if there was something simple, non-murdering that I could do to encourage them elsewhere.

Annie - your link doesn't work, I get a word page with the word 'comm' on it and nothing else.

I will, however, apologise profusely for the only thing which I can, which is my ignorance in, what is obviously, a highly emotive subject.

pollyskettle · 18 April 2009 at 6:22PM

OK - now I feel I should apologise for getting a bit stroppy.

Sorry

Lotus-eater · 18 April 2009 at 6:36PM

pollyskettle wrote: »

OK - now I feel I should apologise for getting a bit stroppy.

Sorry

Me too, now please google "mason bees" and find out what you want to know.

pollyskettle · 18 April 2009 at 6:53PM

Lotus-eater wrote: »

Me too, now please google "mason bees" and find out what you want to know.

I'm on it

Thank you

annie123 · 18 April 2009 at 7:09PM

Try this link in pdf this time:
http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/pdf/Mortar%20beesA4.pdf

they wont damage your brickwork, they enter via already 'damaged' pointing or soft brickwork.
Its usually via old mortar that has softened and needs re doing. As you are not the home owner, the HA will have someone come down and re do the bit of damaged pointing.
Past experience of this is that the bees usually find a way out after they are sealed in!, so dont be surprised if you find them elsewhere.
You can't move I'm afraid they dont make nests.

I wasn't be statistic, I didnt see what the problem was, but if you dont like flying things .....then I can see what your problem is.

pollyskettle · 18 April 2009 at 7:17PM

Thanks for the link, Annie - that one's working fine

I read somewhere that it's old mortar that they go for, but my house is only 2 years old

. They seem to be entering through those vent things (slim rectangular things in between the brickwork), rather than the mortar/brickwork direct, so I think they're here to stay as they couldn't be sealed.

You should see me going out the back door. If there's no child handy to take a peek and see if they're flying around, I have to poke my head out a couple of times until I'm certain they're not near and then I'll run out. The neighbours must think I've lost it completely :rotfl:. Comfortingly, your link tells me it's only for a few weeks each spring - I can live with that

.

annie123 · 18 April 2009 at 8:26PM

If its the vent then you could cover it temporarily so that they use another vent away from the back door, or cover any vents near any doors you use, then that way you wont be bothered by them and they can carry on as they were, they wont be there long.

pollyskettle · 18 April 2009 at 8:32PM

Thanks, Annie. That seems like a good compromise - I think I'll give that a go.

Lotus-eater · 18 April 2009 at 8:37PM

If you cover the vent you will probably be killing the bees inside and all the young if they have laid eggs.

They do go for old mortar, trouble is there isn't always enough around, hence they will be finding other ways to survive.

Please look after them, they are a gift, you already know they won't hurt you or your family. You've already said you need bees in your garden. I bet you would be on here complaining if your garden wasn't pollinated, well it only gets pollinated if there are actually bees to do it.
Treat it as a teaching aid and teach your boys something important.

pollyskettle · 18 April 2009 at 8:46PM

OK, not such a good compromise. Crikey, this gardening malarkey is one steep learning curve!

Right, plan of the night (whether I'll agree with it in the morning, who knows

) is to let them be. See if I can live with them. If it's only for a few short weeks I'll manage somehow - I could always use the front door and gate to access the garden instead of the back door if there's too many of them.

What a wuss I am! :rotfl:

Mortar Bees

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