Mortar Bees

pollyskettle · 18 April 2009 at 4:46PM

OK - I have loads of little flying bee things around the brickwork at the back of the house. They vaguely look like honey bees, but they're not. I've phoned OH and he says, based on their behaviour, that they are mortar bees. They are entering through the small rectangular plasticy vent things in between the bricks. I've seen quite a few go in, in one particular place, and a few come back out. At any one time there are around a dozen or so out there. They seem to be centred around the kitchen windows and my little boys window.

Is there anything I can do to dissuade them from coming near the house? The house is HA owned so I shall call them Monday and see what they can do to sort them out. I have learnt, from the fountain of knowledge that is google, that they have no sting, but I still don't like them lol.

Any ideas, please?

ETA - Sorry if this is in the wrong place, I thought you lovely people here may be the best to ask on this subject.

dave0000 · 18 April 2009 at 4:51PM

you could cover the hole with a fine net or some stockings so they cant get in or out and after a few days or weeks they will go and make a new hive some were else

pollyskettle · 18 April 2009 at 4:54PM

Thanks for your reply, Dave, I may well give that a go after dark when they're not flying around!

I did think of trying to build them another home as I want to encourage bees into the garden as I'm growing veg this year, I just don't want them destroying my house. Any ideas on what I could throw together to encourage them to nest in?

alemap20 · 18 April 2009 at 4:58PM

I have them in my garden wall and can't get rid of them, for the last 4 years they have come and burrow into the soil, when its warm weather they are all crawling around on top of the soil and i hate anything like that. Someone said they are called mining bees and apparantly don't sting but i still would like to get rid of them.

pam

pollyskettle · 18 April 2009 at 5:00PM

4 years :eek: My house is a new-build by Persimmon so it won't hold up to 4 years of Mortar Bees :rotfl:

dave0000 · 18 April 2009 at 5:05PM

Any ideas on what I could throw together to encourage them to nest in?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/wildbritain/gardenwildlife/myspace/content.shtml?28

Lotus-eater · 18 April 2009 at 5:19PM

Oh !!!!!!!!

Half the bloody population is putting up bee houses to try and save these endangered NON STINGING bees and you lot want to get rid of them.

They are called mason bees.

They are lovely and they brighten up my day when I see them nest in my house.

Tbh I haven't been so worked up for ages, it's not even your house pollyskettle, you said it was owned by the HA

I'm going to cool down, please feel free to call me as many names as you like.

pollyskettle · 18 April 2009 at 5:26PM

Not going to call you anything, LE, I'm looking at things to encourage them elsewhere rather than massacre them as I need bees in the garden for my veggies, I just don't particularly want them in the cavity of my house (as in I live there, not that I own it).

Perhaps you wouldn't have got yourself so worked up had you read this bit:

pollyskettle wrote: »

I did think of trying to build them another home as I want to encourage bees into the garden as I'm growing veg this year, I just don't want them destroying my house. Any ideas on what I could throw together to encourage them to nest in?

ETA - I do apologise if I have upset you by posting this. As I said I am trying to dissuade them, not kill them. If I can't dissuade them we shall all have to live together in perfect harmony. I do appreciate their value, I just don't like them flying round my doors and windows. I am duty bound to call the HA about them, though. It is their house and they can do damage, so I believe.

marshall2k · 18 April 2009 at 5:30PM

Now everyone's got a bee in their bonnet

pollyskettle · 18 April 2009 at 5:31PM

marshall2k wrote: »

Now everyone's got a bee in their bonnet

*groan*

annie123 · 18 April 2009 at 5:59PM

Sorry, dont see what the problem is? except that you have some soft pointing that needs re doing before next winter

http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/docs/Mortar%20beesA4.doc

Mortar Bees

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