Bees climbing underneath decking??

joeyvicks

over the last few weeks i have noticed a number of bumble bees climbing beneath my decking? Is there a chance that there is a hive down there? there's not many and some days you dont see any go down there at all it just seems to be the odd few.

the other thing is my neighbour has grown ivy up there fence in the same area and it has now not only come over the top of the fence it is also growing up between the grooves in my decking now!! is there anything that can be done??

Davesnave

Bumble bees don't make huge nests and aren't a problem generally, so yes, it might have a home there, but it probably won't cause you any trouble. Depends on the species, but some wild bees are solitary too.

The ivy will respond to spraying with a strong mix of glyphosate, especially if you hammer it first to split the stems and maybe add wallpaper paste to stick it on to the waxy leaves. Nothing will appear to happen for some time, though.

Have you told your neighbour you don't want their ivy on your side? I would give them the option of cutting it back first, before spending good money on killing it myself.

joeyvicks

great thanks for the advice.

only problem is i dont want to fall out with them so haven't said anything so far. But in terms of cutting it back how on earth would they control it underneath the decking? it just going to end up taking over all my garden and decking. I'm half way through re-doing all my back garden and where i've dug out for some shrub borders is just overtaken by ivy now!!

Davesnave

joeyvicks wrote: »

great thanks for the advice.

only problem is i dont want to fall out with them so haven't said anything so far. But in terms of cutting it back how on earth would they control it underneath the decking? it just going to end up taking over all my garden and decking. I'm half way through re-doing all my back garden and where i've dug out for some shrub borders is just overtaken by ivy now!!

I think the situation is clear; you don't want their plants in your garden and you have every right to remove them. In the case of ivy, there is a danger to brickwork and, given time, to decking as well, so any reasonable person would stop growing it into a neighbour's garden. However, even reasonable people don't always realise how inconsiderate they're being before it's pointed out.

You would be giving them the option of acting before you do, which isn't confrontational, because the only remedy you have is weedkiller.

However, you know the neighbour and I don't. If you think it is a lost cause, do what I did to someone's rambling rose and hit it hard with the glyphosate, repeatedly. It will take time, but it will work. (In the case of the rose, I was able to give it just enough that it caught this 'disease' every summer and didn't die, but ivy is less sensitive, I'm afraid.)

SallyForth_2

Hang on - just because the Ivy is now creeping into the OP's garden, doesn't mean the neighbours are being inconsiderate! It's ivy for heavens sake, it gets everywhere!

I would just tell the neighbour what the Ivy is doing, and say that you plan to remove it. Frankly I doubt they would even know or care if you just went ahead and did it anyway.

Particularly with Ivy, and I am sure someone can confirm, it sets roots where ever it goes, so I would say any rooted Ivy in your garden, is your Ivy, and you can do what you like with it.

annie123

Davesnave wrote: »

If you think it is a lost cause, do what I did to someone's rambling rose and hit it hard with the glyphosate, repeatedly. It will take time, but it will work. (In the case of the rose, I was able to give it just enough that it caught this 'disease' every summer and didn't die, but ivy is less sensitive, I'm afraid.)

First post I've read of yours that has shown another side to you that I haven't seen before.
I hope you gave them the opportunity to prune the rose, otherwise you would be the inconsiderate neighbour.


Re the ivy, if you spray weed killer on it it is very unlikely to kill the whole thing. Ivy puts roots down all the time, so the stuff on their side will not be affected as it has its own root system.
Keep it clipped on your side of the fence and pull up any further bits you see trying to come under the fence, it will only take a few mins to do.

Ivy is very useful to insects/birds so having a small bit that is allowed to flower is beneficial to wildlife, so not all bad;)

Davesnave

annie123 wrote: »

First post I've read of yours that has shown another side to you that I haven't seen before.
I hope you gave them the opportunity to prune the rose, otherwise you would be the inconsiderate neighbour.
Ivy is very useful to insects/birds so having a small bit that is allowed to flower is beneficial to wildlife, so not all bad;)

Yes, I did give them the opportunity to prune, but the following year it was 'forgotten' and the roof of my shade shelter was ripped. After that, I found a small amount of glyphosate slowed things down considerably, without killing the rose, but presumably they were still enjoying it on their side, so we were all happy. Personally, I question the sanity of those who'd plant such a thing in a garden 20' square with the only exit for the prunings being through the house! All three bordering properties were affected by this monster. Very burglar-proof though, and maybe that was the idea.

On the subject of ivy, I agree it is a good wildlife plant. I would not interfere with any of that growing where I am now, in a wild environment.

I was advising the OP what to do if asking didn't result in action, and it was me who suggested asking first! I also assumed the ivy going under the decking would be very hard or impossible to remove in any other way. Maybe that was wrong, but I didn't think it would have been an issue otherwise.:)

LJM

i have a few bees under my decking but they havent caused us any problems im just wary of them as my lo's play and sit out there

Grumpycupple

Can you not pull out the ivy from your side after all it is in your garden. Having said that it can be a b8gger to get rid of.Still doing it three years on in my front garden.

joeyvicks

can plants/shrubs be grown within a border that contains ivy??

joeyvicks

im only concerned about the bee because im about to start stripping the existing decking stain with the power washer and dont want to end up getting chased by a nest full of bees!!

unless anyone knows of another method of stripping decking stain??