bees/hornets eating a wooden fence?

[LAWNMOWERBOY]

Hi-

I really didn't know where to put this post, so here it is-

My brother lives in N.C. and he told me that he has some type of bee or hornet that is actually eating holes in his wooden fence... anyone have ANY ideas/suggestions/input at all?

If the wood is pressure treated shouldn't that kill insects??

thanks

LB

[Catcher]

Nope, unfortunately not.
I have the same problem at my house, painted or stained wood is no stop for these 'little' buggers.
I've been having problems with big, fat, black bumblebee-like insects eating their way through my wood. Other than a yellow stripe and white marking on their head these monsters are all black and scary looking. I've swatted a few of them and had to hit them several times to finish them off.
I've treated my house by spraying poisons in the tunnels they burrow, I've had the house treated by a professional, yet they never fail to return the next season.
Usually I've had to treat the house once a year to control them. If anybody has a better way to rid them I'd be interested as well.

[Joseph Meidling]

I have the same type of bees in my house. I have sprayed several times but they keep comming back. They seem to eat right into the wood. I too would welcome any suggestions.

[Fine Lines Lawn]

Those are Carpenter Bees. They bore holes in the wood to lay their eggs. They are annoying but don't cause any substantial damage to the wood, and they are not aggressive. You would literally have to grab one and force it to sting you. They look very similar to Bumble Bees, but are much more docile. They attack wood that is either stained or unfinished, and usually leave painted wood alone.

[Fantasy Lawns]

http://www.ifas.ufl.edu/~insect/misc/bees/xylocopa.htm

[Integrity]

They are a continual nuisance. That is why they call them pests. You can buy a product at the CO-OP called Lindane. This will serve to control them but will require that you reapply once they start to reappear. Hope this help!

[jeffyr]

I heard a woman in the coop office say that after spraying to get rid of the bees, fill and paint or seal the surface. They will only try to bore into untreated wood. I have seen this to be different, but that was her recommendation.

jeffyr

[CSRA Landscaping]

Use oil-base paint. That will keep them out of the wood.