Springtime Pollinator project

Right now the flowerbeds are coming alive with tulips, daffodils, hyacinth, and many more that Connie can name. This weekend was beautiful and many of the flower patches were buzzing with bees. I heard my mother-in-law mention the "bumblebees" that are starting to attack the garage. I then started a project to protect my own garage as well as keep these native carpenter bees alive and well to help my farm and garden.

When we lived in Culpeper, VA we thought similarly to my mother-in-law. My wife became frightened of all the crazed bumblebees around the backyard. I went into an odd bee killing rampage. That is when I noticed they were annihilating the frame work of the shed. Annoyance to me, panic-inducing to my wife, and destructive to our property!!! After killing many with hornet killer and sticks and racketball rackets (which was probably the most confusing to the neighbors), I wondered why they would attack but never really attack. I then did the research and after learning about the importance of this native bee I felt bad for killing all those carpenter bees.

Telling the difference now is easier for me. Carpenter bees do not have a completely hairy body, normally a bare black back end where the bumble bee is completely covered in the fine yellow and black stripes. Bumblebees are definitely social and attacking their hive has severe consequences with stings that feel like red hot pokers. Bumblebees also usually hive in earth and will not bore through wood in the way of C. Bees.

Great info here: Pennstate Dept. Ag. Factsheet

Carpenter Bees are great pollinators, even more so than honeybees. They are not as social as other bees although if they are attacking your woodwork, they seem to get along fine. The males cannot sting although they are the normal aggressors. Females can sting but only under extreme duress. The negative of course is the holes they drill and the droppings that stain the sides of the buildings.

I tried to create a sort of "hive" for the great pollinators to find. This should attract them as they look for previous holes. I found a 4x4 post lying around and put it in the ground against a phone pole near the garden. I then drilled the start of several holes for them. I may have to put up a few more for Brenda.

This should now give the bees a place to remain safe from mother-in-law's rage, safe from retaliation for destroying our garage, and safe to pollinate my garden. I cannot protect them from the Pileated Woodpeckers or nuthatchets though.

Someday I hope to also have a honey bee hive, taking over the left-overs from when my dad had many hives in my youth. I hear that modern beekeeping is difficult and much more time consuming than it used to be, but with all the disappearances of honeybees, I feel that any amateur beekeeper helps the population or at least can't hurt.