D-Fense Dust and Bees

Every year about this time I get honeybees coming in up under the siding on my house (see photo). I have been able to eliminate them every year by squirting D-Fense Dust up between the siding and the house. This year - they are still there after a couple weeks of applying the dust every day or so. (The dust on the ground is just overapply dripping down to the ground - I apply a LOT of dust up under the siding.)

Any tips?

Thanks-

 

Have you ever tried sealing the hole they use?

 

You could get a can of gap filler foam: spray it in, and it expands to fill the empty space. That's a once-and-done solution. Unfortunately, bees are dying off for a number of reasons. Absolutely keep them out of your house, of course, but imho we should avoid killing them.

Spray foam is available at Home Deep, Lowes, Walmart, any hardware or paint store.

Good luck with it!

 

That looks like vinyl siding. If if is (and maybe even if it isn't) don't use expanding foam. It will cause the siding to bulge out. Non-expanding foam is available.

 

Pilot - that's just it - the hole is somewhere up under the siding and I can't see that far up. Also - I don't think it's possible to remove just the bottom 1 or 2 pieces of siding. Thanks-

 

The siding should have a starter strip and the siding itself should seal off the bottom. You have to get down on your knees or use a mirror and look for the opening they are using.

 

Thanks. Did a bit of siding research and I can take off the bottom 2 or 3 siding panels so will prob do that and take a look.

 

I suspect that they are in a wall void and the exterior access point is well away (higher) from the nest. The amount of dust you are using tells me that the dust isn't getting to the nest or even close. If the colony was close enough to the ground where only removing a couple siding pieces would expose that void, then the dust you are using would have worked. I'm betting that they are up high in the wall void. Have you gone into the adjacent room, pound on the wall above where the exterior entry is and listen quietly for buzzing? Cheap stethoscopes help with this.

Another scenario: Is there a basement or crawl space? If so, they may have gone into the floor joist voids as opposed to the wall stud voids above. Another reason why the dust isn't getting to them. If this is the case, then removing several siding pieces just may expose the entry/exit into the floor joist void. You may then have better access to treat directly.

Assuming that the ID of honey bees is correct, and they've been there several seasons, then the hives/honey would be large enough to attract honey bees every year, even if you do eliminate this particular colony. Be prepared to do a removal of the nesting/hive/honey material at some point. No need to do that until you are sure that the problem is solved. Maybe, maybe, sealing the entry after proper nest treatment without removal will stop future re-infestation, but another issue could be getting odor from decaying nesting material as there will be no honeybees to maintain the hives.

Do not seal anything until activity from treatment and/or removal is finished. If you trap them in, they can chew through drywall to the inside. Keep us posted.

 

PAbugman:

Thanks for the great info - I had been wondering why I keep getting bees every year even though I get rid of the hive. The dust has worked in the past. For the past few days, I'm not seeing any bees go in or out at all. Whereas before, I'd see a bee come or go every 20-30 seconds. So I hopefully have the issue solved!