Found out they're carpenter bees, that's an interesting name, I thought, wonder why they're called that. Yesterday I noticed piles of sawdust at the foot of the fence.
And checked to find a couple of perfectly drilled holes in the fence and my planter boxes. The bees have been much quieter recently.
I checked and found out why. These are nesting sites, now probably completed and only requiring the bee to finish laying low her eggs inside the brood chamber she and possibly one other bee made. Hence the shiny butts, maybe.
If you're working with sawdust the shiny dust repelling butt is suited to your job. Unlike the furry butts of bees needing the fur to carry pollen. At least that's my surmise.
I saw a couple of skirmishes with a third bee a couple of weeks ago, probably competition for the best parts of my fence.
The fence is scheduled to be replaced this year and some factory made material will be used, no wood, so I'm not going to tell on them. Let them coexist while they can.
My other constant companion is this chipmunk, who often sits by, see my toe, to watch me reading, probably taking notes on the daily habits of the common human.
Who will be out there this afternoon continuing with Ulysses, it being Bloomsday tomorrow and time for the annual go at Joyce.
My brain gets tired after an hour or so, very dense and demanding and brilliant writing, so I'm pacing myself. Couple of hours a year, and I'm 85% through according to my Kindle. Easier to hold than the book. Also it opens right where I was last year, a big point.
Carpenter bees are pretty amazing but they can do some damage. Glad they chose a fence that isn't a part of any structural importance for you. So yes, why not leave them be? (Bee?)
ReplyDeleteI've never even tried to read Ulysses. Not one word.
I just want to finish it. I've read a lot of Joyce but his Dubliners and Portrait of the Artist are his beginner work before he really leapt out.
DeleteOn the bees, I have never believed people were supposed to have dominion over other species. If they're not hurting us, leave them. And if they are, try everything short of killing to manage the situation.
A kindle for that read makes perfect sense.
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of heavy reading, in both senses, on my Kindle. The complete Jane Austen, tons of Trollope and a lot of other useful material. Always there for emergencies.
DeleteOh dear, that is so weird having a chipmunk staring at you. It's probably lonely.
ReplyDeleteThw animals and birds are so used to my presence thst they stay around a lot. There's a rabbit who has been known to sleep near my chair, quite calm. A bird parted my hair this afternoon om his way to the feeder! It's very flattering that they don't fear me. Take me for granted, even.
DeleteCarpenter bees? Interesting. We have miner bees that build nests in the ground and then when you mow over them they come out with a vengeance! I have been mowing for years and have been fortunate so far. Then there are killer bees and now a killer wasp? It's those pesticides! No chipmunks here but destructive armadillos and voles. Nothing "cute". LOL! Ulysses huh? I read all that in high school...or at least a lot of it and didn't care for it. I am trying to get through a physics book though which is over my head. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised that it was presented in high school. Usually the choices are Dubliners or The Dead, easier reading at that stage.
DeleteHave you read Richard Feynman? His physics books for non physicists are amazingly understandable. Speaking as a non physicist.
Seeing your chipmunk reminded me of my dad. When he lived with us he would spend hours sitting out by the garage with his family of chipmunks crawling all over him in quest of the peanuts he kept in his pockets. They would crawl right inside his pockets. He got such joy out of them (kept us poor buying peanuts though!).
ReplyDeleteThose were pretty bold chipmunks!
DeleteAt least the bees are going at the fence and now your house!
ReplyDelete