flying bee-like insects - Ask Extension
I have little mounds of soil resembling ant hills in my yard. Small flying bees or wasps appear in May and fly around close to the ground. They leave ...
Knowledgebase
flying bee-like insects #180634
Asked May 10, 2014, 8:36 PM EDT
I have little mounds of soil resembling ant hills in my yard. Small flying bees or wasps appear in May and fly around close to the ground. They leave in a few weeks. What are they and how can they be elimated permanently?
Chesterfield County Virginia
Expert Response
The
small mounds of soil that look like ant hills in your yard are the homes for
ground nesting bees, also called solitary bees or digger bees. The female
of these solitary bees digs a hole and lays her eggs in a tunnel she has dug. When the larva hatches, it exits the hole and flies around for a while.
These bees are generally considered harmless since they very rarely sting and they do not sting in groups like some bees. They are excellent pollinators and every effort should be made to protect them if possible.
If they are in an area of great concern that cannot be avoided for their four-week nesting period, chemical controls are available. Heavy vegetative cover (thick sod or ground cover) or a thick layer of mulch is the best deterrent to prevent them nesting in the same location in future years.
The following publications give additional information on these beneficial insects and suggestions for control if it becomes necessary. Please contact the Chesterfield Extension office at<personal data hidden> or use the reply feature in this email for any further questions on this subject. Thanks for using Ask an Expert!
http://www.turffiles.ncsu.edu/pdffiles/000450/ground_nesting_bees.pdf
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/O&T/lawn/note100/note100.html
http://extension.umd.edu/sites/default/files/_images/programs/hgic/Publications/HG104_Mining_Bees_an...
These bees are generally considered harmless since they very rarely sting and they do not sting in groups like some bees. They are excellent pollinators and every effort should be made to protect them if possible.
If they are in an area of great concern that cannot be avoided for their four-week nesting period, chemical controls are available. Heavy vegetative cover (thick sod or ground cover) or a thick layer of mulch is the best deterrent to prevent them nesting in the same location in future years.
The following publications give additional information on these beneficial insects and suggestions for control if it becomes necessary. Please contact the Chesterfield Extension office at<personal data hidden> or use the reply feature in this email for any further questions on this subject. Thanks for using Ask an Expert!
http://www.turffiles.ncsu.edu/pdffiles/000450/ground_nesting_bees.pdf
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/O&T/lawn/note100/note100.html
http://extension.umd.edu/sites/default/files/_images/programs/hgic/Publications/HG104_Mining_Bees_an...
