Our life living off the land in our log cabin, breathing fresh mountain air, and getting back to basics.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Zap! Splat!

We are usually live-n-let-live kind of people...but these tiny creatures are the be-all and end-all of my tolerance.
I don't know what they are...do you?...but they are eating away at our log cabin, slowly but surely.  They drill these little holes into the walls and I'm not sure what else they do...make a nest?...make a home?...digest the wood?...I have no idea.  But they are trouble with a capitol T!!!  We have these holes everywhere, and though I know we could spray, I'm not a proponent of putting poison onto our cabin and into our air.  Sooooo.....
I've had enough, and today, while in town, I bought this splatter...Zap to those log eating critters!  I'm enjoying splatting and zapping them (to death, sorry to say...well, really, only sorry because it's the end of their lives, but not sorry because it will prolong the life of our log cabin) and stopping their invasion....
...does this zapping make me a bad person??? 

Visit ABCWednesday for more blogs highlighting the letter Z.  Many thanks to the founder, Mrs. Denise Nesbitt, and to Roger for taking the helm.

Thanks for reading my blog, you are the best f/f/r/s/f's, see you tomorrow,
Lise

11 comments:

Melanie said...

I've struggled with that same dilemma many times and once with neighbors watching:
http://melanie.boudwin.net/an-imperfect-compassion/

If only they would eat the wood somewhere else! My niece and I love your Splat! fly swatter by the way. :)

photowannabe said...

No it doesn't make you bad...
protecting your property is the best thing.
'I think they are something like carpenter ants. Hope you can get rid of them. You don't want the next generation of them making themselves at home either.

Judi said...

I love a good mystery so I set out and searched google to try to find them ~ wow, there are a whole lotta different bugs out there LOL!! I have an old bench (from an auction) on my porch with similar holes that have been on it for years ~ a couple of weeks ago a bee/wasp went right into that hole and after some time came back out to meet my fly swatter!! So, it is possible that the bug you swatted didn't make the hole but was exploring just like the one in my bench?? I don't know, but I agree with photowannabe!!

Roger Owen Green said...

For several years in our back porch, we had them drilling. I tried Raid, and filling the holes, but they'd be back the next year. then our next-door neighbor "bombed" them with something, and they've been gone ever since.
Which worries me in an ecological way, but not in a homeowner way...

NCmountainwoman said...

A spray of WD40 (with the long nozzle) into the holes you can reach will kill them. The biggest concern with carpenter bees is that pileated woodpeckers will be drawn to the larvae and that would be a HUGE expensive problem.

Lise said...

Melanie, I'm finding myself saying splat when I use it:)

Thanks photowannabe, I agree that I do have to have my priorities...

Judi, we have wood boring bees too, but their hole is much bigger than these. I suppose I should expect there to be so many wood eating things...living in the mountain woods after all!

Hmm Rog, I wonder what that stuff was? But I'm not sure I'd want to be breathing that in, but I need want my house to stay standing!

Thanks NCmountainwoman, I just might try that! We do have pileated woodpeckers here...

Thanks everyone for visiting and commenting!

Reader Wil said...

It's time the insects left you alone now and therefore you have all the right to get rid of them. In Australia there are termites and people have to find a way to destroy them too.
You have a right to protect your house.
Good luck!

Dad/Pepere said...

Splat away...then consider taking one of the insects to your County Extension Office...there should be one in the area. We have one in Sarasota and it is connected with UF agricultural school. If needed, give me one next time you see me and I will take it to my extension office. Hugs!

Susie Swanson said...

I can feel your pain. They are doing the same to my porches. They are some type of bees and they will sting you. My husband plugs their holes quite often with a stick and I told him he'd be busy all summer. Hope you find a remedy and if you do let me know. Hugs, xo

Glenda Beall said...

Carpenter bees have eaten away at the main board across my garage above the door where i can't reach.
For some years they also ate a beam on my deck.
We have filled the holes with wood putty, but I think they have larva in the holes and I think they eat eheir way out. I hope your extension agent can help you. They are a major pest.

Lise said...

I know Reader Wil, we have to have our priorities!

Excellent idea dad! I've already zap splatted one for the cause and have it gently taped to a piece of white paper. Extension office, here I come! Hugs back!

Susie, I will surely let you know...I hope the Extension office has some answers.

Thanks Glenda, I'm hopeful the Extension office will have an easy answer!