About six weeks ago, I offered up a suggestion for a fun activity while you were staying at home -- removing sweetgum balls from your yard and driveway. At the end of that post, I mentioned Things to Do, Part 2: whacking carpenter bees with an old badminton racquet. Well, wait no longer. With temperatures hovering between 80-85 degrees this past weekend it's finally bee whacking time!
Disclaimer: No pollinators were harmed in this process. Carpenter bees are pests that chew circular holes in wood (e.g. our porch, porch railings, and fence) and cause structural damage by creating these nesting sites and tunnels. Because the females lay a single egg in each cell they create, and these eggs develop into larger larvae that are attractive to woodpeckers, your wooden structures can sustain damage from both carpenter bees and woodpeckers. Thus, bee whacking.
John's chosen weapon in this battle is an old badminton racquet that we have picked up from yard sales, usually for free. We have an embarrassing number of these things in the barn, so there is usually one within easy reach of carpenter bee locations in the front, back, and side yards.
He watches carefully and swings when the bees are within range.
Sometimes this means they are low to the ground,
and other times they are higher up.
Proper follow-through is necessary.
Bee whacking requires a sharp eye, quick reflexes, and the ability to withstand your spouse laughing at you, but John is a master who has been whacking bees for decades.
All hail the mighty bee whacker and farewell to the fallen.
I hope you enjoyed a nice weekend, with plenty of whacked bees, or whatever passes for fun at your house!
I know some of you are working, some of you are working from home, and others are staying home. If you're at home and want something to do, I've got an idea for you.
You can remove sweetgum balls from your lawn and driveway! My neighbor has a sweetgum tree and every year it drops seed balls, thousands of the spiky things. I have sprained my ankle after stepping on them and having them roll unexpectedly. It's also not a good idea to run your lawnmower over them because they can be dangerous when the lawnmower spits them out and they become airborne at high speeds.
I considered several tools for the job, but after trying two different rakes and bending over and picking them up with my hands, I hit upon the winner.
John's Shop-Vac. It has the benefit of a long tube so I don't have to bend over and hurt my back, and there is the added advantage of entertaining people that walk by, wondering why I was vacuuming my lawn.
There were thousands of these seed pods littering our lawn and driveway, but with the Shop-Vac, it only took me a few hours to get them all cleaned up.
I filled up one and a half trash cans and feel like I've earned my beer this evening. I think I mentioned something previously about spray painting some of these gold and making a wreath, but I was just glad to get them cleaned up. I am not going to be the one making wreaths, but if anyone is interested, I have several thousand of these that you are more than welcome to.
One last ball. (And soon it will be time for dandelions!)
Be sure to stay tuned for Things to Do, Part 2: whacking carpenter bees with an old badminton racquet. :-)
