DonB Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 We don't use our "front" door very much, the back door is adjacent to the garage and has easier access to the road. We (that is SWMBO) decided that the front door needed a new coat of the wood preservative, so I tried to unlock and open it .... After several attempts I got the key to turn and move the lock bolt enough to open the door, but then couldn't turn the key back to lock it !! Visit to a diy shop to get a new high-security lock, unscrewed the inside handle and removed the old lock, which revealed a lot of sticky dust in the cavity. I dismantled the old lock just out of curiosity, and found that the inside was full of the sticky stuff and the key-operated bits were locked almost solid with it. several dead bodies emerged, along with a couple of grubs. How did they get there? ....Yes...through the outside key-hole. so removed the outside handle, to find a sort of bee hive with one dead bee, several sealed cells and a single active grub. About 50% of the gap between door and front of the handle plate was occupied by the cells. A bit of scraping got rid of the mess, and re-assembled with the new lock and door furniture. But how do we stop it happening again? I have not yet found a similar door handle with an integral key-hole cover. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny777 Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 Affix one of these near to your door http://www.birdfood.co.uk/ctrl/product:980;/bee_nesting_cylinder#.VZu_UbdHJKo and hope that the bee finds it more comfortable than squeezing into a door lock with limited space. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Londontram Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 I've got a concrete garage one of the ones made from panels bolted together and the panels are universal so can be bolted together in different combinations meaning there's more bolt holes than is needed on each panel and every year bees nest in the holes and block them up with wax and after a while you can see where the wax has been eaten away and the new bee has gone. When there nesting they never bother me and I leave them alone its actually quite interesting to watch there industrious behavior I think the Mason bees that nest in these are said to be some of the most laid back bees and its very rare for them to try and sting someone. One year I fitted an out side light to the garage and went to run the wire through one of these bolt holes which meant cleaning it out and I felt really cruel and guilty when I had to disturb the little grub that was in there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold teaky Posted July 7, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 7, 2015 We don't use our "front" door very much, the back door is adjacent to the garage and has easier access to the road. We (that is SWMBO) decided that the front door needed a new coat of the wood preservative, so I tried to unlock and open it .... After several attempts I got the key to turn and move the lock bolt enough to open the door, but then couldn't turn the key back to lock it !! Visit to a diy shop to get a new high-security lock, unscrewed the inside handle and removed the old lock, which revealed a lot of sticky dust in the cavity. I dismantled the old lock just out of curiosity, and found that the inside was full of the sticky stuff and the key-operated bits were locked almost solid with it. several dead bodies emerged, along with a couple of grubs. How did they get there? ....Yes...through the outside key-hole. so removed the outside handle, to find a sort of bee hive with one dead bee, several sealed cells and a single active grub. About 50% of the gap between door and front of the handle plate was occupied by the cells. DSCF0859A.jpg A bit of scraping got rid of the mess, and re-assembled with the new lock and door furniture. But how do we stop it happening again? I have not yet found a similar door handle with an integral key-hole cover. A euro lock would work Don. There is no hole for the bees to get into. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernman46 Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 The waxy sticky stuff is called "Propolis" which bees use like modelling glue..........it can get everywhere and makes cleaning a hive for the new season a real labour of love ! Most of these bees will be the solitary types - there are about 250 species of bee in the UK As LondonTram says - virtually all are non-aggressive and will only sting in last ditch defence as it kills them. With the bee nesting cylinder often comes the added "pleasure" of watching predatory solitary wasps then attacking the closed off bee cells to plant their own eggs and larvae........circle of life Get a lock with escutcheon & plate on the keyhole.........stops the draught too Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 96701 Posted July 7, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 7, 2015 You need an escutcheon. http://www.screwfix.com/c/security-ironmongery/escutcheons/cat840358 Other ironmongers are available. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted July 8, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 8, 2015 But how do we stop it happening again? Leave a window open so they can use the living room, much more comfortable for them........ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mc Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 They leave a scent when they've built a hive that will attract bees back to the lock every year - just like the bolt-holes in Londontram's garage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonB Posted July 8, 2015 Author Share Posted July 8, 2015 Don't know when to expect a female(?) to arrive to lay a few eggs. I usually see quite a few Bumble bees in early spring, by summer they seem to have gone. What is the life cycle of these bees? (I'm sure it's in wiki, if I could be bothered!! ) Pending the finding and purchase of a suitable escutcheon I have sprayed a smelly insecticide inside the existing escutcheon as I re-installed it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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