Bees, wasps, and yellow jackets all have their place in nature, but you don’t want them living in the siding of your home. The guide below explores why bees choose siding as nesting material, what damage may occur, and why you might need to replace the siding after the bees are gone.

What Attracts Bees to Siding?

A signal that there is a beehive or nest behind the siding is several bees crawling over the surface of a small area as they arrive and leave at their home. Check over your entire house to see if there is more than one location of activity and mark any entrances. Bees or wasps like sheltered spots, cracks, and areas that are well-protected and warm, making living behind siding a perfect choice. Vinyl and metal siding are vulnerable as well as wood.

How Do Bees Damage Siding?

Honeybees do not cause damage to the siding, although if the hive becomes abandoned, the honeycomb left behind can melt and adhere to the siding or the wallboard and attract other bees, insects, or rodents. Carpenter bees tunnel into wood siding, though they don’t eat wood as termites do.

However, carpenter bee colonies will reuse or refurbish old tunnels, which can cause damage to wood siding over time as tunnels increase in size. Wood and horntail wasps will infest wood as well, creating holes and structural damage. And, of course, wasps and hornets are aggressive, so their presence is more annoying to homeowners.

Should You Replace Siding After Clearing a Nest?

There are two ways to clear nests: by using the appropriate insecticide for the species or natural methods that may include having a beekeeper remove the swarm or smoke them out. This last method only works for honeybees, however, so it may be that you want to remove the siding where there is chemical insecticide.

Honeybees like old, warped wood, so their presence is a sign it is time to replace the siding. If you do use a beekeeper, the siding may have to be removed anyway so that they can access the nest; it’s a perfect time for repairs or a replacement.

For installing or restoring siding in the Cincinnati, OH, area, call Murphy Home Improvement at (513) 922-8989. They offer professional siding services as well as providing roofing installs and maintenance, and new windows, doors, and awnings. They are members of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry and certified by Alcoa Master Contractors, Certainteed Corporation, Wolverine, and Alside Building Products. Visit their showroom or go to their website to see a full range of services.