Masonry bees?

[Thomas]

Hello there,

I was wondering if knowledgeable types could provide me with some info on these bees that have decided to take up residence in my house.

First of all, here are pictures of the type of bees I'm dealing with:

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j167/tjb1985/DSC_0522.jpg
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j167/tjb1985/DSC_0523.jpg

To my untrained eye, I think this is a masonry bee. My first reaction was that it was a honey bee but I think I am right in saying this is a masonry bee?

My house is an old house (1701) and they appear to be in the loft area, I can see them buzzing around a window (in the second photo), then several times a day bees will come out in dribs and drabs through a gap by this beam, which is in a (my!) bedroom:

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j167/tjb1985/DSC_0524.jpg

I estimate there must be around half a dozen to a dozen of these bees to be coming through so often. I can't hear any buzzing in the roof so I assume there aren't too many of them. It started as an occasional bee but their appearances have become more frequent. Is this a solitary bee's offspring? They were rather small to begin with.

If it is a masonry bee, from what I can tell they're very docile. As non-threatening as they are, I'm not keen on having them seep through my bedroom ceiling every so often.

Will it be the case that if they are left to their own devices I will have to wait till the Autumn before the invasion stops? What are the possibilities of them returning next Spring?

I could obviously fill in the gap by my beam and maybe they would just use the stonework to exit I suppose... Would a local beekeeper know how to move them on? What sort of expenses would that involve?

Thanks in advance,

Thomas

[VEG]

Just fill the gap in your bedroom they will then find another more convienient way out.

[johan]

They look like what other people have describe as masonry bees. There are a lot of them around this year. Maybe the use of less pesticide in general?

Agree with Veg about filling the caps in the ceilings to keep them out.

As for keeping them away, a harmless repellent is available to spray in the general area. Sorry, I don't have a brand name for you. A pest controller/hardware store might know.

Would be good if you could provide some alternative habitat in the form of bundle of cane sticks for them.