Thread: bees/wasps eating through ceiling

A funny noise in one of my bedrooms turned into an early AM surprise, bees or small wasps had eaten through a corner of my ceiling on the second floor and were trying to exit my closed window. Seemed like a nightmare...killed them all by hand with no stings, and stuffed napkins in the hole...well they persisted in chewing away, so several days later as there work produced results (despite my feeble taping the hole over attempt) i took off the tape and they burst through and was able to kill a bunch with Raid spray, then plugged now larger hole with sock soaked on one end with pesticide (some kind of pyrethrin)..no noise anymore, but doubt I have solved the problem. I had crawled up in attic, but could not reach area where they seemed to be...they fly in from outside near a gutter, or at least seem to (do not have a ladder tall enough). Wonder if anyone has had similar problems. Do not want to use pest control firm, except as last resort, as have limited income.

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Bees (other than carpenter bees) do not have the ability to eat through walls. You are probably dealing with yellow jackets, which are not bees.

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In our last house we had a Cicada Killer wasp chew through the corner of the drywall in our bedroom. Scared the bejeezus out of us.

Originally Posted by carl lukens

but doubt I have solved the problem.

You are correct ... you did not solve the problem.

To solve the problem you will need a ladder to get to the hole/opening outside they are coming in through - that is where you need to patch and fill, not at the ceiling.

Sounds like honey bees have built a hive in the wall. Bees will burrow or chew through drywall if given time. The will find a small area that feels cooler or has air that is seeping through(like a corner) and the will try to make a new front or back door for the hive. Yellow jackets are about twice the size of a honey bee.

You have a problem, call a local bee keeper if they are honey bees....

Originally Posted by Aaron Miller

Bees (other than carpenter bees) do not have the ability to eat through walls. You are probably dealing with yellow jackets, which are not bees.

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If yellow jackets, be aware of this tidbit from Aaron's link "Yellow jackets are very defensive of their territory and if you disturb their nest, they will come at you in large numbers. They do not lose their stingers and can sting you more than one time."
The fact that you were not stung multiple times may mean you should run out an buy a lotto ticket rather than dealing with pests.

Well I went up last night and did manage to crawl to where the ceiling had been probed by the wasps...and after pulling back the insulation it appears that I killed them all, but to be sure, I sprayed the area and the crevices between the roof and the eaves. Wasps are still nesting in the gutter outside the wall, so not sure there will be a repeat or not of them trying to come in...so I plan on inspecting periodically

Yellow Jackets are the most likely suspects here in the Pacific NW. They nest in attics, but don't normally come down into the living space like that. Maybe a new mutant strain? You could have died, no kidding.
If honey bees, could be farm escapees. Bumble bees are a remote possibility, but they tend to make a smaller nest. Google all 3 and see if you can ID them for us.

Do you own the house or are you renting? I'm thinking there may be a problem with a leak or something that has weakened that area of your ceiling and the eave.