Biopestman, what are the small bees making little holes in the soil?
They are solitary ground bees, which are not aggressive and will disappear in a few weeks.A reputable pest control firm would not spray for them, as they are good pollinators, and self-limiting. I have not heard of any stinging from ground bees. However, ground nesting yellow jackets, which appear later in the summer, often sting bare feet that step on them. These bees of May are hairy, the yellow jacks of July-September are hairless. More on them in another column. Q. Yikes! I live on top of an anthill! What can I do about invading ants? A. Ants are the #1 call for the Biopestman. The most common this year are odorous house ants — crush them and they smell like rancid butter. Try to remove wood, rocks, stones, and compost piles from around the foundation. These ants and others like to nest there. And caulk gaps in siding or brick where ants are entering the house. Good door strips are critical to keep all crawling insects out. If exclusion and habitat modification (above) does not so
