Burrowing bees, genus Andrena
These burrowing bees, in the genus Andrena, were apparently overwintering in a home in Valley Springs, California. The customer called, and gave us a baggie with 10 of the burrowing bees. The specimens were collected approximately March 3, 2016 and given to our technician, Jason Price.
The bees were showing up in the bottom track of an upstairs window, every time the sun hit the window. The window faces south-east.
Burrowing bees get their name from burrowing in the ground.
Click on an image to enlarge it.
Burrowing bee, genus Andrena. These bees were overwintering in a home in Valley Springs, Calaveras County, California.
Burrowing bee, genus Andrena. Hairs on abdomen.
Burrowing bee, genus Andrena. Mouthparts.
Burrowing bee, genus Andrena. Wing.
Burrowing bee, genus Andrena. head.
Burrowing bee, genus Andrena. Metallic abdomen.
Burrowing bee, genus Andrena.
Burrowing bee, genus Andrena. These bees were overwintering in a home in Valley Springs, Calaveras County, California.
Burrowing bee, genus Andrena. Closeup of the metallic abdomen.
Burrowing bee, genus Andrena. Closeup of thorax with the dense hairs.
Pigeon Exclusion Without Structural Modifications
Foothill-Sierra Pest Control was faced with excluding a large population of pigeons roosting between two historic buildings in downtown Sonora. We did not want to risk piercing the walls or roofs of these buildings. The first prototype, created and built by Jim Tassano, with Kraig Stewart’s help, worked well. The job was then taken up by our vertebrate specialist, David Adragna, who designed and built, with Bill Breidenstein, a strong, long-lasting, modular version of the prototype.
No hardware penetrated the roof or walls of either building.
The pigeon poop was the breeding site for lesser house flies, which had become a noticeable nuisance in downtown Sonora, even warranting stories in the Union Democrat newspaper.
The pigeons have moved on, and the flies are gone.
Pigeon exclusion without any structural modifications
David Adragna of Foothill-Sierra Pest Control with his modular pigeon exclusion setup, installed without any structural modifications to the buildings.
Pigeon exclusion without any structural modifications, had to vary as the nature of the buildings changed along their lengths.
David Adragna of Foothill-Sierra Pest Control showing the modular assembly of the pigeon exclusion setup.
Pigeon exclusion without any structural modifications. Modular design to allow easy disassembly.
Looking into the chasm between the buildings, through an opening in the modular pigeon exclusion setup.