We've got Bees

My son pointed out a few days back that there seemed to be an inordinate number of bees entering a crack at the seam separating our bricks from the vinyl siding. I already had a can of hornet/wasp/bee foam, which had been used earlier this season on a new hornet's nest. Instructions on the can indicated that the treatments should be applied at night - when the bees are less likely to be active. So, several nights ago, I carpet bombed an 8' long portion of the seam (to quicly seal off any escape routes), then, as per can directions, I penetrated the outer foam layer with the enclosed wand and tried to find the main point of entry. I then blasted a large amount of foam into the crack.

The next morning, I noticed two things... one, there were lots of bees entering and leaving the crack; and two, the place where I had inserted the wand was incorrect. That evening, I decided to try again. This time, I made a mental note of where the entry crack was BEFORE I carpet bombed... then I went for the kill. The difference from the previous night was dramatic. When I inserted the wand, there was no resistance - it just seemed to go into a vast cavity. Then I let loose with the foam, and it was several seconds (maybe 5 or 10) before foam started pouring back out the hole from which I had entered. Contrast this with the previous night's attempt, where foam started pouring out of the crack as soon as I pulled the trigger.

This time I was supremely confident. The next morning, I looked out the window, only to see bees... lots of bees. For each bee that entered through the crack, there was another one leaving, carrying what appeared to be remnants of the foam. The damned bees were cleaning house! I've decided not to try again. First, I'm not even sure whether the bees are spending the night inside the cavity (there's no way to see inside to find the nest). Second, if they are there, I'm afraid I may cause them to become more adverturous and look for other potential places for a hive - like inside the adjacent vent (which leads to our bathroom), or inside the dog houses, or even through the dogdoor (that's only two feet away) and into the house.

We'll be out of here in five days. I'll just have to suppress my immense fear of bees, and try to endure. Let the next owner deal with it.