Every year around this time I have a problem with bumble bees that want to bore holes in the exposed, unpainted beams of the roof of my carport. I've been chasing them off with wasp spray but sometimes one will be successful in drilling a deep hole in the beam, which I fill up with silicone as soon as I spot it.
My B-I-L said they usually won't do this if the wood is painted. I'd be willing to paint them if I was assured it would discourage the bees but there are about 25 beams that are 14 feet long and it would be a pretty big job. I was just wondering if anyone has had any experience with this problem and if so should I use some kind of wood-protecting stain or a regular latex paint. I think I've seen some of the stains advertised as being "bug-resistant" but I don't know if this would include bumble bees.
Thanks in advance for any thoughts.