Would the chemical bifenthrin 0.1% in Sevin Insect Killer Dust harm a mature boxwood hedge? We have ground nesting bees/wasps underneath our hedge, an animal has dug a wide hole there and we are afraid to put a chemical down for fear it will get to the roots of the hedge and kill it.

Good Morning! Would it be possible for you to attach a few photos to this question? Photos really help our experts provide a solid recommendation.

Ask Extension Question Wrangler Pronouns: she/her/hers Find your local Extension office here: https://www.canr.msu.edu/outreach/county Find an expert in a specific topic here: https://www.canr.msu.edu/outreach/experts/experts-by-topic-area Find home gardening information here: https://www.canr.msu.edu/home_gardening/ Order a soil test kit here: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/soil-testing-returns-through-msu-extension Mold questions? We don’t have an expert in mold, but we do have a few resources below or contact the Michigan health department. Molds in the Home Indoor Air Quality May be Hazardous to Your Health Mushroom questions? We can’t identify, but we do have these three resources to help you: Identifying Morel Poisonous MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status. Michigan State University occupies the ancestral, traditional and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabeg, Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi peoples. The University resides on the land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw. Replied September 23, 2022, 9:58 AM EDT

I don't really think a picture would add anything. It's a healthy boxwood hedge.

The Question Asker Replied September 23, 2022, 10:04 AM EDT

Okay, that's fine, Nancy. I simply asked for photos because of the hole you mentioned as well as the bee's nest. So you're wanting to kill the bees/wasps as well the animal digging there?

The hole and size can sometimes indicate whether you have a solitary bees hive or something else (yellow jackets) See article below.

Solitary bees in yards a temporary nuisance - MSU Extension

I will direct your question to Ana Heck, an expert bee specialist.

Good luck!

Ask Extension Question Wrangler Pronouns: she/her/hers Find your local Extension office here: https://www.canr.msu.edu/outreach/county Find an expert in a specific topic here: https://www.canr.msu.edu/outreach/experts/experts-by-topic-area Find home gardening information here: https://www.canr.msu.edu/home_gardening/ Order a soil test kit here: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/soil-testing-returns-through-msu-extension Mold questions? We don’t have an expert in mold, but we do have a few resources below or contact the Michigan health department. Molds in the Home Indoor Air Quality May be Hazardous to Your Health Mushroom questions? We can’t identify, but we do have these three resources to help you: Identifying Morel Poisonous MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status. Michigan State University occupies the ancestral, traditional and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabeg, Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi peoples. The University resides on the land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw. Replied September 23, 2022, 10:22 AM EDT

No, we do not want to kill the animal digging the hole. Simply get rid of the bees/wasps and assume that will take care of the animal digging. We have already spoken extensively to someone at MSU and he researched and told us to use the Sevin insect killer dust. I don't think he knew there were two kinds. The one we purchased has the chemical bifenthrin and we just want to make sure that chemical won't kill the boxwood since it may get to the roots...

On Fri, Sep 23, 2022 at 10:22 AM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:

The Question Asker Replied September 23, 2022, 10:39 AM EDT

Ooops. Read the article. This is not a "solitary bee". There are many of them flying in and out of the hole. They are not the typical bee with stripes. I think they may be wasps...

On Fri, Sep 23, 2022 at 10:22 AM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:

The Question Asker Replied September 23, 2022, 10:45 AM EDT

Hello,

Thanks for reaching out with this question! The good news is that wasps don't reuse nests from year to year. The individual wasps that are going to establish new nests next spring will overwinter in sites away from their nests, and the rest of the wasps will die after a couple of hard frosts. Wasps do provide beneficial ecosystem services, so we try to leave them alone when they aren't posing a safety threat to humans or pets. Since a couple of hard frosts aren't too far away, I recommend leaving the wasp nest alone if you can.

I work with bees and other pollinators, and I'm not a plant expert. Please respond if you still need information on whether the insecticide will harm your boxwood bush, and I'll redirect your question.

Ana HeckApiculture Extension EducatorMichigan State University Extension Replied September 23, 2022, 11:00 AM EDT

Would the chemical bifenthrin 0.1% in Sevin Insect Killer Dust harm a mature boxwood hedge? We have ground nesting bees/wasps underneath our hedge, an animal has dug a wide hole there and we are afraid to put a chemical down for fear it will get to the roots of the hedge and kill it. #811921

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