After dithering for days, we have decided to remove the cladding from the ceiling. Let's just remove the stuff that has to be removed for the stairs and see. And it's rotten. Full of woodworm. Fortunately doesn't seem to have affected the beams or the flooring above.
As I got to the furthest corner, a bee joined me, and then another and another and another. Yikes. They are not honey bees unfortunately, a French friend said that they were bourdons but that translates as bumble bee and these are just half sized bumble bees.
My hero, Him Outdoors, very bravely, did a 'pull plank off and run' job and discovered this in the corner!
OMG!! Turns out that this is dead and no longer used but it doesn't stop dozens of bees from going in and out of the wall right in the corner. So we have a bee's nest in the wall. Hmmmmm more thought required...............................................
Him Outdoors has a certain air of d'Artagnan there....rather him than me.
ReplyDeleteAnd where did this woodworm figure on the dreaded Diagnostiques the sellers were obliged to pay an arm and a leg to obtain?
If it's anything like the one we paid for all potential problems are covered by 'inaccessible'.
Ooh blimey mother, what do you do now?
ReplyDeleteFly, 'they' did say woodworm, but every French house has woodworm.
ReplyDeleteSue, Him Outdoors has searched out his beekeeping kit and smoker. I hope we can just block up the holes into the house and let them live in the wall. There are no bees in the house normally. Trouble is if that doesn't work tackling them from the outside is a much more difficult job. Watch this space.