Topic: wood burrowing insects

[alit]

Can anyone help identify whether i have a pest or a friend burrowing inside a log near my greenhouse.  the insects are flying insects.  they look a bit like a black flying ant buy are slightly slimmer than ants.  I don't think they are ants.  They are about 1.5cm long, completely black.  the log is not swarming, onlyl see one or two around at any one time and they go in a hole and come out again a few seconds later - i presume it is the same one. although it has turned around inside the log.  i also assume that they have made a nest in the log.

Do i have Friend or Foe - can anyone help.

[jennym]

I'm no expert at insects - but if it is a dead log, and the wood is decaying and thay are living in the soft bits, I wouldn't worry about it at all. I have a small pile of logs on the plot which are colonised by various creatures, including stag beetles.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Maybe solitary bees, but it's impossible to be sure with nothing more to go on. They certainly won't do any harm.