On the concrete outside a cavity bay window, 3 brick mortar
perpendiculars have what appears to be distinct mortar powder mounds.

I can only think these are formed by insects - ants (not seen any)?

First one...
http://i45.tinypic.com/2niyv7k.jpg
http://tinypic.com/r/2niyv7k/6

Second one...
http://i48.tinypic.com/qytwl3.jpg
http://tinypic.com/r/qytwl3/6

"js.b1" wrote in message
...
On the concrete outside a cavity bay window, 3 brick mortar
perpendiculars have what appears to be distinct mortar powder mounds.

I can only think these are formed by insects - ants (not seen any)?

First one...
http://i45.tinypic.com/2niyv7k.jpg
http://tinypic.com/r/2niyv7k/6

Second one...
http://i48.tinypic.com/qytwl3.jpg
http://tinypic.com/r/qytwl3/6

Tawny mining bee. Lots about this time of year. Watch out for the little
yellow wasps that parasitise them too, by following them into the hole and
laying their own eggs in the developing grubs.

http://www.google.co.uk/images?q=taw...ved=0C A0Q_AU

Curious things: where they go the rest of the year I do not know.

S

In article ,
"js.b1" writes:
On the concrete outside a cavity bay window, 3 brick mortar
perpendiculars have what appears to be distinct mortar powder mounds.

Don't think there was any mortar in there - insects have just
cleared out the dirt which has washed/blown in.

Mortar was probably washed out by splashback from the hard
concrete surface. The missing mortar should be replaced.
Ideally, you should have a ground surface up to the wall
which won't splash water up the brickwork such as a gutter
filled with stones (lookup a french drain) or grass. Unless
the bricks are low absorancy (engineering bricks), they will
also be damaged by splashback in the long run.

I can only think these are formed by insects - ants (not seen any)?

First one...
http://i45.tinypic.com/2niyv7k.jpg
http://tinypic.com/r/2niyv7k/6

Second one...
http://i48.tinypic.com/qytwl3.jpg
http://tinypic.com/r/qytwl3/6

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

In article , Andrew Gabriel
scribeth thus
In article ,
"js.b1" writes:
On the concrete outside a cavity bay window, 3 brick mortar
perpendiculars have what appears to be distinct mortar powder mounds.

Don't think there was any mortar in there - insects have just
cleared out the dirt which has washed/blown in.

Perhaps if you left them a small bag of readymix mortar and some
incentive..

--
Tony Sayer

Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article ,
"js.b1" writes:
On the concrete outside a cavity bay window, 3 brick mortar
perpendiculars have what appears to be distinct mortar powder mounds.

Don't think there was any mortar in there - insects have just
cleared out the dirt which has washed/blown in.

Mortar was probably washed out by splashback from the hard
concrete surface. The missing mortar should be replaced.
Ideally, you should have a ground surface up to the wall
which won't splash water up the brickwork such as a gutter
filled with stones (lookup a french drain) or grass. Unless
the bricks are low absorancy (engineering bricks), they will
also be damaged by splashback in the long run.

I can only think these are formed by insects - ants (not seen any)?

First one...
http://i45.tinypic.com/2niyv7k.jpg
http://tinypic.com/r/2niyv7k/6

Second one...
http://i48.tinypic.com/qytwl3.jpg
http://tinypic.com/r/qytwl3/6

Looks to me like porous lime mortar which has been washed out.
Perhaps render the bottom few feet of the wall with a waterproof mix.

[g]

On 26 May, 23:53, "js.b1" wrote:
On the concrete outside a cavity bay window, 3 brick mortar
perpendiculars have what appears to be distinct mortar powder mounds.

I can only think these are formed by insects - ants (not seen any)?

First one...http://i45.tinypic.com/2niyv7k.jpght...om/r/2niyv7k/6

Second one...http://i48.tinypic.com/qytwl3.jpghtt...com/r/qytwl3/6

I agree with the Masonry bee suggestion but am surprised at the size
of the debris
chris

On May 27, 11:36*am, Rad wrote:
I agree with the Masonry bee suggestion but am
surprised at the size of the debris

So a bee... !

I was surprised at the size of the debris too.

The area is sheltered by the eaves.
The water ingress is from a window cill lifting up from the mortar of
the bay window wall to leave an 18mm air gap. There are 3 telephone
lines nailed to the underside of the cill by various kitchen fitters
who have hammered the cill upwards. The telephone cables hide the gap
until you get right up to it.

Moving some of the dirt it re-appears without rain so there is indeed
a little inhabitant.

Will move the now defunct telephone cables and redo the window sub-
cill, then point after he has cleared off.

On May 27, 12:48*pm, "js.b1" wrote:
kitchen fitters

Typo: cable fitters.

replying to js.b1, jdc wrote:
I have a similar problem, but the debris pile is below a single vertical board
of 2x4 wood trim mounted on a stucco wall and is composed of stucco "sand,"
not sawdust termite frass. I haven't seen any masonry bees, but maybe I'm not
keeping close enough watch. Any other ideas?

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy...rp-634263-.htm

What?
its the ants mate.
Of course being from stupid shower club its probably forum 15 years ago.
Brian

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Blind user, so no pictures please!
"jdc" m wrote in message
news
replying to js.b1, jdc wrote:
I have a similar problem, but the debris pile is below a single vertical
board
of 2x4 wood trim mounted on a stucco wall and is composed of stucco
"sand,"
not sawdust termite frass. I haven't seen any masonry bees, but maybe I'm
not
keeping close enough watch. Any other ideas?

--
for full context, visit
https://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy...rp-634263-.htm