I surrender

(backBlip)

I have given up. The gate officially belongs to the Gate Keepers until it falls to pieces and then we'll replace it with some nice vinyl fencing that carpenter bees are repulsed by. Though with our luck, they'll adapt and start chewing through that as well. There are stand-offs every day, but I grit my teeth and think of pollination and the environment and walk right through their defences.
It's not the end of the world.