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#1
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Bugs that make sawdust...
Hi, everyone :-) I have an issue that I hope someone in this group will be
able to help me with. I've read and posted to this group a couple of times and was pleased with the knowledge and helpful attitude, so I'm back :-) A recent storm brought down some large tree limbs in my mom's yard. She had some people out to trim the trees and they cut it up into fireplace size pieces (almost). I was the recipient of said firewood, which I have chosen to store in the garage, instead of outside, because it stays dry and relatively bug free, and rats won't nest in it if it's in the garage. There's about a cord, or slightly less. Anyway, I noticed a couple of days ago, these little piles of very fine sawdust here and there amongst the logs, so there is something chewing through the wood. Lots of somethings :-/ I saw one pile, looked like a very small ant hill, that couldn't have come from wood above, because there was no wood above it. This indicated to me that the creature was pushing the wood up out of the log as it bores in, but when I cleared the little pile, there was no hole :-? Being a bit worried about bringing such creatures into my home, I set off two insecticide bombs and closed the garage, as I left for the day. I had already done this once, the day I brought the wood home, because there were spiders in it. I came home many hours later last night and blew the piles of sawdust away so I could see if they reappeared. I looked and looked, but could never see any bugs. However, I could hear them. This is scaring me!!! Sooooooo, do any of you know of a creature that might do this? I believe the majority of the wood is mulberry. Some of the piles of sawdust were 2 or 4 inches long and 1/2 inch deep at the deepest point. It is very fine. I'm not totally sure it is not excretion, but it still looks just like the wood so I'm thinking the bug isn't eating it. However, there were a couple of piles that didn't get blown away, so I can examine the stuff more thoroughly if needed. I have turned over logs that it looked like the stuff must be coming from and see nothing. It is baffling, but I can see where some branches might have been weakened enough to snap in a storm. Thanks for any help! -- Michelle Fort Worth, Texas, USA Life is short. Be determined to enjoy every minute of it! |
#2
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Sounds like carpenter ants. They burrow into wood and produce a by-product
that looks like white cornmeal. If you listen carefullly, you can hear a sound like chewing or munching. They're not really dangerous because they don't eat wood like termites, they just live in it. Individual ants are large, red and black, and don't sting. -- Gary Brady Austin, TX "Michelle Fulton" wrote in message ... Hi, everyone :-) I have an issue that I hope someone in this group will be able to help me with. I've read and posted to this group a couple of times and was pleased with the knowledge and helpful attitude, so I'm back :-) A recent storm brought down some large tree limbs in my mom's yard. She had some people out to trim the trees and they cut it up into fireplace size pieces (almost). I was the recipient of said firewood, which I have chosen to store in the garage, instead of outside, because it stays dry and relatively bug free, and rats won't nest in it if it's in the garage. There's about a cord, or slightly less. Anyway, I noticed a couple of days ago, these little piles of very fine sawdust here and there amongst the logs, so there is something chewing through the wood. Lots of somethings :-/ I saw one pile, looked like a very small ant hill, that couldn't have come from wood above, because there was no wood above it. This indicated to me that the creature was pushing the wood up out of the log as it bores in, but when I cleared the little pile, there was no hole :-? Being a bit worried about bringing such creatures into my home, I set off two insecticide bombs and closed the garage, as I left for the day. I had already done this once, the day I brought the wood home, because there were spiders in it. I came home many hours later last night and blew the piles of sawdust away so I could see if they reappeared. I looked and looked, but could never see any bugs. However, I could hear them. This is scaring me!!! Sooooooo, do any of you know of a creature that might do this? I believe the majority of the wood is mulberry. Some of the piles of sawdust were 2 or 4 inches long and 1/2 inch deep at the deepest point. It is very fine. I'm not totally sure it is not excretion, but it still looks just like the wood so I'm thinking the bug isn't eating it. However, there were a couple of piles that didn't get blown away, so I can examine the stuff more thoroughly if needed. I have turned over logs that it looked like the stuff must be coming from and see nothing. It is baffling, but I can see where some branches might have been weakened enough to snap in a storm. Thanks for any help! -- Michelle Fort Worth, Texas, USA Life is short. Be determined to enjoy every minute of it! |
#3
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On Thu, 23 Sep 2004 06:29:38 -0500, "Michelle Fulton"
wrote: Anyway, I noticed a couple of days ago, these little piles of very fine sawdust here and there amongst the logs, Wood borers. Larvae from several types of beetles. The look sort of like June Bug larvae but are flatter. Sometimes they restrict their tunnels to the area between the bark and the wood but some just bore where they want. Keep the wood pile away from the walls of your garage as they can get into the wood of your home. Cover the pile with a clear plastic film (drop cloth), sealing the bottom of the cover. The borers will mature into beetles that can cause problems. Maybe after you cover it, putting a few moth balls inside might control them. Rusty Mase |
#4
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Go out with a flashlight and look at the wood during the night. If there
are wood borers, you'll be able to see them crawling around at night. "Rusty Mase" wrote in message ... On Thu, 23 Sep 2004 06:29:38 -0500, "Michelle Fulton" wrote: Anyway, I noticed a couple of days ago, these little piles of very fine sawdust here and there amongst the logs, Wood borers. Larvae from several types of beetles. The look sort of like June Bug larvae but are flatter. Sometimes they restrict their tunnels to the area between the bark and the wood but some just bore where they want. Keep the wood pile away from the walls of your garage as they can get into the wood of your home. Cover the pile with a clear plastic film (drop cloth), sealing the bottom of the cover. The borers will mature into beetles that can cause problems. Maybe after you cover it, putting a few moth balls inside might control them. Rusty Mase |
#5
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On Thu, 23 Sep 2004 13:31:50 GMT, "Sew-Sew Lady"
wrote: Go out with a flashlight and look at the wood during the night. If there are wood borers, you'll be able to see them crawling around at night. I do not know if that would work. If you just have to see them, find a piece of wood they are working on and pry off the bark. That should expose their tunnels and possibly one of the larvae. The most common are called Flathead Borers. There is another group is called the "Long-horned Beetles" or Cerambycidae, if you are interested in searching for details. You might find the adult beetles at night after they emerge using a flashlight. I think the larvae pretty well restrict themselves to staying inside the wood. The soft grinding noise you can hear is the larvae gnawing up the wood. The "sawdust" is actually their excrement. Rusty Mase |
#6
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"Rusty Mase" wrote in message
You might find the adult beetles at night after they emerge using a flashlight. I think the larvae pretty well restrict themselves to staying inside the wood. The soft grinding noise you can hear is the larvae gnawing up the wood. The "sawdust" is actually their excrement. Okie, dokie. Thanks to everyone for the info/ideas. I'll do some more checking tonight or tomorrow. If it is borers, shouldn't I be worried about them infesting my trees??? Is there a way to kill them? Thanks! -- Michelle Fort Worth, Texas, USA Life is short. Be determined to enjoy every minute of it! |
#7
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On Thu, 23 Sep 2004 10:21:53 -0500, "Michelle Fulton"
wrote: If it is borers, shouldn't I be worried about them infesting my trees??? Is there a way to kill them? I would use the clear plastic cover to keep them from escaping and moth balls as a fumigant as the borers will slowly turn your firewood stack into a pile of sawdust. They get into living trees and can do serious damage. You would need an arborist to assess that situation and prescribe remedies. I have seen Lindane used to control wood borers in the past (peach orchards) and hopefully that is illegal now in the US. I think I have heard of wood borers infesting houses and to get rid of them you have to cover the whole house in plastic film and fumigate inside the cover using what I do not know. Rusty Mase |
#8
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"Rusty Mase" wrote in message
If it is borers, shouldn't I be worried about them infesting my trees??? Is there a way to kill them? I would use the clear plastic cover to keep them from escaping and moth balls as a fumigant as the borers will slowly turn your firewood stack into a pile of sawdust. They get into living trees and can do serious damage. You would need an arborist to assess that situation and prescribe remedies. I have seen Lindane used to control wood borers in the past (peach orchards) and hopefully that is illegal now in the US. I think I have heard of wood borers infesting houses and to get rid of them you have to cover the whole house in plastic film and fumigate inside the cover using what I do not know. OH SHIT!!! I'm gettin' some plastic and mothballs today, but I'll have to move the stack to get it away from the wall. It's a big stack :-( What do these suckers look like after they've matured, so I'll know if they are maturing yet. I assume that is when I need to worry about the house and/or live tree infestation???? -- Michelle Fort Worth, Texas, USA Life is short. Be determined to enjoy every minute of it! |
#9
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On Thu, 23 Sep 2004 11:33:54 -0500, "Michelle Fulton"
wrote: It's a big stack :-( You just need to move it several inches away from the wall so you can pull the plastic drop cloth over the back and drop, say a 2" by 4" piece of lumber down to seal the plastic to the floor. Use clear plastic so the beetles cannot find gaps and holes easily. What do these suckers look like after they've matured, so I'll know if they are maturing yet. One group looks like large Click Beetles and the other has long antennaes and very hard shells. So large(er), narrow beetles, especially ones with antennae that are at least half as long as the body. Mostly they are over 1/2 inch long, maybe 3/4 inch long with some to 1 inch long, especially the ones with long antennaes. Rusty Mase |
#11
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In article ,
"Michelle Fulton" wrote: Hi, everyone :-) I have an issue that I hope someone in this group will be able to help me with. I've read and posted to this group a couple of times and was pleased with the knowledge and helpful attitude, so I'm back :-) A recent storm brought down some large tree limbs in my mom's yard. She had some people out to trim the trees and they cut it up into fireplace size pieces (almost). I was the recipient of said firewood, which I have chosen to store in the garage, instead of outside, because it stays dry and relatively bug free, and rats won't nest in it if it's in the garage. There's about a cord, or slightly less. Anyway, I noticed a couple of days ago, these little piles of very fine sawdust here and there amongst the logs, so there is something chewing through the wood. Lots of somethings :-/ I saw one pile, looked like a very small ant hill, that couldn't have come from wood above, because there was no wood above it. This indicated to me that the creature was pushing the wood up out of the log as it bores in, but when I cleared the little pile, there was no hole :-? Being a bit worried about bringing such creatures into my home, I set off two insecticide bombs and closed the garage, as I left for the day. I had already done this once, the day I brought the wood home, because there were spiders in it. I came home many hours later last night and blew the piles of sawdust away so I could see if they reappeared. I looked and looked, but could never see any bugs. However, I could hear them. This is scaring me!!! Sooooooo, do any of you know of a creature that might do this? I believe the majority of the wood is mulberry. Some of the piles of sawdust were 2 or 4 inches long and 1/2 inch deep at the deepest point. It is very fine. I'm not totally sure it is not excretion, but it still looks just like the wood so I'm thinking the bug isn't eating it. However, there were a couple of piles that didn't get blown away, so I can examine the stuff more thoroughly if needed. I have turned over logs that it looked like the stuff must be coming from and see nothing. It is baffling, but I can see where some branches might have been weakened enough to snap in a storm. Thanks for any help! Probably carpenter ants! I'd treat the wood thoroughly before bringing it indoors! K. -- Sprout the MungBean to reply "One man's god is another man's devil (and vice versa) as far as I'm concerned." --Delta Nine |
#12
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But they _will_ infest wood in the house frames....
I'd not risk it without making sure I killed them off! K. In article et, "Gary Brady" wrote: Sounds like carpenter ants. They burrow into wood and produce a by-product that looks like white cornmeal. If you listen carefullly, you can hear a sound like chewing or munching. They're not really dangerous because they don't eat wood like termites, they just live in it. Individual ants are large, red and black, and don't sting. -- Gary Brady Austin, TX "Michelle Fulton" wrote in message ... Hi, everyone :-) I have an issue that I hope someone in this group will be able to help me with. I've read and posted to this group a couple of times and was pleased with the knowledge and helpful attitude, so I'm back :-) A recent storm brought down some large tree limbs in my mom's yard. She had some people out to trim the trees and they cut it up into fireplace size pieces (almost). I was the recipient of said firewood, which I have chosen to store in the garage, instead of outside, because it stays dry and relatively bug free, and rats won't nest in it if it's in the garage. There's about a cord, or slightly less. Anyway, I noticed a couple of days ago, these little piles of very fine sawdust here and there amongst the logs, so there is something chewing through the wood. Lots of somethings :-/ I saw one pile, looked like a very small ant hill, that couldn't have come from wood above, because there was no wood above it. This indicated to me that the creature was pushing the wood up out of the log as it bores in, but when I cleared the little pile, there was no hole :-? Being a bit worried about bringing such creatures into my home, I set off two insecticide bombs and closed the garage, as I left for the day. I had already done this once, the day I brought the wood home, because there were spiders in it. I came home many hours later last night and blew the piles of sawdust away so I could see if they reappeared. I looked and looked, but could never see any bugs. However, I could hear them. This is scaring me!!! Sooooooo, do any of you know of a creature that might do this? I believe the majority of the wood is mulberry. Some of the piles of sawdust were 2 or 4 inches long and 1/2 inch deep at the deepest point. It is very fine. I'm not totally sure it is not excretion, but it still looks just like the wood so I'm thinking the bug isn't eating it. However, there were a couple of piles that didn't get blown away, so I can examine the stuff more thoroughly if needed. I have turned over logs that it looked like the stuff must be coming from and see nothing. It is baffling, but I can see where some branches might have been weakened enough to snap in a storm. Thanks for any help! -- Michelle Fort Worth, Texas, USA Life is short. Be determined to enjoy every minute of it! -- Sprout the MungBean to reply "One man's god is another man's devil (and vice versa) as far as I'm concerned." --Delta Nine |
#13
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"Cindy" wrote in message
Good Lord, I'd be inclined to haul the whole pile to the dump. LOL :-) This is what I've decided to do!!! So much for free firewood :-( -- Michelle Fort Worth, Texas, USA Life is short. Be determined to enjoy every minute of it! |
#14
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They're not really dangerous because they
don't eat wood like termites, they just live in it. Individual ants are large, red and black, and don't sting. This isn't entirely true. They can cause structural damage and you DEFINITELY don't want them in your house. -- Gary Brady Austin, TX "Michelle Fulton" wrote in message ... Hi, everyone :-) I have an issue that I hope someone in this group will be able to help me with. I've read and posted to this group a couple of times and was pleased with the knowledge and helpful attitude, so I'm back :-) A recent storm brought down some large tree limbs in my mom's yard. She had some people out to trim the trees and they cut it up into fireplace size pieces (almost). I was the recipient of said firewood, which I have chosen to store in the garage, instead of outside, because it stays dry and relatively bug free, and rats won't nest in it if it's in the garage. There's about a cord, or slightly less. Anyway, I noticed a couple of days ago, these little piles of very fine sawdust here and there amongst the logs, so there is something chewing through the wood. Lots of somethings :-/ I saw one pile, looked like a very small ant hill, that couldn't have come from wood above, because there was no wood above it. This indicated to me that the creature was pushing the wood up out of the log as it bores in, but when I cleared the little pile, there was no hole :-? Being a bit worried about bringing such creatures into my home, I set off two insecticide bombs and closed the garage, as I left for the day. I had already done this once, the day I brought the wood home, because there were spiders in it. I came home many hours later last night and blew the piles of sawdust away so I could see if they reappeared. I looked and looked, but could never see any bugs. However, I could hear them. This is scaring me!!! Sooooooo, do any of you know of a creature that might do this? I believe the majority of the wood is mulberry. Some of the piles of sawdust were 2 or 4 inches long and 1/2 inch deep at the deepest point. It is very fine. I'm not totally sure it is not excretion, but it still looks just like the wood so I'm thinking the bug isn't eating it. However, there were a couple of piles that didn't get blown away, so I can examine the stuff more thoroughly if needed. I have turned over logs that it looked like the stuff must be coming from and see nothing. It is baffling, but I can see where some branches might have been weakened enough to snap in a storm. Thanks for any help! -- Michelle Fort Worth, Texas, USA Life is short. Be determined to enjoy every minute of it! |
#15
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