Firewood pests and solutions…

[FerlasDave]

Hi folks, I was enjoying the sun restocking and sorting the firewood today and I have noticed that I have somewhat of an infestation. The oak that I split and stacked back in the spring is suffering with beetle grub of some sort. I can’t find much online, but the cambium layer is turning to a red dust like powder and the bark is just coming away in sheets. There are small holes and I found a larvae or two but I assume most are buried down deep now. I’m not overly concerned as most of it will be burned up but it has left me with two questions.

Firstly, does anyone know anything about what insect this could be or has had the same experience?

Secondly, (and hopefully where the discussion can really take off too) what other pests/problems have people faced with their firewood and how did you control the issue?

I’ve had most things from mushrooms to mice, but red dust is a new one on me and rather a nuisance to deal with.

 

[Toddy]

Not sure about the red, but the frass is likely from something like a pinhole borer if it's on oak.

The only 'red' dust that I know of is from dry rot. Maybe it's a fungal infection rather than insect infestation ?

A friend found his woodpile to be infested, he just burned through it asap, and tried to keep the next stacks really well aerated as they dried.
Splitting the timber and removing the bark helps.
The bark gives insects hiding places, protection, and it can slow down drying.

The removed bark dries out more quickly too, and then it's just good tinder/ kindling.

 

[Broch]

There are a number of oak boring beetles - some infest oak whilst growing, others infest it (and other woods) once felled. Some only go into the bark layers but some bore deeper into the wood. There's even one called the Powder Post Beetle! The beetle could be the cause of the dust. I would need a photo to identify the beetle and they can be quite small . How big are the holes?

The worst 'dust' problem I have had with firewood is on sycamore - black soot fungus which causes severe breathing problems with some people. It tends to form under the bark, though it can be visible on the outside as well, and can create quite high volumes of jet black soot-like dust.

 

[Toddy]

I thought the powder post beetle was an American thing .....we live and learn

 

[Broch]

I thought the powder post beetle was an American thing .....we live and learn

It was, and the tropics; it's imported with wood

 

[FerlasDave]

I thought the powder post beetle was an American thing .....we live and learn

The problem I’m having when looking things up, it seems there’s no record of distribution of these pests and most are are global issue now.

@Broch Ill try and get some decent photos and post them up.

 

[C_Claycomb]

I had exactly the same thing with some live-oak logs that I collected locally. Holes never went more than 1/8th inch deep into wood, but made mince of the inner bark layer. I stacked the wood in my conservatory and could hear the little blighters chewing if I stood in there quietly! Never did see an adult that I could identify. Didn't seem to like the other wood and haven't had any lasting problems with other wood in there since.

 

[oldtimer]

The Bark Borer ernobius mollis?
The powder post beetle was one we looked out for when I worked briefly as a timber infestation surveyor in the 1960's: I never came across any in my patch in the south of England. Most common insect infestation was common furniture beetle anobius puntctatum. Coniofera cerebella (wet rot) and merulius lacrymans (dry rot) were the most common fungal infestations.

 

[Brizzlebush]

I had some form of infestation in my woodpile. I figured it was wood worm.
So I bought a 3L pressure sprayer and some woodworm- killing concentrate online. I think it said it deals with all sorts of bugs.
I soaked the whole lot with the spray, let them dry, turned the logs and had another go.
Seemed to do the trick.

 

[Pattree]

Would “tenting” the woodpile with a cheap tarp and then gassing the heap with exhaust fumes do anything?

 

[Billy-o]

A friend found his woodpile to be infested, he just burned through it asap, and tried to keep the next stacks really well aerated as they dried.

There's an answer

 

[Broch]

Agreed. I'm afraid I can't really understand the purpose of applying any kind of treatment - 1) it's a waste if money, 2) I'm not sure about the fumes when burning, and 3) the beetle's already gone if you see holes

 

[Toddy]

Would “tenting” the woodpile with a cheap tarp and then gassing the heap with exhaust fumes do anything?

I don't know; but I do know that the roofs of roundhouses, that were filled with smoke...they don't have chimneys, the smoke from the central hearth billows up into the cone and sort of seeps through the thatch, but mostly spills downwards and out at the eaves.....are pretty much insect proof.
The smoke kills insects, prevents vermin infestations, etc., and since it's above head height, the humans aren't really breathing it in.

Meat, cheese, ropes, leather, nets, tools, etc., stored up there all last very well indeed...though very black.

 

[Nice65]

Many years ago, my mum thought the old thatched house we lived in looked rustic with both log bins kept full year round. The Deathwatch beetle larvae loved the warmth and infested every timber in the place, causing us to have the entire roof and thatch replaced.

 

[Toddy]

Many years ago, my mum thought the old thatched house we lived in looked rustic with both log bins kept full year round. The Deathwatch beetle larvae loved the warmth and infested every timber in the place, causing us to have the entire roof and thatch replaced.

Should have burned the timber and let the smoke deal with it all

 

[FerlasDave]

Well it would seem I’ve found the culprit of my “infestation”. Found a small number of these flying about in the garden and workshop, after some research it seems they favour oak and don’t really cause any damage to wood that has the bark removed. Which means my workshop is somewhat safe (phew!)

The interesting past is that there are no recordings of this particular beetle round here at all. Would anyone know where I could find somewhere to properly take record of the species? Hmm.

Phymatodes testaceus | uk beetles

www.ukbeetles.co.uk

 

[Toddy]

Insect recording - Insect Week

What is a biological record? Four pieces of information about an insect that you find: Other information could include the habitat, food plant, time of day, weather, life stage of the insect, trapping or survey…

www.insectweek.org

Home | iRecord

irecord.org.uk

Pretty sure those will work. It used to be an enormous hassle, but modern phones have made life so easy.

 

[Broch]

Well it would seem I’ve found the culprit of my “infestation”. Found a small number of these flying about in the garden and workshop, after some research it seems they favour oak and don’t really cause any damage to wood that has the bark removed. Which means my workshop is somewhat safe (phew!)

The interesting past is that there are no recordings of this particular beetle round here at all. Would anyone know where I could find somewhere to properly take record of the species? Hmm.

View attachment 88742

Phymatodes testaceus | uk beetles

www.ukbeetles.co.uk

You come under COFNOD in N Wales; they’re part of the UK LERC network. Www.cofnod.org.uk

 

[FerlasDave]

Thanks both. I’ll have a look into all of those!