Is this anything to worry about

[wizer]

Went out to find a log to play with my new toy this morning to find this

It's only in the Ash logs, the laburnum, chestnut, beech etc are all fine.

Woodworm?

 

[John. B]

Yes, past tense. Cos that's where they have been
Microwave everything else.

John. B

 

[CHJ]

In my experience Ash log bark is a favourite haunt of the little darlings for some reason.

Make sure that you don't encourage them into the workshop or house.

At least if they are attracted to the Ash they will be encouraged to leave the other stuff alone.

When noted, I remove bark and place in fire bin before taking it into workshop. Some I cut up yesterday had slight traces of worm holes running parallel to bark surface but no sign of the wood itself being attacked, neither has there been any indication of problems from wood part processed in the past and placed in storage so guess there have been no eggs laid in it.

 

[Bodrighy]

As Chas says, get rid of the bark and check the sapwood, they rarely get into the heart wood IME. I'd keep it seperate jsut to play safe.Personally I quite like the effect that wormholes can leave in wood. also sometimes look good filled with brass powder if ther's enough of them

Pete

 

[nicewood]

I would get rid of the lot, before your workshop gets infected

 

[cornucopia]

I thought woodworm didnt attack wet wood?!?!? I also seem to have a vague memory about a bark beetle that looks like woodworm but doesnt affect the timber!?!?!!?

 

[wizer]

thanks chaps. I've been doing a bit of research and whilst I can find reference to an 'Ash Bar Beetle', the pics of it's tracks are much different to what I've got. They seem to stay on the surface and leave tracks.

I'm not sure the best course of action. If these logs are affected then it doesn't bother me too much as this is all practise wood. But I don't want it to get into the workshop or in any of the other wood piles (if it is general woodworm). It's just typical that I had some rather large boards of Sycamore delivered right next to the infested log pile last week and they are much too big for me to lift on my own. So I'm going to have to slowly re-locate the log pile elsewhere and hope for the best.

Do we know how far these beetles will wonder to fine more wood? Should I just dump it all?

 

[tekno.mage]

As I recall from several years ago (when treating woodworm in old furniture - where it was called furniture beetle) the woodworm beetle emerges & lays it's eggs in the spring - so any woodworm in your ash should not infect other wood until next spring when the adults emerge to breed. Of course, if the ash is touching the other wood, the odd stray woodworm larvae may just nibble it's way from the ash & into other wood.

Having said all that, I've often found ash logs with worm holes just like yours in the bark - and no holes in the wood underneath, so I'm not sure they are woodworm in the traditional sense. I've not had a problem with the wood from such affected logs.

tekno.mage

 

[CHJ]

So far I've only managed to find one reference to them:

Scroll down to the Ash ladder-back rocking chair.

They certainly don't appear to leave the same dust trails that normal woodworm exhibit.

 

[John. B]

They do like Sycamore as much as Ash. They ruined two of my large pieces of Sycamore,
so I think it might be a good idea if you should check those boards and move them.

John. B

 

[CHJ]

Found this: hopefully this is the culprit. From HERE


Bark Borer beetle
(Ernobius mollis

(other name waney edge borer
Looks very like common furniture beetle at first sight however all the damage is along the bark edge (waney edge) most attacks is superficial As this insect only feeds upon bark and outer sap rings of the timber, and the infestation dies out when the bark is removed, chemical treatment is not necessary.

 

[wizer]

Thanks for your help guys. I think as a plan of action I will separate the Ash away from the rest of the logs and then keep and eye on both piles. First sign of infestation elsewhere then I'll have to dump the lot. As soon as I can get a few able bodied helpers, I'll move the Sycamore well away from any of the log piles.