Help me identify the tiny insects which continue to live in ash splits after the wood has been has b

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John_M

John_M

Minister of Fire
Dec 10, 2008
614
Central NY
Again this year I am noticing many almost microscopic holes just under the bark in some ash splits. There is continued insect activity within these holes because I notice a constant discharge of a substance resembling the looks of cinnamon. These holes are about 1" apart and there can be 30 or more in the split. I have never seen ants or other insects in or around these holes or piles of droppings.

Any idea what could be invading my beautiful btu enriched ash splits? Do these insects have a reputation for invading a home and destroying framing members? >:-(

Best wishes for good health. John_M
 
Take pictures, I might gues powder post beatles.
 
Yes, powder post beetles. Basically harmless. I've never known them to be a problem with buildings.

I have known them to ruin more than a few handles on some tools though. One time I wanted to dig a hole and the post hole digger's handles were filled with those little holes. It didn't take much to break them either.

If you really want to see a bunch of them, cut some dead elm and leave it stacked for a year! That is where we see them the worst around here. We simply knock the dust off the wood before bringing it indoors.
 
Thanks, gzecc and Dennis. This is the first I have heard of powder post beetles. It is reassuring to know they are known to be not harmful to building structures. I'll continue to do as Dennis describes: just knock the dust off and bring the wood inside.
:) John_M
 
I lived in Atlanta for 18 years. PPBs are a problem there, particularly in sheds/out buildings, etc.
 
John, They could be a problem with buildings. They just consume little. I wouldn't want them in my house. Do not leave any of that wood in your house. I would not stack it with in 50' of the house. I would not stack any new wood in the same location.
 
The joists in my basement were coated with something resembling tar because of those darned bugs, much pine I have stacked gets them , too, or something related.
 
John - don't ignore them if they get into structures. They Can and Will harm the strength of joists and posts. They are pretty easy to bomb with typical bug bombs or spray.
 
That's weird as we've had them in granaries and other outbuildings but the only thing they ever seem to do damage to is tool handles. No damage to other wood.
 
I've only read this but apparently there are some that eat only hard wood and others that like soft wood.
 
Backwoods Savage said:
That's weird as we've had them in granaries and other outbuildings but the only thing they ever seem to do damage to is tool handles. No damage to other wood.
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I am personally familiar with a cabin owned by a friend that "needed" to have the little bugs gone. They were really going to town on some structural support beams. If left unchecked, a few more years might have proven to be a very expensive repair.
 
Post powder beetles can destroy a house. I had them in mine. They like moist wood and I had a moist crawl space.I had to spray borates to kill the bugs and put a vapor barrier down to control moisture. I ended up
replacing 10 floor joists :shut:
 
Jags said:
John - don't ignore them if they get into structures. They Can and Will harm the strength of joists and posts. They are pretty easy to bomb with typical bug bombs or spray.
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Yep. I used to do work in a 300+ year old timber frame structure. At one point in the past, there'd been a wickid infestation. One of the summer beams got all chewed up and had been sistered up with a RR tie.
 
Wow! Thanks, guys for the info. All of the powdery droppings I noticed were in freshly split ash. Because this wood was freshly split it was still damp with at least a little sap. Holes and droppings were also evident just under the bark of wood that was recently cut and had been exposed to rain for a few days. Don't know why I have never spotted one of those little buggers moving about. Because Dennis has seen these beetles at work in tool handles (dry wood) I will be alert to that possibility. If Jags' buddy's cabin was used only seasonally, I wonder if that wood was damp therefore opening the possibility of the beetles being opportunists which will infest any convenient wood supply.

All of my wood is stacked within ten feet of the house and I always have a half cord or so stacked in the garage. In the next couple of days I will purchase a can of bug bomb and spray it into holes associated with new droppings of these microscopic terrorists. Do not know the outside environmental impact of burning wood which has been sprayed even lightly with an insecticide. My OAK should prevent any intoduction of the insecticide to inside air.

I will also maintain a constant look-out for other evidence of these beetles in and around the house and garage.

Isn't life supposed to become easier as we get older?

:-S Best wishes, John_M
 
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