Round headed borer larvae

[smokedragon]

Found these in the wood I was busting this past weekend, and wondered if anyone else had encountered them and what they did about them.

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/sorec/what-are-those-worms-my-firewood

I knocked them out of the wood when I found them, then stacked the wood......

I haven't read anywhere that they were exceptionally dangerous to my home or woodpile, certainly not to the trees around my house.

Thoughts?

 

[cannon]

They only bore into dead wood under the bark.No need to worry about them getting into your home.I use them for ice fishing,someone told me that they studied the pincers on these borers years ago for the design of the chain saw chain.

 

[Woody Stover]

I see those in several different species of wood here....White Ash, Hickory etc.

 

[smokedragon]

That's interesting Woody......I have NEVER seen them in hard wood around here, only softwood.

No need to worry about them getting into your home

I worry if I miss one.......Why do you say no worry about them getting in??

 

[Wood Duck]

I have found both roundheaded and flat headed borers in firewood here in PA. It looks to me like several different species in each group are here. I try to pull the bark off my firewood and when I do so I sometimes dislodge lots of borers. Small birds and my chickens both seem to like to eat the borers.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

We don't worry about them at all.

 

[bobdog2o02]

I have found them in maple, oak, and hickory in south central pa. They are mostly just creepy but my cat thinks they're tasty

 

[bigbarf48]

Ive gotten lots of those in dead oak Ive cut up. I certainly wouldnt worry about them

 

[Roundgunner]

Makes me want to burn it up before the bugs eat it all.

 

[bsruther]

I usually find these juicy buggers under decaying logs or tree roots.
My chickens love them.

 

[Roundgunner]

I ran into lots of sleepy black ants while splitting this year. I bet they will be POd when they find out they are stacked up in ant condos now.

 

[osagebow]

Good bait. Found big flatheads in locust and oak. I can often hear a different species chewing in the shortleaf pine logs lining my driveway.

 

[smokedragon]

I can often hear a different species chewing in the shortleaf pine logs lining my driveway.

My wife thinks I am crazy when I tell her I can hear them chewing at the wood pile in the summer (the only do it when it is really warm, the must be dormant when it's cold).......

I appreciate all the responses.......I picked up a load of dead wood that was cut and bulldozed into a large pile last march, and about every third round I cut had these. I have seen them before, but not in such large numbers.

The wood is very dead wood, and very dry (hell to cut, but it will be ready to burn this winter). It is what I have always called knotty pine (which is southern yellow pine).

Should I go back and get another load. He has about 4 log trucks worth, and I took what will amount to 2 cords off his hands last time.

Any comments o wise ones??

 

[Applesister]

I think its an easy way to get ahead. If the location is close to your home so you arent spreading bugs. NY has a 50 mile firewood transport law. So it can be a general rule.
I think for every species of tree there is a pest that evolved to feed off of it. I read that the more ancient a species of tree the more wider range of pests that attack it.

 

[smokedragon]

..........If the location is close to your home so you arent spreading bugs. NY has a 50 mile firewood transport law........

I don't need a law for that. My truck gets 12 mpg (on a good day, without my trailer behind it). If it is more than 30 - 35 miles away, I just cannot justify the time and travel and fuel.

I just worry about bringing the buggers into the house.........yuck

 

[osagebow]

They won't leave the wood as larvae and crawl to a 2x4. A rare adult could possibly emerge, ( I doubt it though), but it would be harmless anyway- no more threatening than a stink bug. Go getcha an easy scrounge, if you have the room to stack it somewhere.

 

[smokedragon]

if you have the room to stack it somewhere.

I can always make room