What creature is in my wood?

[Tom123]

Hi: the pics are of some oak and hickory that have been stacked since May. As you will see in the pictures there is some very fine powder sawdust that has appeared and I am wondering what insect is in this wood.

 

[claydogg84]

Hi: the pics are of some oak and hickory that have been stacked since May. As you will see in the pictures there is some very fine powder sawdust that has appeared and I am wondering what insect is in this wood.

I believe it's black carpenter ants. I have the exact same thing going on with my Hickory..

 

[Tom123]

Thanks ClayDogg84. Carpenter ants makes sense. I have seen them in other wood when splitting.

 

[claydogg84]

Thanks ClayDogg84. Carpenter ants makes sense. I have seen them in other wood when splitting.

I was tempted to put a few ant poison traps out, as they have been eating away enough to make my stacks shift..

 

[Jags]

Perfectly round, small holes with super fine dust could also be powder post beetles.

 

[billb3]

There are a number of beetles that like cut logs and firewood, powder post beetle being quite common.

Big piles of powdery sawdust like that are usually beetles.

Some live just under the bark, some bore their way in. If they escape into your house in the Winter they do NOT eat your house. 99.9999999999999999999999999% of them happily, obliviously munch away as you toss their homes into the fire.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

I get that powder a lot in my stacks, like these fellas said beetles, ants and probably some other bugs doing it. No worries though like billb3 said....

 

[Tom123]

Thanks everyone.

 

[30cal]

Hickory borer...I cut hickory all the time, these little bastards are the cause of your frass...google it..

 

[Applesister]

Thanks for that picture.
I have evidence of powder post beetles getting into structures. It was from storing firewood in our guesthouse, using unfinished knotty pine on wall and ceiling, and storing infected lumber in my horsebarn.
The horsebarn is suffering the worse.
What I have read is that when you cut trees down and leave them sit for any period, in the woods usually, it predisposes the wood to infestations.
I have found that to be true. I left hickory overwinter in deep snow (couldnt get it out) and it had suffered every manner of infestation.
What I do is seperate infected wood from clean wood. I call them my buggy piles. I am just conscious of them and bring them directly to the stove. From woodpile into the flames. I do not toss back in the woods. I save everything and burn everything.
Also most wood boring beetles will not infect painted or treated wood, and predominantly prefer green wood to fully seasoned. A good reason to fully dry the wood out. Gives the bugs time to chit and get.
Sorry, not meaning to scare anyone.

 

[warno]

We have wood bore bees that leave little saw dust piles where ever they make their homes. It's usually up in higher areas like column posts for my porch at home, but I could see that maybe they could be a culprit as well.

 

[ccmac]

Yep that is what I was gonna say. Boring bees. I have a healthy dislike for them. I lived in a log home and they are a pain in the neck.

 

[Tom123]

I went out and split a affected piece tonight and here is what I found. Is this a powder post Beatle grub?

 

[billb3]

all the powder post beetle damage I've seen the exit holes and galleries were the size of a pencil lead.

 

[Jags]

I went out and split a affected piece tonight and here is what I found. Is this a powder post Beatle grub?

No. Powder post beetles are tiny. As Billb3 said, the size of mechanical pencil lead.

 

[chazcarr]

I went out and split a affected piece tonight and here is what I found. Is this a powder post Beatle grub?

I'm going with 30cal, that looks like the damage of the Hickory borer beetle.
Google image search matches your pictures of the larva and tunnels exactly.

 

[Tom123]

I Googled Hickory borer beetle and saw the same stuff as my pics. I agree.

 

[Highbeam]

Lot's of larger beetles have grubs that leave larger tunnels like that. I see that same size tunnel and grub in my douglas fir rounds. About 1/4". Super dry wood, those grubs are happy there too.