What's this bug on my wood?

[JoPy]

I have a rick of what I believe to be mulberry. With it came these bugs that look like carpenter ant/wasp hybrids and can fly. They walk around at speed and fly even faster. I'm assuming they are some kind of borer. They dont seem to be moving to my other species of wood. Anyone familiar with these?

 

[TreePointer]

Looks like a red-headed ash borer.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoclytus_acuminatus

 

[JoPy]

Yep, that's them. Thanks Treepointer. Going to do some reading.

 

[TreePointer]

...and my sister said my bug collection was disgusting and useless. Hah!

 

[fishki]

I had those on a newly planted maple two summers ago. The tree is now dead.

 

[osagebow]

I wonder if they and EAB will severely impact other species once all the ash are gone. Finally confirmed EAB on my trees this week.

 

[TreePointer]

...Finally confirmed EAB on my trees this week.

Sorry to hear that. I first saw EAB effects in my immediate area (`~100 acre plot) three years ago on two isolated trees. Within two years every ash tree had shown signs of infection, and this third year there are no ash trees that leafed out. I'll be scrambling to turn it into firewood (and hopefully a few mill logs) over the next year.

Unfortunately, I spent the bulk of the past two years recovering from some shoulder and elbow issues. If not for that, I would have harvested them at the first sign of infestation. My advice: if you aren't going to attempt to save them, harvest them ASAP, as some of the wood will get rotten even before the trees fall naturally. Good luck!