Wormy Logs

[sime42]

Morning guys

 

Yesterday I discovered that my prized stack of ash logs that I've carefully stacked up to season before being used in the woodburner is riduled with some kind of wood worm.

 

It was the dust that alerted me at first, seemed more than the original saw dust from logging them and much finer. On closer​ inspection I can see the logs are covered in holes. But they only seem to be in the bark, not the actual wood.

 

Has anyone else had this before? Is it something I need to be concerned about? Or is this normal for ash?

 

Thanks

 

Simon

 

 

 

 

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[openspaceman]

Morning guys

 

Yesterday I discovered that my prized stack of ash logs that I've carefully stacked up to season before being used in the woodburner is riduled with some kind of wood worm.

 

Probably common furnitiure beetle or powder post beetle, ash is one of their favourites until its moisture content drops below 20%, they will have a go if it's rewetted.

 

It was the dust

 

Frass

[treequip]

Morning guys

 

Yesterday I discovered that my prized stack of ash logs that I've carefully stacked up to season before being used in the woodburner is riduled with some kind of wood worm.

 

It was the dust that alerted me at first, seemed more than the original saw dust from logging them and much finer. On closer​ inspection I can see the logs are covered in holes. But they only seem to be in the bark, not the actual wood.

 

Has anyone else had this before? Is it something I need to be concerned about? Or is this normal for ash?

 

Thanks

 

Simon

 

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Arbtalk mobile app

 

They aren't wormy logs, the worms are gone, the hole is where they left. Any galleries will be in the sapwood so not often a structural problem but since its all stove fodder anyway crack on.

[Rob D]

Morning guys

 

Yesterday I discovered that my prized stack of ash logs that I've carefully stacked up to season before being used in the woodburner is riduled with some kind of wood worm.

 

It was the dust that alerted me at first, seemed more than the original saw dust from logging them and much finer. On closer​ inspection I can see the logs are covered in holes. But they only seem to be in the bark, not the actual wood.

 

Has anyone else had this before? Is it something I need to be concerned about? Or is this normal for ash?

 

Thanks

 

Simon

 

 

 

 

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Arbtalk mobile app

 

 

 

I think you'll find the wood will still burn ok

[nepia]

Happens all the time in ash left for more than a couple of months. As said noting to fret over.

[sime42]

Thanks all

 

I knew there was a proper name for the dust, it's been doing my head in this morning trying to remember it! Frass. Good word.

 

My concern was not so much burning the wood, (though I guess if the worms ate enough of it there would not be many calories left to burn!). It was more a case of should i be careful about introducing woodworm into the house. Especially if as Openspaceman says they are furniture beetle.

 

The worms are very much still in there Treequip, wiggly white maggoty looking things.

 

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[Rob D]

It was more a case of should i be careful about introducing woodworm into the house.

 

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Arbtalk mobile app

 

When making the introductions make sure you do it formally as woodworms can get quite funny about etiquette

 

Ok on a serious note - Ref woodworm - where you have the right conditions for woodworm - you will have woodworm.

 

So if you have in your house the right conditions for woodworm they will already be there.

 

A bit of a rule of thumb but on the whole this tends to be the case (in the UK at least).

[peatff]

I brought some wood in for the stove last year and put it at the side of the boiler. It had been there for a couple of days and a brown flying beetle came out from under the bark and proceeded to fly round the room like a small drone. I caught it and let it out and next day another one emerged. They were coming out of some oak so I burnt it first. Now if I suspect any wood is infected I bring it in and burn it straight away no worries.

[rustcutter]

Will be ash bark beetles, the hole is not an exit. If you pare back the bark like peeling a spud you will trace the mine and find the culprits. The beetles are just mining out the cambium layer of the bark. They only seem to go for the freshest cut pieces and presumably standing wood. I think the larvae go into the wood but not a problem if the wood is just firewood.

[BrendanTreeFeller]

It will be a problem if they spread to your wood shed if built from wood or your house flooring !!