Woodworm in apple trees

[damski007]

Please can you assist in identifying the larvae that I have found in two of the trees I have just had milled into planks. What is the best treatment to kill these without ruining the wood?.

[Dan Maynard]

I've been reading up about woodworm, conclusion was that all the chemical treatments are mostly snake oil as they don't penetrate deep enough anyway. Getting the wood moisture content down will kill them for sure and is the only way really.

[Squaredy]

13 hours ago, damski007 said:

 

Please can you assist in identifying the larvae that I have found in two of the trees I have just had milled into planks. What is the best treatment to kill these without ruining the wood?.

 

Generally the woodworm you find in a log will die once the timber is dried.  These are not the furniture beetle which likes dry timber.  Also the fact that the holes are black shows  the ones in the photo are old holes from years ago.

 

I would put them to dry and keep a look out for any new holes, especially in may and June and use a chemical treatment if there is any sign of new activity.

 

 The chemical treatments will only kill the beatles as they emerge but this will then stop them laying new eggs.

Edited May 12, 2021 by Squaredy

[damski007]

I've been reading up about woodworm, conclusion was that all the chemical treatments are mostly snake oil as they don't penetrate deep enough anyway. Getting the wood moisture content down will kill them for sure and is the only way really.

Thanks Dan
They are all going to be dried for a couple of years, I have stacked them with 20mm spacers in between each slab.

[damski007]

Generally the woodworm you find in a log will die once the timber is dried.  These are not the furniture beetle which likes dry timber.  Also the fact that the holes are black shows  the ones in the photo are old holes from years ago.
 
I would put them to dry and keep a look out for any new holes, especially in may and June and use a chemical treatment if there is any sign of new activity.
 
 The chemical treatments will only kill the beatles as they emerge but this will then stop them laying new eggs.

Thanks for the advise, I have treated all the slabs. Should I keep these separate from my other slabs I have that are not infected or will they be ok?.

[Squaredy]

24 minutes ago, damski007 said:

Thanks for the advise, I have treated all the slabs. Should I keep these separate from my other slabs I have that are not infected or will they be ok?.

Once treated they should be fine.

[damski007]

Once treated they should be fine.

This morning I went and inspected the boards, there were a few tiny pupae that had come to the surface but they all looked lifeless. I used a Wickes wood treatment that cures dry rot mould and woodworm. It was really old but seems to of done the trick.

[Peasgood]

If it was really old it probably contained chemicals that have subsequently been banned. New stuff doesn't work so well.

[damski007]

If it was really old it probably contained chemicals that have subsequently been banned. New stuff doesn't work so well.

I was thinking the exact same thing when I was using it, the larvae that I have found are dead so it works ok.