Ant damage?

[Steve Bullman]

i happened across a couple of goat willows today with a lot of damage. There was a lot of ants around the trunks so i wondered if they were the culprits. i dont think it is however as the the holes seem too big.

any ideas?

[felixthelogchopper]

Beetle larvae then woodpeckers hunting same?

[skyhuck]

Wood wasps???

[Steve Bullman]

Wood wasps???

 

thats what i wondered

[skyhuck]

I took out a goat willow with similar looking sized holes and some had dead wood wasps still in the holes.

[tommer9]

I reckon that the ants have moved in after something else has made those holes. They look like the sort of holes i see quite a few of when milling, and there is usually a big fat grub in them. I have come across wood wasp larva in larch (i dont think that yours is that) and in hardwoods esp oak I have seen what i think may be goat moth larvae, which make holes similar to yours.

 

edit- i have just read the wood wasp suggestions......i have only seen this in larch sapwood. Didnt know they attacked other woods.

[Saw-sick Steve]

You're right Tommer, the Wood Wasp most commonly encountered here is Urocerus gigas, the huge black and orange beast that sounds like a microlight but is totally harmless.

It's larvae does feed on softwood, I've only ever encountered it on larch but it will feed on other softwoods such as Abies and pines.

[tommer9]

You're right Tommer, the Wood Wasp most commonly encountered here is Urocerus gigas, the huge black and orange beast that sounds like a microlight but is totally harmless.

It's larvae does feed on softwood, I've only ever encountered it on larch but it will feed on other softwoods such as Abies and pines.

 

Microlight- thats a great description. I heard one above the noise of the (idling) engine on the mill one day. I thought something had gone wrong until i saw it flying about!!

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

ants love nesting in the rotten cores of trees, and theres a whole community of woodpecker fodder in there hence mr yaffle the old wooden book end has been going regular for his breakfast!

[Bundle 2]

Tommer said"I have seen what i think may be goat moth larvae, which make holes similar to yours...."

Never seen goat moth caterpillars in "gregarious" burrowing...ie, alot of holes together. It was my first thoght. I guess it's hard to know quitye what sequence of events has occurred here. There is obviously quite a bit of debis associated...

 

Goat moth.So called for it's smell. Cossus cossus.

 

Goat Moth Cossus cossus - UKMoths