borers in pine lumber

[kenlt30]

Sawed several 2x6s for a fellow today. Found what I think are flathead borers in some of the lumber. We are in East Tennessee.Trees have been down for about a year. What is best to spray on 150 2x6s plus probably another 150 tomorrow. Sorry, I haven't created a gallery yet (for  photos).
Thanks

[Magicman]

As old as those logs were it sounds like "sawyer worms" that cut pencil size holes.  You need to slab heavy to get below the holes.  There is no worry about reinvestigation.

[kenlt30]

Thanks Magicman. Will the larva in the lumber die due to drying of lumber? It will be air dried under metal roofing material. Log owner is very concerned that thay will continue to chomp those pencil sized holes.

[hacknchop]

Are the 2x6's gonna be used as framing or are they intented for furniture? Framing lumber can stand fair bit of insect damage #2 can have equivalent to a 2" hole pr lin ft in 2x6 or 8  1/4" holes pr ft, wont be pretty but makes the grade!!!

[Dad2FourWI]

Wow, this sounds all too familiar!!!

This is one of buggers....



 

In our cabin/house - they pretty much did what they wanted... they ran their cycle and we just kept killing them as they came out... When the building inspector was on site, he saw the holes but did not care one bit.

All the same, I am glad they are no longer "cohabiting" with us!!!!! :D

-Dad2FourWI

[Magicman]

 

 
Here is the grub with lots of little ones in the background.

[JohnM]

If you have chickens they will love you forever. ;D

 
...or until you run out of grubs. :

[Nomad]

If you have chickens they will love you forever. ;D

 
...or until you run out of grubs. :

     So will panfish.  Great bait!!!

[36 coupe]

Pine logs should not be left for a year.Have not sawed pine but you can hear the borers chewing the  wood.I worked cutting a large pine lot many years ago.The boss was in a hurry to get the logs sawed.I was 17 at the time,76 now.The years go by like grass through a goose.

[richhiway]

From my experience the pine borers start when the cut log warms up. You can only keep pine logs in cool weather. After you cut it into boards they are no longer active. Sometimes the logs are left to the borers purposely so the boards have the holes,to give them age or character. And yes as they grow you can hear them munching away.

[thecfarm]

On may land those bugs find the white pine logs almost as soon as it hits the ground.  I have seen sawdust come out of a good size limb that was raised above the ground. I can hear them things chewing away the wood.

[hunz]

I have seen all too many of those as well. Once the wood is dried anywhere below 20%ish m.c. they are out of there. I fell a bunch of white pine 2 years back, and within 3 months they were in the sapwood, after one year on the ground, much of the side lumber yielded from cutting beams was full of holes. Next time I know, that just because you get the pine cut before the sap starts to run up, your job isn't done there. Soon after the bugs invade.

[drobertson]

Thanks for posting the pictures!  I have thought about it many times, these guys are all over the pine here in So. Mo.  Been dealing with juvenile ones on the last job.  And be forewarned, they will attack as it gets hotter.   

[Chuck White]

I sawed two 36"+X12' White Pine logs last summer that had been cut for 3 years and were still "solid" as any I've ever sawed!

The big secret to them lasting so long was #1, They were completely peeled (debarked), #2, They were up off the ground, about a foot, on blocks and #3, They were not touching each other and got full ventilation!

They were some real beauties, I got a lot of 24" sheathing boards out of them!

Not one borer hole and the only metal I hit was two, 22LR bullets!

[Magicman]

That 1, 2, & 3 will work every time Chuck. 

[drobertson]

Been seeing a few, this one on the saw when I was bout to clean an end off,

  

 
Not a big fan of these bugs,

[36 coupe]

On may land those bugs find the white pine logs almost as soon as it hits the ground.  I have seen sawdust come out of a good size limb that was raised above the ground. I can hear them things chewing away the wood.

I had notes about the best months to cut white pine couldnt find them.My son found an Old Farmers Almanac from 1900.An article on white pine said this.White pine should be cut in August,September, October.If cut in these months the logs may lay on the ground without being eaten by worms.But if cut in February,March or April ,unless the logs be put in water soon after being cut,and kept there until sawed the worms will eat them so badly that the lumber will be only second or third quality.I make notes but cant find them now.

[Ocklawahaboy]

I cut some logs with those yesterday.  Birds really got interested in the slab pile when I was done.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

You can catch a mess of Brim with them grubs.