I have a wood pile infested with powder post beetles, what options do I have to eliminate?

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I have a wood pile infested with powder post beetles, what options do I have to eliminate?

there is hard and soft wood
I live in upstate new york
the infestation is active as I find new sawdust daily
should I be concerned about the trees on my property
do the beetles attack live trees and will they kill the trees?

Status: Open Oct 01, 2018 - 12:44 PM

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RonDawson

Oct 02, 2018 - 03:12 AM

It doesn't sound like powder post beetles. It sounds more like wood wasps. These wasps bore holes into the wood and create piles of sawdust.

Powder post beetles are not native to your area. They would have to be brought in the wood from areas such as the Gulf Coast.

Burning the wood is your best option, as there are no chemicals labeled to be used on firewood that is burned inside homes. The toxic release of a byproduct chemical would result. Thats why there are no pesticides labeled for use on firewood.

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Guest

on 11/16/2018 10:37:41 PM | Like (0) | Report

I had a pest control expert tell me the sawdust collecting around the golden birch posts (natural wood with its bark still on and varnished) in my log cabin was created by powder post beetles. I curious about your above answer since my house is upstate new york. Do you think he might be wrong. I talked to him and says he sees this problem all over the place in upstate NY.

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Guest

on 11/16/2018 10:40:46 PM | Like (0) | Report

He told me to mix up a batch of boracare with very little water and actually paint it on the posts. There's decorative, and are essentially just cut from young (25-40 ft) trees growing on my property. He says the soft wood makes them a target.

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RonDawson

on 11/19/2018 3:16:52 AM | Like (0) | Report

It depends on the type of birch. Powder Post beetles don't infest soft woods. Yellow birch is a hard hardwood and could become suspect to beetle infestation. However, since you are located in an area where these beetles are not native, it depends on where the wood came from.

In order to use BoraCare, the wood has to be unvarnished, unsealed, unpainted. If the wood is sealed, BoraCare will not penetrate. It is water based, so any type of sealant that repels water will repel the BoraCare. The only option at this point is to drill "channels" into the wood with a 1/2" or larger bit and fill the channels with BoraCare and hope that it penetrates the wood. Normally, if you drill every 6-8" at least halfway through the wood and fill the holes with BoraCare, its enough to kill whatever is inside the wood. Also know that BoraCare only kills the larvae. It does not kill adults, so emergence down the road and more "frass" or sawdust is likely until all pupae are developed and exit the wood.

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I had a pest control expert tell me the sawdust collecting around the golden birch posts (natural wood with its bark still on and varnished) in my log cabin was created by powder post beetles. I curious about your above answer since my house is upstate new york. Do you think he might be wrong. I talked to him and says he sees this problem all over the place in upstate NY.
He told me to mix up a batch of boracare with very little water and actually paint it on the posts. There's decorative, and are essentially just cut from young (25-40 ft) trees growing on my property. He says the soft wood makes them a target.
It depends on the type of birch. Powder Post beetles don't infest soft woods. Yellow birch is a hard hardwood and could become suspect to beetle infestation. However, since you are located in an area where these beetles are not native, it depends on where the wood came from.

In order to use BoraCare, the wood has to be unvarnished, unsealed, unpainted. If the wood is sealed, BoraCare will not penetrate. It is water based, so any type of sealant that repels water will repel the BoraCare. The only option at this point is to drill "channels" into the wood with a 1/2" or larger bit and fill the channels with BoraCare and hope that it penetrates the wood. Normally, if you drill every 6-8" at least halfway through the wood and fill the holes with BoraCare, its enough to kill whatever is inside the wood. Also know that BoraCare only kills the larvae. It does not kill adults, so emergence down the road and more "frass" or sawdust is likely until all pupae are developed and exit the wood.

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