Boring Critters

2/4/04, 4:28 AM #1

Jorge Casta�eda ~ East Penobscot Bay
Guest

Boring Critters

Jorge Casta�eda ~ East Penobscot Bay

>I've been hewing beams now and then when I can spare an hour or two, the last two I am working on, nice blowndown spruce from last winter, have quite a few of this critters, dozens of them if not hundreds were decapitated, cut in half even cut lenght wise, they are white with dark brown pincers, with embrionic legs , they are 3" or 4" long and 1/4" or a little more thick, they tunnel the logs.

What are they? Can they spread to live trees? that would be a disaster here. If I am going to use the beams, how to kill the critters?

Thanks in advance for info and suggestions.

Jorge

Re: Boring Critters

2/4/04, 11:36 AM #2

Brian, Boothbay Harbor
Guest

Queen

Brian, Boothbay Harbor

>Hi Jorge,

That is the queen of all the black fly's in Maine. I do believe you have hit the mother load and are in a position to control the future economy of the State.

If you destroy it consider the economic impact. Ben's and many other bug spray companies will be toast. Not to mention the funny little net hat mfg's that are sold at Bean's.

People with garden's and fishing camp owners will probably elect you Governor. You must also consider the downside.........Mud season will now be converted to another tourist season.

You have a very tough decision to make and I'm glad it's you and not me.

:))

Brian

Re: Boring Critters

2/4/04, 12:33 PM #3

Jorge Casta�eda ~ East Penobscot Bay
Guest

Re: Queen

Jorge Casta�eda ~ East Penobscot Bay

>Brian,

You crack me LOFLMAO

Re: Boring Critters

2/4/04, 12:35 PM #4

Richard Gillespie
Guest

Re: Boring Critters

Richard Gillespie

>I've seen those critters here in Virginia. I use to split a lot of firewood for a wood stove and would find these buggers just under the bark. I always suspected that they only infested dead or dying trees.

The adult stage, I believe, is worse. It is a large beetle, about 2 inches long with huge jaws. That guy chews up a lot of wood. They do seem to prefer the wood damp or wet.

Re: Boring Critters

2/4/04, 1:48 PM #5

Dirk Wright
Guest

Re: Boring Critters

Dirk Wright

>Looks like a long horned beetle larva to me. Feeds on dead and dying trees, then emerges as an adult later. Hope this helps.

Re: Boring Critters

2/4/04, 2:29 PM #6

Dan Donaldson
Master Craftsman
Offline
5,264 posts

Registered: 9/17/01

Re: Boring Critters

Dan Donaldson

>I am having a CRS moment right now and cannot think of the name, but there should be an office of your local Department of agriculture or a university where you could take a few of them and get them identified. That way you would be sure.

- - -

I have been woodworking for about 25 years now, and would consider myself an enthusiastic amateur. My claim to fame (or infamy) has always been fixing stuff. I spent time in the Air Force in the 60's then went to work as an electronic technician for civil service. I finally got my EE, and being fed up with the civil service nonsense, took a job with Ford Motor Company until I went with the split to Visteon last year. I got interested in music and started playing in a bluegrass band. I wanted a new guitar, and that kind of led me into woodworking. I bought some books, a few tools, and built a guitar. Luckily, I didn't know any better than to try that as a first ever project. I still play it when I get a chance, so it must not be too bad if it can live for over 20 years. After a stint in Mexico for my job, I moved into a new house and built a small shop. Since then I have been collecting tools and skills, probably more of the former than the latter ;-). Finding this site has done more for my skills and enjoyment than anything else. I have learned a lot and really enjoy the friendships that I have made here. I have been married to LOML (Lori) for 32 years now and have 6 kids. When they are all gone, I want to get a 1 bedroom house (so there is not room for them to move back in) and at least a 6 car heated/air conditioned garage for a shop. (Dream on...)

Re: Boring Critters

2/4/04, 2:56 PM #7

Jorge Casta�eda ~ East Penobscot Bay
Guest

Bettles!

Jorge Casta�eda ~ East Penobscot Bay

>I never thought of bettles i was thinking moths,

Thanks Richard and Dirk. Don I will follow your suggestion and take a few samples to the University of Maine at Orno, they are big on forestry.

Thanks to all

Jorge

Re: Boring Critters

2/4/04, 3:16 PM #8

Ernie Miller
Guest

Re: Bettles!

Ernie Miller Topeka

>You might be able to just e-mail the pictures and get a response just as easy

Re: Boring Critters

2/4/04, 5:43 PM #9

Jorge Casta�eda ~ East Penobscot Bay
Guest

Good Idea

Jorge Casta�eda ~ East Penobscot Bay

>

Re: Boring Critters

2/5/04, 12:34 AM #10

Jack from Maine
Guest

Re: Boring Critters

Jack from Maine

>I live in the pines. I see those critters all the time. Mostly in the ground around dead wood. They will get into a wood stack if it's allowed to set on the ground and get damp but I don't believe they bother live trees. We dropped alot of pines in the woods while clearing and left alot to rot. You could hear those critters chewing the wood. It took awhile to identify the sound because it was unexpected but you could hear the chewing very clearly.---Jack

Re: Boring Critters

2/5/04, 4:02 AM #11

Jorge Casta�eda ~ East Penobscot Bay
Guest

Re: Boring Critters

Jorge Casta�eda ~ East Penobscot Bay

>Hi Jack,

I belive it, right now they are dormant but I can see lots of sawdust piles in places where the snow melted after last night rain, we have few pines but lots of spruce and fir, for what I learnt today, they like the conifers.

Boring Critters

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