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Author Topic: Borer Damage in Yew any experience?  (Read 3955 times)

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Offline Del the cat

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    • Derek Hutchison Native Wood Self Bows
Borer Damage in Yew any experience?
« on: February 20, 2012, 04:43:34 pm »
I've got some Oregon Yew billets and just found some borer damage in the sapwood. >:(
TBB says Yew doesn't suffer like Osage, but these critters obviously havn't read TBB !
Any one had any experience of ignoring it/filling it/cutting it back etc?
I only spotted it once I ran the billets through the bandsaw, it exposed a few holes and tunnels on about half the limbs :'(.
Presumably worst case is rip off the sap and back with bamboo/Hickory/Mrs Cat's silk PJs etc. ::) ?
Del
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Offline Keenan

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Re: Borer Damage in Yew any experience?
« Reply #1 on: February 20, 2012, 05:29:54 pm »
I have never seen or even heard of bug damaged yew. Since the bark, sapwood, heartwood and even the twigs are toxic to most animals. It is hard to believe anything would touch it.
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Offline Del the cat

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Re: Borer Damage in Yew any experience?
« Reply #2 on: February 20, 2012, 05:49:34 pm »
Does this help?

Del
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Offline vinemaplebows

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Re: Borer Damage in Yew any experience?
« Reply #3 on: February 20, 2012, 05:54:33 pm »
Nope cut lots never seen it. I have seen what appeared to be bug damaged sapwood, it was on a bearded yew tree (bearded yew is lots of tiny pin knots on the surface) which lead to damaged sap. I am a pest control operator....I would strongly suggest those that live in borer country to mix borax in hot water to make a spray solution to put on your wood. 2 cups to a HOT gallon of water and spray...bugs eat it they die! Soak throughly let air dry.
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Offline vinemaplebows

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Re: Borer Damage in Yew any experience?
« Reply #4 on: February 20, 2012, 05:57:36 pm »
From the pics looks as though you can thin the sap......and yep that is bug damage....wonder what species of bug??? How long have you had it?
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Offline Del the cat

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Re: Borer Damage in Yew any experience?
« Reply #5 on: February 20, 2012, 06:12:11 pm »
That's just a miniature (from an offcut) I'm working on, which is how I discovered the problem, and yup I can get away with it on the miniature.
The yew was cut in the 1990's in the Cascades, and I got 4 billets sent over the pond to try out.
I've manged to saw out 8 ELB limbs, but where, I've run it through the bandsaw it shows a few holes on 5 of the limbs.
I just don't fancy making a warbow with burrows hiing in the sapwood, mind an ELB is pretty narrow, so matbe if none are showing on the edge I'm ok.
That's why I'm asking if anyone has experience.
Another pic (not V good)

Del
« Last Edit: February 20, 2012, 06:43:26 pm by Del the cat »
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Offline Keenan

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Re: Borer Damage in Yew any experience?
« Reply #6 on: February 20, 2012, 06:52:23 pm »
Wow Del, that is a bummer, All my yew has come from the Cascades and never had any of that. I wonder if it was picked up in transit.
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Offline Del the cat

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    • Derek Hutchison Native Wood Self Bows
Re: Borer Damage in Yew any experience?
« Reply #7 on: February 20, 2012, 07:19:45 pm »
I don't think it could be picked up in transit as it only took a week. It was cut in the 90's so there's been plenty of time for it to have happened.
That 2nd pic is the only visible damage on one limb, it just makes me wonder if I dare risk it?... maybe probe the hole see how deep it goes.
Maybe someone at the local hospital could lend me a quick go with their MRI scanner ::).
What's the general course of action in these cases?
Del
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Offline snag

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Re: Borer Damage in Yew any experience?
« Reply #8 on: February 20, 2012, 07:42:23 pm »
That looks like the work of a common Yellow-bellied Yugoslavian Yew wood borer. First found at elevations over 2,500 ft here in Oregon around 1969. Seems a mountain climber from Yugoslavia had climbed one of the Cascade peaks while here on a visit. One of the little varmints had hitched a ride over in the man's backpack. At lower elevations they tend to go into hibernation. But when the climber reached higher elevations the varmit must have come to and feeling frisky vacated his pack only to take up residence here. Not many of them luckily. Every once in awhile you'll find a piece of yew that has their mark upon it......
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Offline Carson (CMB)

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Re: Borer Damage in Yew any experience?
« Reply #9 on: February 20, 2012, 11:00:33 pm »
common Yugoslavian yew-wood borer...seriously? ???
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Offline Bryce

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Re: Borer Damage in Yew any experience?
« Reply #10 on: February 21, 2012, 12:14:20 am »
ive seen this before but only in the sapwood. just thin in down and it should be golden
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Clatskanie, Oregon

Offline snag

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Re: Borer Damage in Yew any experience?
« Reply #11 on: February 21, 2012, 01:15:13 am »
....hahaha ::)
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Offline portlandfire

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Re: Borer Damage in Yew any experience?
« Reply #12 on: February 21, 2012, 07:19:55 pm »
  I had a yew stave that had been started in 1968, the bowyer died, the stave sat in his basement until his widow gave it to me in 2007.  It had bore holes and powder on one end.  I used super glue and yew dust in an attempt to fill and secure the holes, but they were more destructive than was evident from the outside.  The stave exploded later in the tillering process, exposing multiple bore holes. What Yugo yew bug  :D, or alien being made the holes, I have no idea.  I am currently shooting a bow, and have been for 6 years, that the widows' late husband made in 1948.  That makes it as old as I am, and it is holding up far better than me ;) and has no evidence of bore holes.  These staves were all taken, years ago, in the Cascade range of Oregon.  That one stave is the only one that I have ever seen with bug damage.
Dave H.
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