Bug help!

[loefflerchuck]

Besides juniper bark beetles(Harmless when the bark is removed) and carpet beetles getting into my horn and feather supply, I have not had a problem with bugs till now. I brought home a bunch of free locust that was so eaten it was worthless. I guess I kept it around for too long and it spread to my  new elm, mesquite and mountain mahogany staves. I was removing bark from a elm stave I cut a few weeks ago and there were so many little black beetles I stoped fearing spread to more wood in my shop. I could use some advice. I want to use minimal chemicals, but will if I have to. Do I need to worry about my pile of debarked staves now? This is a new bug problem. The last 2 were easy fixes with a little diligence. What am I up against here?
Thank you in advance.

[wizardgoat]

Chuck that sounds like a stressful situation. I wonder if freezing them would kill them, I know it works for other unwanted bugs. Assuming you have access to a deep freeze or something.
I've heard of guys using diesel fuel too

[PatM]

The locust borer  seems to be a very specific beetle to one type of tree. I doubt it is true locust borer.
 A borax solution is probably the best low toxicity mix you can use. Beetles do not like borax.

[simson]

First I think the use of borax is best before the borers are in.

What I did, after a massive borer attack on my elm and ash pile:
Put them (about 100 worked down staves) in a huge cask, so the lower half was in the cask, a huge plastig bag over the upper half and taped to cask, inside the closed atmosphere a pot of ammonia. This setup was left for a few days, all bugs and borers were killed.

Another possible setup:
Pack all your staves in a huge plastic bag, tape in a pipe to the exhaust of your car, let the motor run a few minites till the bag is full of the fumes. Never tried this but I think it should work.

Good luck Chuck!

[Marc St Louis]

If they are a small black beetle then that sounds like the Powder Post Beetle, not good.  I've lost a lot of good wood to them

[JoJoDapyro]

Besides the threat of maybe humidity, possibly putting them in a sealed black plastic garbage bag and left in the sun to get hot may work.

[loefflerchuck]

Thanks for all the info everyone. Pat, I'm sure your right. The elm was on the ground a few days before I brought it back and probably a new bug in it. Marc, I think you may have it right. I'll start my rescue mission today and check back in here for help. Some good ideas so far.

[Chief RID]

Hey Chuck. If you are going to isolate the wood, like in a bag, you can trow the book at them. Use a contact poison like seven dust. It will get the adults. Not the larvae though. Phyrethrine spray would get them in a bag and may get the larvae as will. It is safe for humans. Anyway as long as you can isolate the stuff and not allow it to get to the environment and you, you can kill the buggers however you want. Come to think of it, closing them up with a couple bleach soaked tampons might do the trick.

[vinemaplebows]

A liquid solution of borax will work, but takes some time. Mix about 4 cups to a gallon of HOT water, you must mix well. If this is a concern for future wood spray this solution on any new wood that you cut, or buy. Chemically, Permethrin is a good old school chemical that is rather safe, and has a short residual.(can be found at farm feed stores, horse section) Cypermethrin will kick their butts rather fast and has a longer residual. I would apply the borax mixture 60 days after any chemical application.....Do NOT burn any of the wood after any chemical is applied. Pest control is my line of work.

[loefflerchuck]

Thank you, thank you. got rid of the heavily infected wood far away. Think they are either powder post or flathead. have not found another today to confirm and so far no new staves have been effected. I,m going to stay up on this. Kind of important.

[Dakota Kid]

Hot shot no pest strips kill bugs dead. It works awesome if you can seal off the area for a couple weeks. It even gets rid of spider mites and fungus gnats. Which any indoor gardener will tell you is no easy task. You don't want to leave them in living areas though. 

[vinemaplebows]

Hot shot no pest strips kill bugs dead. It works awesome if you can seal off the area for a couple weeks. It even gets rid of spider mites and fungus gnats. Which any indoor gardener will tell you is no easy task. You don't want to leave them in living areas though.

Watcha growin....

[JoJoDapyro]

  HAHAHAHAHA, only those who know seem to know lol 

[Dakota Kid]

Actually, I was working with some really rare plants comparatively speaking , but it works for the other thing too. Just don't use the strips within a month of harvest or it might be the wrong kinda buzz.

 The plants I cultivated were just as potent but total legal in all the states(for now anyway). I started to travel for work and had to close the full time garden for the time being. I start my veggies and herbs indoors every spring though. So I still use the strips from time to time. After two weeks of exposure, you can triple bag them and put them in the freezer and they last quite a while. 

[Pago]

To effectively eliminate them you will need to fumigate the wood I.e. kill adults, lavae and eggs.  You can cover with a tarp and use a general home fumigant if labeled for general beetles.  Follow label directions always.  Afterwards stay vigilant with a broad spectrum over the counter.  They are more prolific and persistent than you might think.