I’ve searched and read ways of getting rid of insects in wood. I am using mesquite and have powderdust beetles out the wazoo. Question is will ammonia work if you build a tent like you would fuming white oak? I’ve read where ammonia is an insect repellent but couldn’t find if the fumes would kill the buggers.
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Replies
TreeFreak -
Don't know about the critters but if you're using industrial strength ammonia, it won't do *you* much good if you're not careful with it. I assume you've dealt with it before??
From Beautiful Skagit Co. Wa.
Dennis
My first white oak project has not reached that stage. I have worked around the ammonia based cooling systems and I have read all the cautions and tend to have second thoughts. I read the finishing article in FWW on creating the fumed look w/o ammonia. I may give that a try. I was looking for a 'safe' way to kill the pests in mesquite. I'm not much on the long term toxic chemical pesticides that end up causing cancer. Ammonia seems to only be hazardous if misused.
My very limited experience with mesquite is that drying it to a very low moisture content or freezing it will kill the worms. What I don't know is if there's a problem with re-infestation. My guess is that there isn't, or all the mesquite furniture and flooring in mesquite country would eventually get re-infested and eaten up.
What are you making with the mesquite? Are these turning blanks? Maybe a minute in a microwave would be sufficient to fry the little guys. Provided the wood's not too green for such a thing.
From Beautiful Skagit Co. Wa.
Dennis
A bed. I want to resaw some and finish drying it for now. The worms are feasting their litle hearts out on what I have.
It's not likely that ammonia would work. If you do have an active infestation there are few ways to kill feeding larva. Raising the internal temperature of the wood to 140 for a couple of days will do it for all Powder Post Beetles.
There are three species of borers called powder post beetles. Getting the moisture content below 12% will rid you of the problem for Bostrichids and the Anobiids. Lyctids can survive in woods with MC's down around 10% but their first choice for dinner is the sapwood since it has a higher starch content than heartwood. The most reliable way to kill them is heat, the next is fumigation with chemicals that you are not licensed to use, the third and probably the best for you is to buy a water soluable preservative for wood that contains borate compounds. Boracare is one. Borates have very, very low toxicity to humans, some say it's beneficial. You spray it on the surface of the wood, it penetrates, the larva feeds on it and dies. It will not always kill the deep dwellers until they begin to surface but it will prevent reinfestations as well as killing emerging larva.
Freezing is not foolproof either. The life cycle of these critters can vary a lot, from one to four years depending on conditions so freezing can slow their cycle down but not end it altogether unless you go well below temperatures not normally experienced for a very long time.
It's possible that you don't have an active infestation, any holes you see are exit holes, those larva have pupated and left. Adults return and lay their eggs in crevices and open pores. Sealing these pores will prevent reinfestation by returning adults. Paint of varnish will work for this.
Lee
Edited 1/3/2005 12:49 pm ET by Lee_Grindinger
>> It's possible that you don't have an active infestation ...If he says he does, I believe him. Sometimes you can hear them.
Yup, a nickname for Anobiids is "Deathwatch Beetle", a name given to them by the noise they make seeking mates and the quiet munching sounds heard in the still of a sleepless night.But, not all exit holes mark an active infestation.Lee
Oh, I agree. By themselves the holes don't prove anything. New holes would be suggestive. New frass is pretty nearly conclusive.
Hi Lee,
Could that of been a typo on the length of time @ 140*F ? I always read/heard a few hours or so, like in the site: http://www.entm.purdue.edu/Entomology/ext/targets/e-series/EseriesPDF/E-73.pdf
Dale
The rule used to be 160f. I used 140f as a kiln operators rule, most chambers are not evenly heated so the time frame gets extended to make sure the coolest boards reach a high enough core temperature. 140f will kill the little buggers in a few hours but the core has to get there. You're right, Dale.Lee
Yea, I think that's the key, is to get the center of the wood 140*f for a few hours. The reason I spoke up, was the cost of several days heat at 140*F.
I'm sure it's not the case in this thread but I believe a lot folks get boards that had ambrosia beetles and spend a lot of time and money for PPB control. Just an observation.
Whenever I've used mesquite, the bugs were only in the sap wood. First thing I do is cut off all the whiteish sap wood and I don't see any more bugs.
Bobby
That is true of my wood as well. Thanks for the tip.
One solution to avoid turning dust is to get the mesquite as quickly after harvest as possible. Cut the staight portions (I use the rest for firewood) and turn them on the lathe until the sapwood is well removed. Seal the ends with glue to reduce cracking, date, then store.
Lynn Tilton
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