Banded Ash Borer

[Wood Doctor]

This pest has been a real nuisance this year:

The banded ash borer seems to attack only ash firewood that I have cut. It ignores all other species. It seems that both the adults and the larvae dig tunnels into green ash wood logs. They hatched out in early April, had sex like bunnies, laid eggs by the thousands, and many adults are alive even today. They bite my ankles like mad as I split my logs, right through my socks, digging in deep. The bite is at least five times worse than a skeeter.

Any idea on how to get rid of them?

 

[oppermancjo]

Found this. It's from the University of Utah. There is some decent info in there about controlling them with pesticides. I'm guessing it won't be cheap though.

Can't say I have seen these guys around MI thankfully. Still have to put up with the GD Emerald Ash Borer though. It's a mixed blessing. I have cords and cords worth of wood to work on but it's sad to see these trees go. There are lots of seedlings throughout the woods though so hopefully they can mount a come back.

http://extension.usu.edu/files/factsheets/bandedas.pdf

 

[One Shot Will]

i would try malathion Mix it double strength. That is what i use on my wood piles and have for years.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Boric Acid Solution?

i would try malathion Mix it double strength. That is what i use on my wood piles and have for years.

I found a couple of other remedies: one is a mixture of sugar, some water, and boric acid. Apparently the banded ash borer likes the taste of the ash wood and the water that it needs from green ash trees. Last year's winter was so warm that most of them lived in areas where they usually die from the cold. That includes Nebraska and Iowa. Instead of 90% or more dying from the cold, most of them lived right through the winter and emerged in the spring.

For some strange reason, the banded ash borer tends to ignore other wood species, although it will attack oak trees on occasion. Generally it does not kill the tree, but it is a nuisance because it will bite humans and other animals using powerful mandibles that it also uses to bore into the hardwood. These bites are far more severe than a mosquito bite and should be treated like a small wound.

Yes, melathion will destroy them, but that's rather noxious and hard to find these days. If they come back next spring, I'll probably nuke them with melathion.