Infestation

[jackellis]

The wood species is ash. Anyone care to guess what did this?

[crokett]

Looks like termite droppings.

[TB Roye]

Carpenter ants. We had problems with them over at Silver Lake in my uncles cabin. Elevation ft and the winter didn't kill them. We finally went over to Nevada and bought Chlordane, no More ants, spiders and any other bug.

Tom

[luteman]

Without seeing a clearer picture,since the species is Ash, it probably has been infested with a beetle known as Ash Borer. It is a serious problem here in northern Michigan to the extent that hauling cut firewood between counties has been banned and carries a heavy fine if caught. Transporting cut firewood is also banned from between the two peninsulas of this state No word yet if they have found a natural predator of this pest.

[jackellis]

It's not carpenter ants and I'm pretty certain it's not termites. The wood was stored outdoors behind our Silicon Valley home. I suspect powder post beetles. This is a slab that had a number of holes on the top and bottom. I decided to turn it into firewood and was just amazed at the amount of subsurface damage that was not at all obvious from the outside.

Perhaps I need to talk with the county extension service, if it still exists up here.

[Uncle Cracker]

Ash borers characteristically infest live trees. Since the infestation line on your sample seems to be linear from the planed surface of the cut board, that does fit the profile. Ash borers usually leave darkened drill holes, also. Your ag service probably has an entomologist, so I'd suggest you let them look at a sample. Close examination usually reveals debris (egg husks, dust balls or fecal matter) that should yield your answer.

[luteman]

In my previous post,I neglected to cite the complete name for the Ash borer beetle. In Michigan, it is the Emerald Ash Borer. Sorry for any inconvenience.