Termites in the Osage Orange logs I bought.

[EatenByLimestone]

The osage was cut early this year. I am thinking something hatched out of it by the looks of it. its sawdust for sure on the osage. We have had osage post for 60 years in one of our pastures and they still stand. I designed this yard fence, to my husbands chagrin, though not embarrassment. He is going along with the plan. Ive been collecting the post from southern Iowa since early spring. I am just now noticing the sawdust exit holes on the post, that I did not see before. Both the new set, and the set from the spring are now sawdusty. They both came from the same farm/timber. The other logs I got elsewhere do not have this sawdust.

the last 2 photos show a nearby locust firewood pile, cut in early spring 2020, and cut and split that summer. Is this termite damage? if it is it has been out through the Iowa winter, so likely all dead, from my understanding.

Yeah, your frass I'd much more coarse and you have the carpenter ant in the pic. Not sure what was under the bark. I haven't seen osage growing up here, and never felt with it enough when I was in TX to learn what likes to live under the bark.

 

[JimBear]

That's so fine I'd suspect a beetle. Do you have powder post beetles out there?

I believe we do, we have some type of boring beetle that is ridiculous on Honey Locust. If it’s outside in the sun/wind not so bad but put it in a shed or even just top cover it & they are terrible. I had to wear goggles & dust mask to clean it out of my old corn crib that had Honey Locust in it.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

PPB put little pin holes in the wood. They're a bit unusual in that they like dry wood.

 

[SpaceBus]

PPB put little pin holes in the wood. They're a bit unusual in that they like dry wood.

I mostly see those in furniture, or at least I did in NC.

 

[blades]

they call that character and of course it costs extra that way.

 

[Prof]

That's so fine I'd suspect a beetle. Do you have powder post beetles out there?

Yeah, my money is on a powder post beetle of some kind.

 

[Osage]

Have problems with Horntail wasps in my hedge and mulberry. They can make a real mess.

 

[Stinkpickle]

I believe we do, we have some type of boring beetle that is ridiculous on Honey Locust. If it’s outside in the sun/wind not so bad but put it in a shed or even just top cover it & they are terrible. I had to wear goggles & dust mask to clean it out of my old corn crib that had Honey Locust in it.

Yeah, honey locust is just like that around here. By the time I burn it, it’s Swiss cheese. The little tunnels give the fire plenty of oxygen, though.

 

[BCC_Burner]

I highly doubt you have termites in those posts, most likely some type of ant. The ants will vacate the posts as they dry, those hedge post will cure with time, get super hard, be very stable & solid.

I would not set your posts in concrete, they will most likely heave over time. Gravel will be the best, if you just use the clay from digging the hole & tamp it good about every 8”-12” it they will be very solid.

Your Hedge posts will outlast those creosote post 2-3 times. A nice 10” - 12” Hedge post will make a great corner/hinge post. I always cut line posts at 8’ , braces at 9’ , corners @ 10’. Put your lines in @ 36” & corners in @ 4’-5’ depending on preference.

Setting posts in concrete is the superior method, if you take the time to do it properly and excavate to below the frost depth for your area.

 

[enduring]

That's so fine I'd suspect a beetle. Do you have powder post beetles out there?

I don’t know. Happy new year.

 

[enduring]

Hello all! It’s been a while since I posted. I’m sitting in my rocker in the basement with my Jotul45 burning some of the last of the wood I bought when we first installed the stove in March of 2020. We don’t burn that often. We have cut a lot of ash, hackberry, and maple over the last 1-1/2 years after the derecho in August 2020. I don’t know if we will go through it in our lifetimes.

I don’t have all of the fencing up yet, using the Osage orange post. But I love what is up Next, I’d like to find some gates or make gates that are appropriate for the crooky look of my fence.

I hope all are enjoying your wood burning stoves and enjoying the winter!