Apple Wood Damage

[Philip Florio]

I have branches from my apple tree that were cut about 1 1/2 years ago. I sealed the ends and stored them in my shed.

I live in Tennessee and I started to use smaller branches this past Christmas for gifts. Today I went in and found these almost perfect round 1/4" holes all over including the sealed ends. They go down at least an inch or two. I discarded them and cleaned the corner of the shed, I found these shavings. I also found a a full sized red wasp that seemed to be almost dead and a marble size mud pack next to the wood. Could this have been damage by the wasps?

Thanks,
Phil

[Michael Wildt]

Looks like carpenter bees. They drill perfect circular holes.

[Jacob Reverb]

Looks like carpenter bees. They drill perfect circular holes.

+1

The ones around here cut holes that are ~ 3/8" dia.

I don't think wasps (especially mud wasps, which typically eat spiders) do that sort of thing. Carpenter bees look like great big bumblebees.

[Philip Florio]

If this was done by carpenter bees should I be concerned about the shed and the house?

Looks like carpenter bees. They drill perfect circular holes.

[george wilson]

I had a hole eaten in TREATED lumber by a carpenter bee!!

If you could save up a bunch of different size ones,you could use them instead of buying drill bits!!

[Mike Cruz]

I have to agree that it looks like a carpenter bee issue. Should you be concerned about the house and shop? How do you feel about Swiss Cheese? That is what they will do to anything wood.

We have them BAD here. I kill 20 to 50 a day for about 2 to 3 weeks a year. How? Tennis racket. It is actually fun...

[Chris Ricker]

We have carpenter bees in my neck of the woods but I don't remember the kind of shavings I see in picture #4,
The shavings I see are usually more like sawdust rather than the slivers shown, Just a thought.
The holes look like carpenter bees though.

[Henry Ambrose]

Tennis racket.
Its kinda fun.

[Baxter Smith]

I have to agree that it looks like a carpenter bee issue. Should you be concerned about the house and shop? How do you feel about Swiss Cheese? That is what they will do to anything wood.

We have them BAD here. I kill 20 to 50 a day for about 2 to 3 weeks a year. How? Tennis racket. It is actually fun...

I built a deck using cedar from recycled pickle tank bottoms for the joists. 2 1/2 inch thick stuff. The carpenter bees love it. Use the tennis racket too but it doesn't accomplish much. Youre only swatting the males that are patrolling their teritory. The females are busy in your wood doing their thing.

[Pete Bradley]

A carpenter bee is like a flying 3/8" drill bit. They're kinda amazing (as long as you don't have many of them). The wasp and the mud are relatives but not involved.

[Ted Calver]

The dang things are munching on my PT deck. I need to sheath it in something to keep them out. Started last sommer and I kept pumping insecticide into the holes, but it just made them stronger. ...I prefer a racquetball racquet.

[Wayne A Hall]

If you want to really make them mad. Pinch you off a piece of steel wool and pack it in the hole. They wont chew through it.