discusmike
Omono
Would putting the tree under water in a bucket suffocate them?something you might want to try and no chemicals
Borer issue on new Hornbeam
- Thread starter readc
- Start date
readc
Yamadori
Well I found the holes. This one is the larger of the two and wire runs upwards about 3 inches or so. When I first started working it, I think a bug flew out. The other hole wasn't as long and I saw nothing in it. I squirted the talstar up into the hole and sealed both shut with paste. Is that good for now?
Attachments
readc
Yamadori
Wonder if this is from a common furniture beetle...
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
Nope, but it will probably damage your tree. Borer tunnels usually travel UPWARDS into a tree. that means the passages trap air. Borers, being insects, don't breathe as much as mammals. Unless you leave the tree underwater for a week or so, you're not going to do much good...Evolution is a bitch. Bugs have evolved capabilities to survive flooding...happens all the time when you're small and close to the ground. I always find the "let's drown the ant infestation in my bonsai" very funny. Ants have been surviving flooding for billions of years...
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
Nope. Not a furniture beetle. One of a few wood boring beetles in Va. Most likely a flat headed borer, they're pretty common. FWIW, the thing that flew out of the cavity most likely wasn't the beetle. The beetles aren't very fast. Most likely something else that had made a temporary home in the tunnel.
http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2909/2909-1414/borers/
justBonsai
Omono
I've had some success with imidacloprid. Also what I did on my oak tree with a borer infestation was injecting undiluted Malathion straight into the holes. Just bought a cheap back of syringes online for a few bucks and it did the job.
readc
Yamadori
Would injecting either Talstar or Imidacloprid be the same or do I inject just the Malathion?
justBonsai
Omono
Imidacloprid is a systemic but I'm not sure how potent it is as a direct application to the pest. You're probably okay iniecting any insecticide in the holes. I used imidacloprid in my water on the roots and used Malathion for the injection.
readc
Yamadori
cool. I'll report back in a few weeks. Thanks for the help!
thomas22
Chumono
I had an infestation with borers several years ago. I used Bonide "Borers" made specifically to kill these critters. Another thing I used was the compressed air computer keyboard cleaner with the straw on it. Stick the straw in the hole and blow them out or apart. I cant be sure if it worked or not but its worth a try. I also think lime sulfuring the deadwood helps. Doing these three things killed took care of my borer problem. Good luck
Zach Smith
Omono
My experience with hornbeam and borers is that the borers always win. You never know when a tree will get hit, because there's usually no outward sign of the weakness they supposedly prey on. One day you see a hole, down here it can be a pencil-eraser-size round hole or a tiny round hole depending on the type of borer, along with the wood shavings. You should try to kill anything you can when you see it. The tree may come out and even put on growth for years, but they never seem to recover back to full health. I've had one like this for years now, and it's morphed into a Sleepy Hollow tree but branches keep dying off which is not normal for American hornbeam. I think this year I'll just put it out of my misery.
Anyway, good luck with it. You may have decent luck going forward.
Zach
CasAH
Chumono
Please read the label on the insecticides, it will say if is approved to kill the type of insects that you are having issues with. If the insect is not listed you are wasting time, money and not helping your tree.
Also, it is against Federal law to apply insecticides, ungicides, herbicides, miticides or any pesticide in a manner other than described on the label. Each time you pickup a pesticide re-read the label as there may have been changes to the items it issued to control, amounts to be used or types of application that are allowed.
There are many insects that are becoming resistant to the old insecticides because of misuse do not add to the problem in your bonsai collection or yard.
justBonsai
Omono
I did use it correctly. In my statement I was referring to how it is intended to use as a systemic, not as a direct application insecticide. Imidacloprid is intended for borers and the particular systemic I used, it is applied through watering at the roots. I only did 2 applications for the entire year and it did the job. The reason I injected malathion in the tree was because the deadwood had hollow channels inside it. Injecting the malathion would kill any remaining bugs and also prevent future insects from inhabiting the empty cavities.
I admit my second statement is wrong and you shouldn't blindly inject any insecticide into the tree. That said, at least for the insecticides I have, they cover pretty much any kind of pest I encounter and I have not had to buy specific insecticides to target a given species.
Do these kind of borers make noise as they chew through the tree? Cold you use a stethoscope to locate, then stab them? I used to make pine log furniture and thats what I did to the wood grubs except I shot them with a pneumatic brad gun.
CasAH
Chumono
Bleumeon, I have read some of your posts and you are knowledgeable about a wide range of topics we discuss here on Bonsainut. I just wanted to clearify for the OP and any others that read your post that do not have the background and knowledge of some so as to not have them waste their time and lose trees.
justBonsai
Omono
No you were right. I apologize for getting so defensive. I shouldn't put out information like that.
readc
Yamadori
FWIW I am a chemist, so I know what I'm working with for the most part. I wouldn't misuse any chemical. Just trying to ensure that whatever approach I take is effective and safe.
