[Nimrod]

I removed the bark from a red pine log. The tree blew over last summer. It was kept off the ground by the limbs. I cut the limbs off, cut the top off so I had a 40 foot log, and dragged it into the open.

When I removed the bark there was a layer of what looked like saw dust under the bark. This was under the bark for the whole 40 foot length. The bark came off fairly easily. Is this normal? There are quite a few red pines on the property. Will they have this layer of saw dust under the bark?

 

[CraterCove]

Pine beetles?

 

[ct01r]

It's some kind of beetle/bug/parasite. Be careful where you store it if you're going to harvest it. Thet can get in the woodwork in your barn/shed/whatever. Curt

 

[JoePa]

That happened to me - some spruce were blown over a couple years ago from a storm - got around to cutting them up for firewood this spring - same thing - the bark was loose and there was saw dust and holes under it from beetles getting into the wood - if you want to salvage the wood you need to cut it up right away and not let it set around for any length of time - once it lays around and there is moisture under the bark the beetles go to work -

 

[TnAndy]

Most likely it was the flat head pine borer. They don't kill trees like pine beetles do. They are a fairly large worm, laid by the adult (which is a BIG ugly beetle type creature) on DEAD pine bark.

The egg hatches, turns into the pine borer, which starts under the bark ( the 'saw'dust you saw ), and munches it's way on down into the wood, turning it into Swiss Cheese ! You can literally hear them "munch...munch...much", if you sit next to a log. You'll often see sawdust falling off a log from their work.

They will not attack a live pine tree, but as soon as the tree is downed, they move in (depending on the time of year....not in the winter) and go to work. To avoid them, you must either saw the log into lumber, or strip the bark off. The adult has to have the bark to lay eggs in...they won't bother a stripped log.

The worm looks like this:

Adult: (up to 2" in length ! )

 

[mmoetc]

Ain't nature grand?