Red-headed ash borer: Do I need to be worried?

[Mark Putnam]

Hi, folks. Over the last six months or so I've been collecting free logs (for turning bowls), sealing them, and storing them as halved bowl blanks on a lumber rack in the corner of my garage shop. Wood species include maple, oak and ash. This week I have seen three separate bugs--all appearing to be of the same species--walking around my wood rack. After doing a search online, I identified this bug as the "red-headed ash borer." My questions are: Have any of you encountered this bug before? Do you know if I should be worried about this bug being in my garage? How would you recommend I address this--given that I have 25-30 bowl blanks drying in my garage?

From what I have read online these bugs are not poisonous or a threat to humans. They do not bite or sting. They are only interested in hardwoods, not soft woods. And they are not interested in treated or processed wood products. Still, I can't help but be worried. Please let me know what you think.

[Unknown craftsman]

Sometimes I see bugs in my shop when I have boards with bark.

So my suggestion is to get rid of the bark,if you have your heart set on turning live edge bowls then kill the bugs.

Who know what those critters will do.You defiantly don't want them starting a cycle of hatching and breeding in or out near your shop.

 

Aj

[estesbubba]

In addition to ash borers ash can also have powder post beetles which can hatch years later and leave a bunch of holes in your project. I would find a kiln that will dry these which also gets the temp high enough to kill bugs and their eggs. 

[Coop]

This will probably be a good question for wdwerker as I think he's had plenty of experience with red heads.

[Chet]

When I saw Red Headed in the subject I knew we would hear from you Coop.

[mat60]

I do love redheads If thats ok.

[Mark Putnam]

Thanks, everyone. After doing some research, I am less concerned that these bugs might damage my home. It appears that they have no interest in studs of in soft woods like pine. They only go after dead or decaying hardwoods. However, that leaves the safety of my blanks in question. I don't have the money to buy a kiln at this point or to pay someone to use their kiln. I think the best solution may be to rough turn the bowl blanks to identify which logs have the bugs in them, seal the good ones with AnchorSeal to allow them to dry fully before completing, but then toss away the infested wood.

[Gilgaron]

I had some concerns with some ash log pieces I had scrounged up and had read somewhere that keeping them in a deep freezer for X time would kill (mostly?) everything.  You'll want to confirm from a better source than my spotty recollection but certainly it can't hurt.  Obviously the bugs live in the wild where it gets that cold on occasion but I imagine that shocking them with it, before they have had a chance to adjust as they would in nature, helps do them in.