Natural wood carving

[BobL]

This flitch came from a Spotted gum infested with Longihorn Beetle.
Despite the infestation the non-sap wood was reasonably sound
Anyway I though I might make an interesting ornament for the garden
It all happens in the sap wood under the bark


These two close up show where beetles laid eggs under the bark (red arrows) and the hatched larvae took off from there - interesting to see they manage to keep away from each other for at least a while.
The holes are where the mature larva burrows into the wood to pupate before burrow from the hole as juvenile beetles.

 

[lone wolf]

This flitch came from a Spotted gum infested with Longihorn Beetle.
Despite the infestation the non-sap wood was reasonably sound
Anyway I though I might make an interesting ornament for the garden
It all happens in the sap wood under the bark
View attachment 955665

These two close up show where beetles laid eggs under the bark (red arrows) and the hatched larvae took off from there - interesting to see they manage to keep away from each other for at least a while.
The holes are where the mature larva burrows into the wood to pupate before burrow from the hole as juvenile beetles.
View attachment 955666 View attachment 955667

How do you make sure they are dead in there? Spray?

 

[BobL]

How do you make sure they are dead in there? Spray?

The larvae only survive in the sapwood under bark - once the bark is gone they die very quickly. The adult/ beetle doesn't eat much wood and will either exit or dies so on a piece that dry they will have long gone.

 

[TheLaundryMan]

You could definitely mount that as is on a millionaires house and sell it to them for $8,000 haha. Cool patterns from the critters