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Rotten ash tree for fire wood

  • 08-03-2014 8:48am
    #1
    grazeaway
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,079 ✭✭✭


    Friend of mine has an ash tree in his back garden that fell during the recent storms and has asked me the cut it up for him and I can take half the wood for myself. Had a look at it the other day and the trunk was rotten inside. Looked like aeroboard with lots of bugs after burying through it.

    Is this the ash die back thing? Is so I would be wary bring home a few lengths in case it passes to my trees. Or would it be ok once I cut it and stick it in the wood shed?


Comments

  • #2
    gozunda
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,996 ✭✭✭✭gozunda


    Ash die back is a fungal disease. To me it sounds like the tree has rotted and / or been attacked by various firms of wood beetle. You are right to be cautious though about ash die back as any suspected cases are to be reported to minimise spread.

    Ash die back - this is from

    http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/forestservice/ashdiebackchalara/

    Necrotic lesions and cankers along the bark of branches or main stem
    Foliage wilt
    Foliage discolouration (brown / black discolouration at the base and midrib of leaves)
    Dieback of shoots, twigs or main stem resulting in crown dieback
    Epicormic branching or excessive side shoots along the main stem
    Brown / orange discolouration of bark
    (Note: The symptoms described above are not exclusive to Chalara fraxinea and may be attributable to a number of other causal agents or factors, e.g. frost.)

    I would take a look at the type of insects - are they all the same?

    Otherwise chop it up and use for firewood.


  • #3
    grazeaway
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,079 ✭✭✭grazeaway


    Yeah it's a kind on black bug, looks like a big fat black wood louse. Would it be ok to chop it up a store it here or could the bugs spread?


  • #4
    Zr105
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,453 ✭✭✭Zr105


    grazeaway wrote: »
    Yeah it's a kind on black bug, looks like a big fat black wood louse. Would it be ok to chop it up a store it here or could the bugs spread?

    Was there a fork in the tree? Good few of the trees we've had down last few years have had a fork and the water has gotten in at it and rotted them from the centre out.

    Can be very dangerous for lads felling trees to as you go to cut the wedge expecting solid cutting get in an inch and there's suddenly no strength in the tree and no material in the centre to create a hinge....


  • #5
    gozunda
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,996 ✭✭✭✭gozunda


    grazeaway wrote: »
    Yeah it's a kind on black bug, looks like a big fat black wood louse. Would it be ok to chop it up a store it here or could the bugs spread?

    A lot of beetles feed on rotten or dead wood. If it is an native species then not too much to worry about as they may be found wherever there is dead / rotten wood. There are several species of woodlice. If you think it looks like one then you are probably on the right track. Can you take a photo on your phone and post it?


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