Ash dust

Hello everyone,
This is my first post, so please bear with me if this subject has been covered in the past. I make about 4-5 cords of firewood in late fall every year. About 1/3 of this is black ash. I let the wood dry up for a full year under cover before I put these 11'' long logs in bags which I sell in the Montréal area trough the Internet.

My problem with ash is that a fair amount of ''dust'' accumulates on practically evey log. I dust off this dust before bagging which adds to the time required compared to other species. My question - how is this dust produced? I have asked around but all I get is worms, insects but nothing specific. I'm sure I'm not the only one with this problem. Thanks for the help.

 

Sorry for the error, 2nd paragraph, 1st line.... unfortunately editing is not possible......which had to the time should read.....which adds to the time.

 

Welcome, Yves.

Lot of different bugs produce dust. I'm sure someone here will chime in on ash bugs,

 

Welcome to FHC
Lots of my firewood is covered in frass. It bothers my sinuses when I’m loading up a truck for delivery. Hickory is probably the worst in my stacks, but it’s the oak frass that makes me sneeze. Boring insects love split wood.

 

Powder post beetles ??

 

Thanks Chud and Locust Post, it's not powder post beetles since there are no holes whatsoever. I see this dust on ash only, although I don't have hickory or oak. I thought it could come from snakes??

 

Wood boring beetles of various types produce that fine powder.

 

Common problem on multiple species in my stacks. Even when top covered and protected from the weather. Had some on cherry yesterday. I knock splits together and use a stiff bristled brush to remove any still there. I sell wood bundles so need them clean as well.

Welcome to the FHC Yves Petit Great to have you!

 

Its hard to believe there're not holes below or above those little ant hill looking piles. Where would the wood dust come from if not from the wood it's piled on?

 

Emerald Ash Borer?

 

Thanks for the correction and the welcome Dennis. As I said I see no holes whatsoever in the wood. Nor is it emerald ash borer as they are not yet present in my area. I even contacted Lars Mytting, the Norwegian writer of ''Norwegian wood'' for help but he didn't know. I put mothballs troughout one pile last year but it did not help.

 

I’ll occasionally blow out the stacks with a backpack blower during the warmer months. Helps with stuff like dust and hopefully critter nests.

Welcome to the site Yves!

 

Thanks Skier, Blower is a good idea although I don't have electricity on my lot...maybe with my eventual new Tacoma which is supposed to have a 2,400 Watt AC outlet. I lived in Swanton, Vermont for one year when I was a kid.

 

I use an Echo backpack blower (gasoline) and it moves some air. I also have a DeWalt battery blower and it works really well for what it is. May be a good alternative for a plug in.

Small world! My wife and I really enjoy Vermont.

 

I just bought one earlier this month. Nice back up to my gas Echo one. I have a bunch of their batteries already.