Bugs in my wood!

[Oddy]

I have an avocado tree growing down the back of my place in the bush. During a storm a while back it split at a fork and nearly half the tree came down. It lay on the ground for a month or so before I got to cleaning it up. I saved some decent sized logs from it in case it turns out to be good on the lathe. I've had the logs in the garage for about a month now and today when I went digging for some older seasoned wood I noticed little brown mounds on top of the avocado logs. Looks like they have some sort of pest in them. I've moved them back outside so I don't end up with a problem through the rest of my stash.
Are there any practical ways to kill the blighters? No idea how deep they are into it, what they are, or how much damage they have done to the wood - but never know, maybe the damage will make for a feature or interesting effect...

[Prle77]

if the piece is small enough.. microwave it.. that should kill all bugs and eggs in it... otherwise you might try building a small tent out of plastic or such, put all affected pieces there and use one or two of those bug bombs.. that might do it....

[dai sensei]

As Prie77 says, plus soaking in a Boron solution, but you may need a few applications as the eggs hatch. Borers are a pesky mungrels that will eat their way through your timbers, most only small, but some are monsters that leave holes up to ~20mm dia

[smiife]

Hi oddy,
As someone said recently, try freezing !

[Oddy]

Microwave sounds like it could be effective... The logs are too big at the moment but could cut them down to bowl blank sizes. Not sure my wife will appreciate me putting this stuff through the microwave though :C

[Cliff Rogers]

Freezing works better than microwave.

[hughie]

Freezing works better than microwave.

Yep I agree , cut it up into blanks and freeze them

[Oddy]

Thanks for all the advice. Freezing the first batch today.

[Jonzjob]

Not heard of freezing, but it would get you in less trouble with SWMBO me-thinks??

If you turn the blanks wet, stuff them in a plastic bag with the shavings and leave it in a shady place for a week. Then turn the lot into a different bag and repeat until you don't have any more condensation on the inside of the bag. That should not only dry it out, but get rid of the majority of the insects. Even fairly heavily attacked wood can look very good after attacks like that. No good for soup bowls or drinking goblets, but lovely looking..

This is a lump of Russian olive that was growing in our garden

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f180/Jonzjob/Russian%20olive%20bowl%20before%20efter-01a_zps4fs0l0p7.jpg (http://s47.photobucket.com/user/Jonzjob/media/Russian%20olive%20bowl%20before%20efter-01a_zps4fs0l0p7.jpg.html)

[Oddy]

Great looking bowl there Jonzob

[Jonzjob]

Ta Hoddy, but no good for soup mate!! I'll get around to doing the lump on the left sometime too?