What is this and how do I kill it?

[WTA]

I was just out splitting firewood from two trees we had die this year. I just cut them down a couple weeks ago. It was our two biggest trees on the farm too.

Anyway, They got hit by a crop duster 3 years ago and defoliated real early and struggled ever since. This year there were hardly any green leaves left so I cut them down. After I had them on the ground I noticed these holes and burrows all over high up in the tree. Upon closer looking I am finding the same stuff high up in a cherry tree we have. We have a decent sized pecan orchard that I really don't want getting infested so I need to know what this thing is and how to kill them. Anybody ever seen them before?

Oh, This thing is about an inch and a half long and as big around as my finger almost. Looks sort of like a grub but I've never seen them in trees before.

Thanks

 

[ScottOkla]

I don't know if it an apple borer or hickory borer or something else, but it is one of two borers that infest all of my pecan firewood and live throughout our pecan trees.

I have read and believe (hope) that it can only injure susceptible pecan trees or branches. My trees have been around 30 years longer than I have, so that tells me something about healthy trees and their pest resistance. Apple borers are the more dangerous ones if my memory serves.

I have been meaning to get answers to my own borer questions, so maybe this will thread will help me also.

 

[WTA]

The two dead trees are honey locust. Also one still living cherry. We have a whole bunch of pecan and walnuts too that are a part of my income every fall. I really need to find a way to get rid of these things!

 

[ToadHill]

Looks like a locust borer to me. The adults are longhorned beetles that are black and yellow like a hornet. They are a serious pest of locust trees but your local extension office can tell you if they bother pecan trees as well.

 

[charlz]

Dunno what that is but Bayer Tree & Shrub Insect Control probably controls it. The stuff is not cheap and for big trees you need a lot of it. Nice thing is that it is a systemic so you just mix and poor around the roots, no spraying.

Charles

 

[3RRL]

WTA,
I ran into the exact same kinda grub a while back. Posted a thread on it too. Mine was a long as a mousetrap and big around as my finger.
What is this Huge Grub?

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I think a shoe or a rolled up newspaper will take care of that grub for you

 

[ToadHill]

Once the grubs are inside the trees the only way to get rid of them is a systemic pesticide of some kind. Again your extension office should be able to tell you which insecticide is labeled for this borer.

 

[alchemysa]

If you were in Australia I would say you have a witchetty grub. We often come across them when we dig up rotten stumps. They turn into very big brown 'wood moths' that can be as big as a moustrap. The grubs are a favorite traditional food of the Australian Aboriginals and don't look bad at all although i've never tasted one.

Your grub has a slightly different shape to our witchettys but I wouldnt be surprised if developed similarly.

Witchetty grub - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ahhh..I see in the above link that 'witchetty' can also be used as a name for the larvae of Bardi Grubs that turn into longhorn beetles... a pest.
Longhorn beetle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Egon]

Chances are a raven or crow would make short work of it.