Ack!!!!
I moved one of my containerized trees outside today and noticed something funny on the soil near the base of the tree:
 

Looks like fine sawdust.  There's a bit more on one of the ties that holds the tree to a bamboo stake.

 

I gave the tree a good looking over, checking for signs of the shothole borers I discovered in my other tree.  The tree looked good, but the top of the bamboo stake looked awfully suspicious:
 

Breaking the bamboo open, I saw these guys!!!:
 

Here are a couple of closeups of two of the buggers:

        

These guys were slightly larger (at 3.5mm) than the ones I discovered in my Sicilian Red:

What is this creeping death?!?!?

A warning to all fig tree collectors in the Carolina's

Always always. always, seal your fig trees with Elmers wood glue after pruning or they will do the same to your figs. It's what I use. Sometimes I use the black prune & seal stuff.

who needs import ban when our own nurseries are sending us borer beetles nicely packaged in bamboo stakes... x) 

Me too:

Last night, I took my already woe-begone VdeB baby into the garage to get it indoors and away from a fierce T-storm. This morning, there, on the leaves and on the soil were the results of a night of feasting on the core of the bamboo stake supplied with the cutting. No problem with the cutting ( with respect to the little borers found inside the bamboo.) Live and learn something new everyday.

I would have taken a pic, but needaclone's pics say it all!!  Joe in Georgia

Thanks for the info and heads up - and great photos!


http://www.theinformedgardener.com   http://puyallup.wsu.edu/~Linda Chalker-Scott/ 

About the myth that sealing pruned areas is a good idea. IT'S NOT.

We were taught in college that this is a decades old myth that was disproved years ago but as it seems counter-intuitive the myth continues on.

I would certainly not ever put anything toxic on my trees, and although wood glue is not exactly poison the research says trees can deal with their wounds better if left alone and this includes dealing with invasive insects. I don't understand why wood glue would stop insects that can easily chew through wood.

And why -WHY???? -would anyone paint toxic stubstances onto a plant that produces food intended for human consumption.

This little bugger is a sap beetle - they only feed on rot so although if a bunch show up it's scary they aren't a big deal.
 

alanmercieca,
How were you able to survey "a lot of universities"? A good idea for what? I know folks paint trees for different reasons - some not based in reality. 
I doubt it's being recommended for treatment of pruning wounds.
We used to use tree wrap instead of paint on trees susceptible to sun scald because after they reach a certain age (size) you can remove it.

There are 2 kinds of people - those that like the looks of trees with paint on them and those who do not.
I had a neighbor who liked the look and painted all his trees up to about 5 feet. It looked like s . . t. I hate it - it annoys me - so I notice it.

I understand there are certain infestations that might warrant it, but I doubt they are that far reaching. I went to Va Tech and I've owned several orchards and I know a number of folks involved in these areas of expertise. During my time at VPI I didn't see any of the test orchards with painted trees and the last time I was down there I didn't either.

Anyway, if painting trees was a good idea and being recommended by the extension services or many universities, I'd expect my local orchards to have at least some painted trees. I am, after all, in an area once famous for its orchards.

I also live in an area hit hard by the pine boring beetle yet don't see large valuable commercial stands of pine being painted. I simply doubt that it's being touted as a good idea by a lot of universities as no one seems to be doing it and contrary to many folks beliefs - farmers, etc. aren't backward, lazy or stupid and most are very educated about the things they grow and stay very current with what is being recommended as otherwise they loose the tiny margins they survive on - and they have the extension service to help make sure they know the latest research.

Again if it does a lot of good why aren't the national forests being painted or Yellowstone, etc. In '06 I rode my bike from Va to Alaska to Mexico to Key West to Newfoundland and back to Va. 25k miles and 4 months cruising and taking wildlife photos and I don't remember any painted trees. Not in the US or the forests of Canada. Shouldn't there have been lots of painted trees if it was a good idea? I've also been in 40 countries and other then a few small examples usually around a civic courtyard in Mexico or Nicaragua there just aren't very many painted trees; and there should be if it were a good idea.
Why aren't all the newly planted teak, etc. stands in Costa Rica and Panama, etc. painted? Etc. etc. etc.

I'm afraid I'd have to see these studies before I jump on that band wagon. and there'd have to be a lot more then one from more then one university.

They could at least paint them camo so they wouldn't look so hideous!

I do not paint mine. The wound needs to breathe to properly heal.