Teeny holes

[PVelandra]

When working on my natural gourds for this season I noticed that several had a multitude of teeny pin-size holes throughout the body of the gourd. What new hell is this?

[C.C.Martins]

Paul,
Maybe the wrath of a bug while it was growing? If its not enough to weaken it do you think you can still work with it? Paint makes a great glue, especially 3 or 4 coats. Hate to see a natural gourd ruined, I love them.

[PVelandra]

These gourds have been occupied the last 5 seasons. I have about 50% natural hand-crafted gourds and won't switch to all plastic. Grow them and finish them, and in 12 years have never had this problem. Didn't bother the birds or chicks. I will recoat with a good enamel. Didn't need the additional ventilation. Very curious as to what critter did this. No frass or powder in gourd.

[C.C.Martins]

Well heck I thought you grew them, and were just now making them...looked up all kinds of gourd and squash bugs to be smart about it, haha.
I wonder what it is! Don't know what kind of bug that will do that to a dried one.
I'm with you, I like them alot. Big, light weight, dark interior and roomy. Each one has a diffrent character. Have to admit though iv more plastic gourds up, 13 natural and 17 plastic ones.
Good plan, should seal it.

[Jones4381]

When working on my natural gourds for this season I noticed that several had a multitude of teeny pin-size holes throughout the body of the gourd. What new hell is this?

can you share a photo? Got our curiosity up and would like to help you identify the issue if possible.

[PVelandra]

Sorry if my post was a bit vague. Have now found about 8 gourds out of 25 with this problem. Not all holes are pin size. Some are twice that. Hold the gourd up tp the light and it looks like the stars at night.
So I was bringing in firewood last night and grabbed an armful of very dry kindling. Small, barkless, good size sticks. And several had these exact same holes. No frass or dust from drilling. I can now explore the types of wood drilling critters and see if I can narrow it down. I used to use a very small bit of severin around the nest edges for mite control, but stopped a couple years back due to concerns I have read about for chick safety. Might be time to carefully resume using it because I think it may have kept these things away as well. Sorry, no photos. I am totalty inept at the process.

C C Martin: I was stationed at NAS Kingsville, and we spent alot of time on Padre Island. Beautiful area.

[PVelandra]

Mystery solved. Sort of. They are a form of woodworm, or larvae of wood boring beetles. I thought powder post beetles, but no powder remnants. Will repair holes by filling, or coats of enamel.

[C.C.Martins]

Hi Paul,
Well you got them. Now guess its a question of where to put the gourds off season to keep those bugs at bay! Good observation skills.
Glad you liked your time here, have to like the outdoors down south texas to appriciate whats around. Lots to enjoy!
Tom