tap holes

[PATheron]

Ive been watching my tapholes and have been happy to see most of them are closing up real nice. Ive noticed some though in my bush and in other bushes in the area that have what look like real fine coffee ground looking stuff in the hole. I took a stick yesterday and poked around in the hole and found little white worms in there. Some kind of a thing is living in the hole. What is it. Does anyone know and is it anything to get real excited about? Like I said, I have it occasionally in my bush and have noticed it as well in other ones around the area. At first I kind of got worried about it then I got to thinking that the hole is a good place for things to go in till it heals up and any trees ive ever tapped are all healed up after a while perfectly so it cant be the end of the world. Maybe Ive had stuff like that in the past and never noticed it. Any idea let me know. Theron

[PATheron]

These little worms are real little. Im talking like tiny. Theyre white and the coffee ground type stuff is like real fine dark brown wood powder almost. It kind of fills the hole and then you poke in there and the tiny little worms are in the back. Must be whatever is using the hole uses it till it heals up and then moves on Id say becouse like I said my holes always heal up nice unless this is something new. Theron

[markcasper]

Patheron, Sounds like little white worms would be maggots. I guess I have never noticed them, but usually I don't go back into the woods until fall. I don't think it would be anything to be concerned about.

[cncaboose]

I've got solitary wasps living in some of this years tapholes. The wasp fills the hole with paralyzed spiders or other insects, lays eggs on them and leaves after filling the hole with a bit of mud. The eggs hatch, the little wasps (looking like small worms) eat the dinner left for them and make debris from the dinner. Once they get to a certain size they pupate and come out later as more little wasps. Could be what you have among other things.

[PATheron]

Thanks for the info guys. I didnt really think it was a big concern I just wasnt sure what it was. Im always keeping an eye on my trees and I like to learn as much as I can. Theron