What do pests like more? wood or bamboo?

[healing_mystic]

I've just begun on a quest to learn more about bamboo and in a few places I have looked (online) it has said that bamboo is easily infested with wood-boring insects. Is bamboo loved by bugs more than wood is? I understand that environment and location are a factor but just in general which is more susceptible to the creepy-crawlies?

[CaroleMeckes]

Hello healing_mystic
Your question regarding pests is a complex issue.

A lot depends on:
the type of bamboo that you are working with
the time of year that the bamboo is harvested and
the age of the bamboo at time of harvest

Some bamboos species are more susceptible to bugs and have higher starch contents.

I am not an expert in this area at all, only an keen observer,
Carole

[healing_mystic]

So do you suppose maybe it is the high starch content that causes the bugs to suddenly have empty stomachs? I understand there are a lot of things to look at when thinking about this subject. This is my beginning quest with figuring out what would be best for my future projects. I have a few bamboo crafts in mind that will mainly be left outside but won't have any coatings protecting them, unless I can find something that is good for the environment but will just be left in their natural beauty. And it never even dawned on me that this would be something creepy critters would like to munch on.

[CaroleMeckes]

Do you happen to know which species of bamboo you will be using? Will you be using locally bamboo that is grown in your area (Virginia)?

If so, you probably will not have much problem with creepy crawlers destroying your project.

Carole

[healing_mystic]

That I don't know. I'm still in the planning stages of my crafts and plan on selling them on-line and at local faires. I will most likely need bamboo that is small to medium size in diameter depending on what I am making at the time.

[ShmuBamboo]

Around here bamboo has far fewer pests than the wood species that we grow. Environmental factor I guess. I leave my harvested bamboo poles on the ground and they rot before any bugs get to them. The poles in my vineyard are all bamboo and they are all bug-free after a year. Do that with wood here and the carpenter ants and termites move in right away.