# ambrosia maple



## Graybeard (Jul 23, 2014)

It looks like ambrosia maple can only be found in woods in the eastern US. I read it's caused by the ambrosia beetle which is an invasive species. We had a tornado go through and a neighbor's sugar bush suffered damage. The chances of finding ambrosia maple are pretty slim here in Wisconsin I suspect.

Just curious is any of the folks from Wisconsin, Iowa or Minn. have ever found ambrosia maple?

Graybeard


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## Kevin (Jul 23, 2014)

I'm pretty sure it grows all over the northern regions of the US - anywhere an acer species is attacked by beetles then that species of maple can develop the signature streaks. Same as flame boxelder. All you need to do is find an infested region and you'll find hordes of ambrosia maple trees.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## phinds (Jul 23, 2014)

Graybeard said:


> It looks like ambrosia maple can only be found in woods in the eastern US. I read it's caused by the ambrosia beetle which is *an invasive species*. We had a tornado go through and a neighbor's sugar bush suffered damage. The chances of finding ambrosia maple are pretty slim here in Wisconsin I suspect.
> 
> Just curious is any of the folks from Wisconsin, Iowa or Minn. have ever found ambrosia maple?
> 
> Graybeard



Just FYI, the ambrosia beetle is NOT a species. It is a group of unrelated beetle species that have similar characteristics and produce similar results when eating into trees.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## rob3232 (Jul 23, 2014)

I remember reading that it is a regional type of thingy??
I have not seen ambrosia maple in our neck of the woods, but as Kevin said if conditions are right, and as Paul said the right beetle was involved it could happen.
Mostly why I am posting is because the sugar bush may hold something else...
Tap scar.. It is not quite ambrosia but along the same lines aesthetically (on steroids). Just thought I would share.
Be careful for nails and possibly metal taps! 

A picture of tap scar maple

Reactions: Like 1


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## Kevin (Jul 23, 2014)

rob3232 said:


> (if) the right beetle was involved it could happen.



Any beetle will do it IMO. 



rob3232 said:


> .... It is not quite ambrosia but along the same lines aesthetically....



Looks like ambrosia to me. Remember ambrosia maple is not a species. It's the brown streaks that various maples get when they are attacked by borers . . . . or syrup taps. :-)

Reactions: Agree 1


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## phinds (Jul 23, 2014)

Maple is not the only wood that gets ambrosia streaks. There's a subpage on my site showing several others

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Kevin (Jul 23, 2014)

Yeah boxelder gets them too - just a different color. :-)

I know non maple species can get it but I never see it so out of sight out of mind for me.


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## JR Custom Calls (Jul 23, 2014)

I've read online (wish I could find it again) of people drilling holes in trees to get ambrosia maple, flame box elder. Makes sense, since it's fungal and the bug only allows entrance.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## davduckman2010 (Jul 23, 2014)

rob3232 said:


> I remember reading that it is a regional type of thingy??
> I have not seen ambrosia maple in our neck of the woods, but as Kevin said if conditions are right, and as Paul said the right beetle was involved it could happen.
> Mostly why I am posting is because the sugar bush may hold something else...
> Tap scar.. It is not quite ambrosia but along the same lines aesthetically (on steroids). Just thought I would share.
> ...


dam you got some big beetles rob

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 1


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## Bowlguy_in_PA (Jul 23, 2014)

I'm not sure this is "Ambrosia" in this sample, but I cut wood from a Weeping Cherry tree and it had these amazing red streaks through the wood. There were black ant and beetles all over the tree before it was cut up. I have 8 or 9 more pieces like this and some have it, some don't.


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## phinds (Jul 23, 2014)

That's white rot to (a form of spalting) ... it's not too rare in cherry


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## phinds (Jul 23, 2014)

JR Custom Calls said:


> I've read online (wish I could find it again) of people drilling holes in trees to get ambrosia maple, flame box elder. Makes sense, since it's fungal and the bug only allows entrance.


 
Very unlikely to work. There isn't any known way to reliably produce flame in box elder on demand. A scientific group tried and got miserable results by stressing the trees.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## elnino (Jul 24, 2014)

i think silver and red maples are the trees to look for. of course any maple will work but those beetles seem to like softer hardwoods.

Reactions: Agree 1


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