Bugs in the firewood

[HGM]

I've been stockpiling some wood for the winter and noticed some of it has bugs in it. I understand this is natural, though I was interested in how you guys handle bugs. Do you just burn them or do you spray the log piles?

 

[Jagmandave]

Burn 'em, especially if you've already got the fire going well.

 

[arthr31]

no spray. just bring in enough wood for a days heating... I've found sometimes the bugs defrost and begin moving around. That's a good time to shoe them outside, or into the wood stove... (i've had carpenter ants bite me!)

If you bring in too much wood, or stock it against the house, or in your garage, the bugs might setup shop in YOUR HOUSE!! -art /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[HGM]

That was my concern, thanks..

 

[dmccarty]

HGM,

I have been reading up on this the last couple of weeks. There are a couple of fire wood sites out there believe it or not. Google will show you a bunch.

Not sure if it is 100% true but the sites said that the bugs are in the bark. No bark no bugs. The other thought I was having was if I should bug bomb the firewood. Since the bugs are in the bark the bomb would not do much good. Since most of my split wood has lost its bark I guess I'll see if this is true this year....

I'm kinda iffy on the idea of a bug bomb any way with the kids...

Later,
Dan

 

[bczoom]

HGM,

Like already mentioned, I only bring a limited (12 hours or so) worth of wood into the house.

I also found a handy way to keep them as well as wood debris contained. I use the rubbermaid style tubs. I'll load about 6 or so and stage outside the door. I then bring in 1 at a time. The wood debris stays in the tubs and if the lid is on, the bugs stay contained until they meet the woodstove. Not sure if it would be an issue in GA, but up here, it's important to get the tubs that are made of the softer plastic. The harder ones have a tendency to crack in the cold.

Brian

 

[HGM]

Some of my wood sat in the yard for a year and got infiltrated by beetles,larvae and looks like there might be termites in a couple of pieces. Their in the wood, not just in the bark in this case. I want to keep them away from the house untill fire time. The containers are a good idea, I'll try that this year. Our winters arent near as bad here in Ga. but it does get below freezing for a few days at a time every now and then. Thanks guys.

 

[woodlot]

<font color="purple">"The harder ones have a tendency to crack in the cold."</font>

The same is true for those poly wheelbarrows. A nice sized oak log thrown in one on a -10 degree day and WHAM! a hole right through the wheelbarrow! Stick with metal for firewood.

 

[slowrev]

Are they softwood or hardwood bugs ? Soft bugs are features according to MS. oops that was wood and not ware /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Ben

 

[timb]

Lot of reports last year regarding high incidences of brown recluse spiders (having an affinity for woodpiles) at least as far north as northern Virginia. Never saw one around here (that I ever noticed) but they are nasty little buggers to deal with from the sounds of things.

 

[HomeBrew2]

OrthoChlor. If I see bugs in the pile, I spray the pile. I spray the whole exterior of the house and hit the foundation, ground and walls on the porch where I store my boxes of wood an extra dose. I spray the wood boxes too. Nasty stuff, works good.

 

[HGM]

Yea, saw some spiders too, though I didnt look too closely at them...

The Ortho stuff sounds interesting. I'll look into it, I like the idea of protecting the house as well...

 

[Bob_Skurka]

I switched to gas logs! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[HomeBrew2]

OrthoChlor was available at Home Depot last year @ ~$35/qt. Didn't need any this year so don't know if they outlawed another good product or not.

 

[HGM]

No offence, but have you priced the stuff to run those logs??

 

[HomeBrew2]

Exactly what I was wondering ...

 

[penokee]

HGM - I store my winters wood in the basement and have the bug problem - spray the piles with Blue can Raid. Also have problem with fungus growing on some of the hard maple - don't know what it is, butjust throw the wood into the fire.
Fungus? Maybe that's my problem /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
penokee /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[BlueRidge]

Is there a fungus amongus? /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif









Well, SOMEBODY had to throw that in there! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[penokee]

Good One /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif