# white worms in firewood



## MomaBear (Mar 11, 2015)

I have been burning firewood since 2006 & kept seeing white worms when splitting with log splitter.I tried getting all of them out as I seen them which made the job even harder.I always find dead woods that are dry, and cut & split them in the summer. I do have a wood shed wood is stacked to let air flow Just this past year while spring cleaning I kept finding little tiny worms in dresser drawers and under the couch & in the return vent for heating system and in the closets.At first I thought it was clothes moths so I washed everything in a 2 story 4 bedroom house.& bagged all clothes.Things even went in freezer hopping to kill them in things I couldn't wash.I have old antique stuff from all my family that couldn't be washed.
Shewww, what a job,spraying all the bedding(did not find any in the bed) and furniture mopping for days on end only to find more little bugs under the couch.I'm at my witts end with these little small worm that turn into little black flying bugs with white spots on their wings they dance around and if you touch them they play dead of all things.I only found one large black bug in all the cleaning. I keep a tote with a lead on the wood inside only removing to add wood to fireplace.The bugs do not eat holes in my clothing they only gather dust & stuff that looks like cotton. and they make a cocoon of some type. I do open windows with screen on them could they have gotten in a window & not firewood??
Any Ideas of what they could be?? 
I love my house, it was built by my dad in 1932 on our farm..Yet I can't keep up with these bugs I'm ready to run away from home..lol & let them have it..
Tkx for any replys!


----------



## pen (Mar 11, 2015)

That sounds horrible.  

I'd like to see a picture of these critters.


----------



## Ram 1500 with an axe... (Mar 11, 2015)

Doyourownpestcontrol.com

Call the 1800 number......

Buy a sprayer and the chemical that they suggest, you bugs will be gone....


----------



## 7acres (Mar 11, 2015)

pen said:


> That sounds horrible.
> 
> I'd like to see a picture of these critters.



Yeah, I'd like to see pics too. Where do you typically find them? Just under the couch? You might try sprinkling diatomaceous earth wherever you find them. Just an idea.


----------



## DougA (Mar 11, 2015)

We get small moths coming off the wood when we bring it inside. Sometimes even a mosquito woken from deep sleep. We hang some sticky paper in the area and that seems to work best if you want to avoid poisons.


----------



## Wood Duck (Mar 11, 2015)

Are you suggesting the worms in the house are connected to the worms in the house? I doubt they would be, but the worms in the house sound awful.


----------



## Applesister (Mar 11, 2015)

Clothes moths would be my worse fear. The cocooning could be coddling moths or wool moths. And you did all that you can for them.
The black bugs with white spots could be Asian long horned beetles. They wont hang around long but you may want to notify a county or state agency.
The "worms" are beetle larvae and they usually only bother live trees.
Your only concerns should be ants, termites, powder post beetles and your wool moths. 
Tree bugs really only eat trees. Or they spend their larvae stage eating trees.
Leave your wood outside until you use it if they wig you out.
And remember pesticides are way more dangerous than the bugs.
Try what I swear by...a valium mocha latte.
Also you could contact an exterminator, they arent that expensive. They might do a free estimate. At least you can find out what is a possible problem.


----------



## MomaBear (Mar 12, 2015)

pen said:


> That sounds horrible.
> 
> I'd like to see a picture of these critters.


I will get pic soon. Can I post them here?.I'm new to this site & not sure what you can do here.I can't be home today hubbys had cancer an many doctor visits most days it's 2 doc's in one day.3 times a week..That puts my bug patrol on hold a few days a week.


----------



## MomaBear (Mar 12, 2015)

Wood Duck said:


> Are you suggesting the worms in the house are connected to the worms in the house? I doubt they would be, but the worms in the house sound awful.


I'm not sure somedays I think they came in in the firewood other days not so sure.Then theres the spiders I'm sure they come with the wood.I do have 2 boxelder trees at my bedroom window where I open the screened in window on nice days.I have seen the larger bugs I call boxelder bugs with orange on their face.I have found a few that get in maybe on our clothes, they are much bigger but they don't hide.Then there's the red/orange beetle's that get in my upstairs..I think a lot of people  here t least dread the beetles in the fall of the year.


----------



## MomaBear (Mar 12, 2015)

Applesister said:


> Clothes moths would be my worse fear. The cocooning could be coddling moths or wool moths. And you did all that you can for them.
> The black bugs with white spots could be Asian long horned beetles. They wont hang around long but you may want to notify a county or state agency.
> The "worms" are beetle larvae and they usually only bother live trees.
> Your only concerns should be ants, termites, powder post beetles and your wool moths.
> ...


Morning Applesister!
You have the best IdeasEver! I'll have one of you valium mocha latte's!lol !! I've worked none stop since I found then I had painted all the upstairs moving down the steps to find then in the vents.I mean lots.I found them in the bathroom in my towels now I only leave 6 out at a time.This could be a full time job! I have googled & I too though it is the Asian long horned beetles.Maybe??I'm so sick of bugs.The last 2 years I've had yellow jackets get in behind the window facings outside.. I just want my life back!!Tkx for the reply!


----------



## MomaBear (Mar 12, 2015)

Wood Duck said:


> Are you suggesting the worms in the house are connected to the worms in the house? I doubt they would be, but the worms in the house sound awful.


I'm not sure as the ones I find in the house are very small & brown in the worm stage then black after the cocoon turn black with white spots on wings. They love to dance around then fall over on their back to play dead. I just thought they had to have come from the wood in the tote. After nearly killing myself cleaning they are only in the couch & yes I tore the bottom on the pretty new couch off to spray..I worry they will be back in full force when the weather warms up.Almost every day while looking for things to wear I'm searching..I think I'm addicted to the hunt now..lol I've worked until I have to cry a while...
Tkx for the reply!


----------



## pen (Mar 12, 2015)

Take a picture and then just drag the picture into the text box where you type, and you should be good to go.


----------



## MomaBear (Mar 13, 2015)




----------



## MomaBear (Mar 13, 2015)

pen said:


> Take a picture and then just drag the picture into the text box where you type, and you should be good to go.


----------



## MomaBear (Mar 13, 2015)

pen said:


> Take a picture and then just drag the picture into the text box where you type, and you should be good to go.


This is what I found this morning after sweeping all hardwood floors these were under the couch.. .they were dead.They always find the stuff in the second pic to make whatever it is they make..Sure hope u know what they are..
Tkx pen!


----------



## DougA (Mar 13, 2015)

They look more like ladybugs than white worms.  Must be my old eyes.


----------



## pen (Mar 13, 2015)

dang, was hoping the pics would be something I've seen.  From what I can see there, I'm clueless.  That's crazy.


----------



## 1kzwoman (Mar 14, 2015)

Try looking for case bearing moth, adult is short lived, larva is much longer lived builds cocoon and drags them


----------



## D8Chumley (Mar 14, 2015)

Applesister, what is this Valium mocha latte you speak of? This might be something Mrs Chumley could benefit from


----------



## MomaBear (Mar 15, 2015)

pen said:


> dang, was hoping the pics would be something I've seen.  From what I can see there, I'm clueless.  That's crazy.


I know it's not the end of these dang bugs.I will surely find more & when I do I will post better pic of living bugs.
I know they do remind me of ladybugs.
As for the white worm thing, I just thought it maybe that they were laying eggs & the smaller worms were the beginning of their life stage.
Meanwhile I  will continue to clean & spray.
I'm gonna win this battle!!
 At one point I found a lot on the rocks around the fire insert.
I've cleaned so much I now have tennis elbow had 2 injections in the left elbow and still having pain..


----------



## MomaBear (Mar 15, 2015)

D8Chumley said:


> Applesister, what is this Valium mocha latte you speak of? This might be something Mrs Chumley could benefit from





DougA said:


> They look more like ladybugs than white worms.  Must be my old eyes.


That could be my problem also!They change so much to me..Small ones, medium ones, flying ones, crawling ones..


----------



## DougA (Mar 15, 2015)

MomaBear said:


> That could be my problem also!They change so much to me..Small ones, medium ones, flying ones, crawling ones..


I think you are dealing with more than one type of bug.  I would try a vacuum to clean them up. We do that with anything except the ones that fly. Much easier on your elbow.


----------



## MomaBear (Mar 15, 2015)

DougA said:


> I think you are dealing with more than one type of bug.  I would try a vacuum to clean them up. We do that with anything except the ones that fly. Much easier on your elbow.





DougA said:


> I think you are dealing with more than one type of bug.  I would try a vacuum to clean them up. We do that with anything except the ones that fly. Much easier on your elbow.


Been there already it does help at first but when they are in your clothes then it all hand work..
 I must have ocd I cant stop looking..


----------



## MomaBear (Mar 15, 2015)

Just found this sire online,
http://www.mothprevention.com/pages/identifying-carpet-moths


----------



## pen (Mar 15, 2015)

That's a heck of a life cycle, but sounds like a good match to what you have.  Did you find any suggestion on destroying them that are different than what you've been doing?


----------



## MomaBear (Mar 15, 2015)

site.  
 has all different types of bugs from carpet beetles to clothes moths.


----------



## MomaBear (Mar 15, 2015)

pen said:


> That's a heck of a life cycle, but sounds like a good match to what you have.  Did you find any suggestion on destroying them that are different than what you've been doing?


not yet working on it now..


----------



## MomaBear (Mar 15, 2015)

Now I only have one room with carpet in the house, out it goes ASAP..
In the mean time I will get Demi-Diamond Moth Traps  to start with & trying one or both of these Oa2ki organic powder spray... Protector C Trigger Spray..Man there is so many thing on this page.. It gets overwhelming to decided which ones to try..
Tkx to all for the help


----------



## Lake Girl (Mar 15, 2015)

Not sure about your area and hard to tell from the pictures but, we have Japanese lady beetles that were brought in to destroy purple loosestrife.  Purple loosestrife is an invasive species brought to NA in the 1800s and destroys wetlands habitat.  The theory was that these beetles would die off in the first winter... guess they forgot about Darwin's observations.  Anyhow, they like to cocoon in crevices in siding, rocks, etc... U of Kentucky site so if these aren't your issue, they may have your culprits on another page:  http://www2.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef416.asp







Good luck.  Hope Hubby's treatment is going well.


----------



## MomaBear (Mar 15, 2015)

Lake Girl said:


> Not sure about your area and hard to tell from the pictures but, we have Japanese lady beetles that were brought in to destroy purple loosestrife.  Purple loosestrife is an invasive species brought to NA in the 1800s and destroys wetlands habitat.  The theory was that these beetles would die off in the first winter... guess they forgot about Darwin's observations.  Anyhow, they like to cocoon in crevices in siding, rocks, etc... U of Kentucky site so if these aren't your issue, they may have your culprits on another page:  http://www2.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef416.asp
> 
> 
> 
> ...


We do have this beetle here like you said in the fall.These are so tiny who knows maybe they are the baby of this beetle & they have white spots when they are small..While cleaning this morning I only found one dead..when I go a few day and find none & start to think they are gone I find a few more..
Hubby is doing fair & thank you for the well wishes!


----------



## sportbikerider78 (Mar 16, 2015)

Have you done a pesticide bug bomb in your house yet?  That is where I would start.  

Set a few cans off and leave for the weekend.  Come back and clean the place top to bottom.  

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Real-Kill-2-oz-Ready-to-Use-Indoor-Fogger-6-Pack-HG-10064-2/100352290

People can talk about pesticides all day long and how bad they are for you.  I'm sure some of that is true, but the key is minimizing your exposure.  Don't use them all the time, just when you are in dire straights.  If I was you, that time would be now.


----------



## 1kzwoman (Mar 16, 2015)

The diatomaceous earth suggested is pet and human friendly and very useful, it is worth researching if you havent


----------

