# termites in the woodpile



## pict (Sep 5, 2007)

Hey all,
            Some of the wood I've been splitting has termites in it.
I've been putting the split wood in the woodpile.
Is this ok-or not.
I plan to burn the wood as soon as I start using my woodstove-maybe a couple of months time.


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## BrotherBart (Sep 5, 2007)

Termites live in the ground and commute to work in the woodpile. The wood will be fine. Just knock the pieces together before taking them in the house. There are things you can dust the ground around the pile with to keep them away but in thirty years we haven't seen evidence of termites in the house structure. But lots of it in the woodpiles.


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## jpl1nh (Sep 5, 2007)

Termites burn just fine.  I think their BTU value is a bit lower than cord-wood due to their moisture content, but fuels fuel!  Just bring in small loads that you'll use in no more than a few days.  When it gets really cold, if they are still in the wood they'll be pretty logy until they warm up.  Make sure you stack your wood off the ground with good air circulation while you're seasoning and storing it.  It may not prevent infestation but it will minimize it.


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## pict (Sep 5, 2007)

thanks for the info!


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## luv2byte (Sep 5, 2007)

We found bugs, ticks & termites actually, in our wood as well....I have a post that is fairly recent that is titled "Bark & Bugs", I was given what seems to be really good advice.  We removed all the bark we could as we split it.  I also sprayed it with termite & tick killer.   After we get it stacked I will spray the pile one last time and the surrounding area where we will stack it.  One item recommended was Sevin dust.  I've used it before for other areas and it worked well.


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## begreen (Sep 5, 2007)

If you want to use something to control the termites, sprinkle some Borax around the pile as insurance. It will take care of the ants and will not hang around in the environment.


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## myzamboni (Sep 5, 2007)

I had termites in some cherry I split.  I put the splits  split side up in the sun and the next day the ants invadeed.  The ants hung around eating larvae for a day or two and now they have moved on as well.  Termites don't like light, heat, and dry.


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## Bill (Sep 12, 2007)

Subterranean termites and carpenter ants are two different insects. Splitting the wood definitely would move termites. But carpenter ants on the other hand may stay in galleries not split. Often times while splitting the wood carpenter ants grab their larval stages and run. Treating wood with insecticides usually isn't necessary, but remember what ever the pesticide smells like when wet, could smell like (a pole cat ) it while burning. (Malathion) Sevin would be a good short term control product. But if carpenter ants are in close proximity of your home, an annual perimeter treatment would be a deterrent. If I find a chunk of wood highly infested I flip it in the woods, if it's just hollow in the center, no problem.


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