Termite question

[basswidow]

yesterday I started to move some of my seasoned split wood that I will burn this year, in order to make room for 4 cords of rounds I hope to split this weekend.

When I began moving the splits - I noticed microscopic bore holes and dust mounds on the splits. Lots of them. Could this be termites? I am concerned about stacking this wood too close to the house. Still, I'd like to have it convient. I was wanting to store it in my garage - but now I'm concerned. My other two spots are the front porch and back deck and both of these spots are concerns as well.

Someone told me to put wood 25 feet from your home. I'd hate to make that trek on a daily basis once winter kicks in. Should I be concerned?


After burning last years bought green wood, I was thinking I'd see alot of cresote in my chimney flue. Over the weekend, I removed the board and bricks over the top firebox pipes and took a mirror and flashlight to look up to the top. I was pleased to see an almost clean flawless flue! I cleaned it from top to bottom and checked the door gasket. I'm good to go!

Another question:

Do splits season during Nov-Mar? The 4 cords I have now are mostly cherry that was dropped in Feb/Mar and I cut it into rounds during the summer - but I'm just getting to split now. The ends are dark and checked. I'm gonna split and stack them - it would be nice if I could use them by the end of the season. I'd hate to have to buy wood.

 

[TreePapa]

Sounds like powder post beetles to me. Did ya' see any of the buggers?

Peace,
- Sequoia

 

[basswidow]

Seen a few black ants and a few black beetles - more snakes then anything else. This was nice scrounged wood, nothing wrotten or full of insects.

Seeing this just scared me. Ideally - I'd like all of it in the garage and front porch - so all I have to do is take a few steps to fill up my wood bin. Sure don't want to damage my house.

 

[slayer7]

Sounds like carpenter ants to me. Those lil b@sturds just caused a huge tree in my backyard to fall over in the storm the other day by weakening the bottom of it.

 

[branchburner]

I had some cherry last year in the same state as yours, though split July/Aug. It definitely dried a bit during the winter, and I burned some, but it was not ideal. I would criss-cross it loosely so it gets lots of air. I had mine in full sun for autumn but made sure to cover it for any rainy spells, then left it covered for the winter. I was happily surprised at the shape it was in by spring.

 

[wendell]

If it is a really fine powder it is most likely powder post beetles.

Not sure if the cherry will be ready or not. Stack it loose in the sunniest breeziest spot and don't cover it until closer to winter. (Of course, it will probably be drier than anything you would buy.) Good luck.

 

[basswidow]

SO, powder post beetles? Any worries about them getting into my house - causing damage?

Any worries about storing some ready to burn splits in the garage? If I'm traveling with work, I can't have my wife stomping through the snow to feed the stove. I'd like her to be able to simply go into the garage for some.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Now worries at all with the PP beetles. I was just noticing a couple days ago they finally found some of my old 6-7 year old wood. Around here they gravitate to the elm mostly but will eventually attack other wood. We have them every year and just don't worry about them. Just be sure you knock the dust off before taking into the house.

 

[Duetech]

Termites can't take direct sunlight and have to have a source of water to survive (ground moisture is adequate don't have to be a pool as such) and will build castings or little tunnels that they can travel in without geting blasted by the sun and not lose their precious moisture. One article I read said that direct sunlight would kill them even just a few seconds worth.! (???) Whenever I have found termites there were castings.

 

[firefighterjake]

yesterday I started to move some of my seasoned split wood that I will burn this year, in order to make room for 4 cords of rounds I hope to split this weekend.

When I began moving the splits - I noticed microscopic bore holes and dust mounds on the splits. Lots of them. Could this be termites? I am concerned about stacking this wood too close to the house. Still, I'd like to have it convient. I was wanting to store it in my garage - but now I'm concerned. My other two spots are the front porch and back deck and both of these spots are concerns as well.

As others have said . . . if it's a very fine powder and very tiny holes it's probably the powder post beetle . . . I get them with my pine and elm. Of course the fact that I'm burning pine in my woodstove could mean that I've gone blind and don't realize that the holes are larger and are actually being made by carpenter ants. All kidding aside, I would guess it's the PPB . . . no real worries about them eating up your home.

Someone told me to put wood 25 feet from your home. I'd hate to make that trek on a daily basis once winter kicks in. Should I be concerned?


After burning last years bought green wood, I was thinking I'd see alot of cresote in my chimney flue. Over the weekend, I removed the board and bricks over the top firebox pipes and took a mirror and flashlight to look up to the top. I was pleased to see an almost clean flawless flue! I cleaned it from top to bottom and checked the door gasket. I'm good to go!

Ideally burning well seasoned wood is the way to go . . . however, if you're running your woodstove hot enough you can help negate (note I said help, not do away with) the effects of burning wood that is less than ideal in terms of being seasoned.

Another question:

Do splits season during Nov-Mar? The 4 cords I have now are mostly cherry that was dropped in Feb/Mar and I cut it into rounds during the summer - but I'm just getting to split now. The ends are dark and checked. I'm gonna split and stack them - it would be nice if I could use them by the end of the season. I'd hate to have to buy wood.

Yes . . . your wood will continue to season all the way through winter. Cherry tends to season fast . . . it would have been better to have split this wood back in Summer . . . you may luck out and be able to burn them at the very tail end of Winter or early Spring however . . . if nothing else you'll have a jump on next year's wood supply.