Advice on keeping my stacks clean and bug free

[Huntindog1]

I would think what ever you spray your garden veggies with would be ok for firewood.

As they are used on veggies as the break down very quickly.By time cold weather is here there will not be any traces left of it.

Some bug sprays are derived from flowers.

 

[oldspark]

What is it that makes the DE repel bugs? Just curious, never heard that before.

Diatomite is used as an insecticide, due to its abrasive and physico-sorptive properties.[8] The fine powder absorbs lipids from the waxy outer layer of insects' exoskeletons, causing them to dehydrate.[9] Arthropods die as a result of the water pressure deficiency, based on Fick's law of diffusion. This also works against gastropods and is commonly employed in gardening to defeat slugs. However, since slugs inhabit humid environments, efficacy is very low. It is sometimes mixed with an attractant or other additives to increase its effectiveness. Medical-grade diatomite is sometimes used to de-worm both animals and humans, with questionable efficacy.[10][11] It is commonly used in lieu of boric acid, and can be used to help control and possibly eliminate bed bug, house dust mite, cockroach and flea infestations.[citation needed][12] This material has wide application for insect control in grain storage.[13]

 

[oldspark]

That could be true. I was told DE is ground up insect skeletons so it could very well be sharp. We use to put it in our pool to flush and clean up the filter system.

It is a soft naturaly occuring rock, "Diatomaceous earth consists of fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled algae"

 

[Paulywalnut]

Do you see birds near your wood? They eat the bugs, I have birds... They clean up

Agreed. Birds don't like bug spray

 

[Paulywalnut]

The apple that I split recently was loaded with thousands of black ants. I stacked it in a sunny location
and I really can't find one ant.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Cherry are usually worse even than apple but both can be really loaded. I have one peach that I think the ants have invaded. It's my best peach tree too. Danged ants. Pick on the neighbor's trees and leave mine alone. Just like I tell the deer. Go over and eat the neighbor's beans.

 

[mustash29]

.....When splitting, I keep a can of brake cleaner handy. If you get a chunk full of ants a quick shot drops them instantly. I learned that trick from an old co worker who just retired and burnt wood all his life.

I split the stuff on the trailer today, about 2/3 - 3/4 cord. One large chunk had 3 nice big cracks in it. As soon as I rolled it around the ants started emerging, so I filled the crack with brake cleaner & used the extension "straw" to inject it. Then stopped for a drink break.

When I split it open about 2 dozen critters scurried out, but another 1000 or so and a bunch of eggs were motionless.

 

[ScotO]

I split the stuff on the trailer today, about 2/3 - 3/4 cord. One large chunk had 3 nice big cracks in it. As soon as I rolled it around the ants started emerging, so I filled the crack with brake cleaner & used the extension "straw" to inject it. Then stopped for a drink break.

When I split it open about 2 dozen critters scurried out, but another 1000 or so and a bunch of eggs were motionless.

I have the same situation from time to time, when splitting wood......and that's why I keep a propane torch right at my side. Termites, ants, earwigs, wood lice.....none of them are a match for the propane torch. I have a piezo-ignitor on it, and one click you are in business. Now, burning ant eggs and critters do stink a little for a couple seconds, but there's no poisonous insecticide needed.

As for ants in your stacks, it's completely normal. The ants like to find places to put their 'birthing rooms' above ground in a semi-dry environment. I always find them in between the bark and split.....but by fall they are dormant or gone altogether, so I've never had a real issue with them. But if I find them, I torch 'em!

 

[red oak]

If any of you have chickens, you'll know what I'm talking about here. Mine come running when they hear me swing the maul. When the ants come pouring out it's like Thanksgiving for them!

 

[firefighterjake]

If any of you have chickens, you'll know what I'm talking about here. Mine come running when they hear me swing the maul. When the ants come pouring out it's like Thanksgiving for them!

Hmmm . . . they come every time they hear the maul . . . could be convenient when they stop laying and it's time for roast chicken . . . you won't have as hard a time catching them . . . unless of course these are pets.

 

[red oak]

Well they are pets but I did have one that would jump right up on the chopping block!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Ours were pets too but they were still delicious.

I've told the story here a few times about how I got the wild turkeys to clean up the ants. During winter so ants were dormant. Drew a line with birdseed from a place the turkeys crossed daily and that brought them right to the dead ants. They cleaned them up nicely. Then the problem was getting them to stop checking the wood pile daily for more ants...