Brought home termites with my scrounge, now what?

lumbering on said:

So how often does this happen to people, bringing home termites I mean?

I have a hard time turning down ANY wood, no matter how cr*ppy.

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I brought home a small handful just a couple weeks ago in the stump pictured below. They were only in sapwood on the outer edge of the one stump. Must have just been starting to get after that dead side. I'll be splitting that up this weekend, and the pieces that have the 'mites in them will go right into the keyhole firepit.......we'll be cooking some burgers and bratwursts this weekend!

lumbering on said:

So how often does this happen to people, bringing home termites I mean?

I have a hard time turning down ANY wood, no matter how cr*ppy.

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This is why there is usually nothing free about free wood. Poison Ivy, ants, termites, poplar, pine, are all probable in the free wood listings.

gzecc said:

This is why there is usually nothing free about free wood. Poison Ivy, ants, termites, poplar, pine, are all probable in the free wood listings.

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And WILLOW ... I'd rather bring home termites than WILLOW!

I always find ants, split the chunks open stomp the the little buggers. Maybe that is why it is raining so much this year?

From Washington State University
http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/eb0787/eb0787.pdf

"Most termites need moist conditions
to become established. For subterranean
termites, the moisture source usually is the soil.
For dampwood termites, the moisture comes
from wet wood."

Dampwood termites will not survive in dry wood.
Subterranean termites have their colony (king and queen) in the soil, workers found in your firewood will die off, having been removed from the colony. They are not capable of establishing a new colony. Be nervous if you find winged termites, they're the ones that can start a new colony.

There are dry wood termites, but they are not established in the North.

I occasionaly find termites and carpenter ants in the wood I bring home. I don't get too concerned, although if I find a large nest of carpenter ants I will spray them or burn the wood. Of course, the carpenter ants are very common in my area anyway

I know the drolet USED to only call for ember protection..... I guess now I am off to find a tutorial on hearth making!

I'd better get busy

Big Donnie Brasco said:

And WILLOW ... I'd rather bring home termites than WILLOW!

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True, Donnie. Is that a camera or bazooka in your avatar?

Big Donnie Brasco said:

buy an Aardvark !

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Chickens work too. I throw my most infested pieces to the side and the chickens take care of them quickly.

The winged ones are the favored of the queen. They don't eat wood. They search for new places to take the queen.
The white ant like ones tunnel and destroy wood. No queen no wood eating.

mikefrommaine said:

Chickens work too. I through my most infested pieces to the side and the chickens take care of them quickly.

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And wild turkeys work too.