Crispy critters

Split this opened and it was filled with carpenter ants.
So I toasted them up.

That's wasted BTUs! Put 'em in the stove next time.

Man my chickens would have chased you all over creation for those they stand by and gobble up all the nasties that wood splitting uncovers.

The last time ran into something like that every bird in my neighborhood showed up for the feast after I finished splitting.

I don't think you're making a significant dent in the carpenter ant population. Just feels good to kill them, I suppose? I toss those splits aside until the critters have left. I also spray my woodpiles and the piers under the cabin. Other than that, live and let live. YMMV

Ya see, that's why I come here, to learn what is so obvious but just slips right past me!
Being that they were in a suspended state of life I cold have banged them out on the driveway then scooped them up and cooked them in the boiler,

Next time!

In the summer I keep a can of ant spray next to me, man can those buggers move!

I guess I am making a dent in the population around me
My thinking is that if I toss them to the side they will just find another home. Like maybe mine,
But I think I should do some spraying around the base of the racks and around my house foundation.

I've had to spray some split rounds myself. Usually I go with the Raid ant killer but I've had to resort to the Mapp gas torch when I ran out of spray. I dispatch all ant's in firewood to the Promise Land cause I don't want them in my house.

Nope!! The Promise Land ain't got no ants!

To all others, I do the same, ant killer spray at my side whenever the splitter is running. I also toss those splits into the campfire pile after the Raid soaking!

TS

Hey flatbed. I just re-read my post. It sounds pretty sarcastic and that is definitely NOT how I meant it.
I really mean it when I say that sometimes the obvious slips past me!
I was kinda stuck in my mind with summer splitting when I have a can of raid. So the first thing that came to mind was the can of starter fluid that I just used to help start the splitter.

If I find a split full of ants like the one in the picture, the split goes in the chicken coop. The chickens eat ants, expecially in winter when they don't see a lot of other moving targets. Otherwise I just toss the splits on the lawn and the ants vacate the wood. The woods here in PA have millions of Carpenter Ants and my house, like most every other house with a few trees nearby, is surrounded by ants already. A few extras in the yard make no difference. Besides, it isn't a few stray ants that damage a house, it is when a colony moves in, and a colony needs a queen. I haven't found a queen carepnter ant in any firewood I have brought home (at least not one that I recognized as a queen)

The Queen is the one wearing the crown . . . the Prince is usually in the background making inane comments.

I've found that bee spray works faster than anything on the destuctive little flockers.
I can't stand splitting those little gifts open...

When I split a piece open like that I call it moving day. Those buggers sure can move.If I go inside for a minute while the bugs are bugging out the Northern Flicker's will move in and take care of the slow ones. I also toss the piece to the side and then stack it once the critters have moved on.

Like spittin' in the ocean.

Nothing like a little bon fire.

Carpenter ants are one of very few critters that don't get a pass from me. I will kill any and all on sight. I'll tell ya, once you open up a wall in your home and have several thousand flow out all over the inside of the hosue, you'll never look at them the same way again. I do know they need damp wood because they are eating the other bugs attracted to the damp wood/nesting in it, but still. Yellow jackets are the other kill on sight "crawly". Had several thousand of those inhabit the same damn wall as the ants, a year or so later before we finished up all the work (previous house). They are some mean suckers. Oh, and driller bees (carpenter bees) drilling into a structure on my property (house, shed, garage). I'll also snap trap field mice invading structures. they're ok in the stacks, although the neighborhood cats keep that population under control!

nice thing about the starting fluid is that unless it has cylinder lube in it, it will vaporize and have no lingering residue or smell. Bug spray is more toxic.

My property is swarming with carpenter ants. Everydamnwhere. They get no quarter from me either. I've cut down some completely hollow oaks that were filled with those damn things. I leave bees and wasps alone provided they aren't harassing my kid or wife. They kill a lot of the bugs killing trees, plants, eating gardens.

I'm good with bees, and have learned to live with the mud wasps. Hornets, yellow jackets, those I won't allow around the house/sheds/stacks. They'll likely come sting you because. Honey bees, bumble bees, etc are more than welcome. I am working on an english cottage garden that should make them pretty happy, lots of pollen and nectar producing flowers.

Haven't seen a Flicker here in ages. Glad there are still some around. Used to see them feasting on ants.

I most often come across carpenter ants when I split rounds and leave the splits on the ground before stacking. Those buggers get under the wood in n o time. Sometimes split a round and find it full of ants. Either way, I step on and kill as many as I can, especially ones moving eggs cases. Then toss the split to the side for a few hours. Onbce disturbed, the carpenter ants look for a new home. After a bit I check the split, kill any remaining ants (unusual for there to be any), and add the split to my stacks. I avoid poison whenever possible, certainly wouldn't spray firewood with it. The foundation of my house, yes, if necessary.

Last summer I split open a big round and got stung 3 time by yellow jackets.
Believe me you, those buggers didn't have a fighting chance after that

Yeah, I picked up a round, to move and split it. A small yellow jacket nest was being built on the bottom of the round. Got a couple of stings. Shortly therafter the nest had a visit from boiling water. Works great to destroy any nest that is accessible to that method.