Powder beetles

[John Kuhn]

For years I've had powder beetles chewing the firewood stored in my detached garage, making a big mess with the powder. I've noticed it much less with wood stored outside under cover.
Does anybody have any success stories on how to get rid of powder beetles?

 

[ct01r]

I've also had some kind of bug/borer in my firewood. I don't worry about it; I just leave the wood outside till I'm ready to burn it. I store my wood in the barn, so all the beams, etc. have been sprayed to keep the bugs from spreading, but I just knock the dust off the firewood and throw it in the stove. I don't typically spray wood that I burn. Curt

 

[John Kuhn]

Thanks, Curt! I've noticed that powder beetle activity seems less on wood that's stored outside vs inside. I used to store my wood for one year outside and two inside, but now I'm going to do the opposite. I wouldn't spray the firewood either, thought maybe there was a way to fumigate the storage building, which is detached from the house.

 

[sportbikerider78]

Thanks, Curt! I've noticed that powder beetle activity seems less on wood that's stored outside vs inside. I used to store my wood for one year outside and two inside, but now I'm going to do the opposite. I wouldn't spray the firewood either, thought maybe there was a way to fumigate the storage building, which is detached from the house.

I have them in my outside wood shed, but not in my stacks that are open to the air and rain. Apparently, they prefer the shaded, cool wood in the shed.

 

[John Kuhn]

I have them in my outside wood shed, but not in my stacks that are open to the air and rain. Apparently, they prefer the shaded, cool wood in the shed.

Interesting, that seems to support what I think I've been seeing.

 

[tadmaz]

When I stored some wood in my detached garage I would get a little bit of powder with my hickory and ironwood. Outside in my covered wood shelter I get some powder, it's not bad. Maybe you could build a big wood shelter outside, and then don't worry about the mess? Just curious, don't you have a lot of hickory?

 

[John Kuhn]

When I stored some wood in my detached garage I would get a little bit of powder with my hickory and ironwood. Outside in my covered wood shelter I get some powder, it's not bad. Maybe you could build a big wood shelter outside, and then don't worry about the mess? Just curious, don't you have a lot of hickory?

The beetles seem to like most of my wood: red oak, sugar maple, ironwood, hickory, and elm. Seems like they leave the cherry alone, though. I've changed my storage to keep 2-3 years under cover outside, with just one year inside for the burning year. The mess is not that big a deal, but was wondering what other's experience was. I probably wouldn't want to fumigate every year, and there will always be a new crop of beetles moving in each year.

 

[JimBear]

I have about 12 cord mix of Elm, Red Elm, Mulberry, Cherry & Honey Locust in my old corn crib & the only thing the powder beetles have worked over is the Honey Locust & Cherry but the Honey Locust & Cherry I have on pallets along a fence they haven’t even bothered. I am inclined to agree with Sportbikerider78 thoughts on them liking shaded cool wood.

 

[weatherguy]

I think they like dry wood in a dry area, one year I had some, I burned em.

 

[JimBear]

I think they like dry wood in a dry area, one year I had some, I burned em.

All of my Honey Locust & Cherry was cut & split just over a year ago & is definitely not dry. I will have to do some reading up on them.