termite-eaten wood

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Charles2

Feeling the Heat
Jun 22, 2014
283
GA
How does it burn? Faster and hotter because it's full of air, or slower because the cellulose has been turned into poop?
 
If it is dry it will burn good, poop and all. It will burn a little quicker.
 
How does it burn? Faster and hotter because it's full of air, or slower because the cellulose has been turned into poop?
I just burned some maple that had been chewed up by carpenter ants. It burned like kindling. It had been more than two years since any ants resided in it and had plenty of time to dry, which almost certainly was helped along by the tunnels. The increased air flow probably made a big difference in the fire, too. Just make sure you keep stuff like that away from the house until the critters are gone!
 
Depends on the species. Oak is tough and most ants and termites takes them years on a fallen tree even then the core can be fine.
Hickory nut? In six months of laying it was ate all to pieces. Quick burn! But it’s all BTU in the end.


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Depends on the species. Oak is tough and most ants and termites takes them years on a fallen tree even then the core can be fine.
Hickory nut? In six months of laying it was ate all to pieces. Quick burn! But it’s all BTU in the end.


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Yeah, once carpenter ants get going in hickory it seems to disintegrate real quick. It burns fine, but I store it away from my stack, carry it in, put in the fire.