I have these big black ant in some of my wood. How do you get rid of them. I'm not organtic so I don't really care what has to be done. Somebody told me kerosene but that didn't seem like too bright an idea to me, although it would make lighting a fire easier.
Ants in the wood pile.
- Thread starter muleman51
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil. -
Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here
- Status
muleman51 said:
Dip 'em in chocolate? We live in a sandy area, where there are a lot of ants, but I've never seen them in the wood pile after the wood
has been split and stacked. Unless they're getting in your house, i wouldn't worry about it.
I agree. I was out stacking wood yesterday and kept running into ants. I don't like them but refuse to worry about them. They will find a new home once the wood dries.
Funny, another thing I ran into was a red squirrel nest way down in the pile.
Funny, another thing I ran into was a red squirrel nest way down in the pile.
I've never seen anything other than spiders in my wood pile. I imagine I've turned some carpenter bees into btu's though. When stacking I've put up lots of wood with carpenter ants in them. They go away.
Matt
Matt
I mix up a stong solution of water and TSP. Spray the wood (soak) with the solution and it will kill the critters. A real plus is that when the solution dries and you burn the wood the TSP cleans the chimney.
Mike
Mike
NAMELESSLEE said:
Hey Lee, I've never had any luck with Terro on the big black buggers. Works great on any other ant but doesn't seem to have any effect on the big ones. I've always wondered why.
If it's stacked in a way that it can dry out the ants will disappear.
If there's wet spots where it can't dry perhaps little reatacking is in order.
If there's wet spots where it can't dry perhaps little reatacking is in order.
The big black ants are Carpenter Ants. I have found them in almost every species of wood I have. They aren't in every tree, but they aren't too selective around here either. The wood they are in I split on the small side, and they seem to abondon ship immediately. I don't think they are living in my wood stacks, but I guess I won't know for sure until I move it to burn. Or maybe I'll just burn them and never realize they are there.
I know that if you leave soft maple in the rounds in the sun the ants love them..soft maple rots from the inside out and when moist inside they love it...
- Status
