This morning I walked back to my processing area and found that there had been a coming out party over the weekend. This was out of a large hickory trunk. Anyone know what it might be?
![[Hearth.com] Bugs coming out of my wood.](https://www.hearth.com/talk/attachments/20240610_111700-webp.327794/ "[Hearth.com] Bugs coming out of my wood.")
![[Hearth.com] Bugs coming out of my wood.](https://www.hearth.com/talk/attachments/20240610_111635-webp.327795/ "[Hearth.com] Bugs coming out of my wood.")
![[Hearth.com] Bugs coming out of my wood.](https://www.hearth.com/talk/attachments/20240610_111631-webp.327796/ "[Hearth.com] Bugs coming out of my wood.")
![[Hearth.com] Bugs coming out of my wood.](https://www.hearth.com/talk/attachments/20240610_111648-webp.327797/ "[Hearth.com] Bugs coming out of my wood.")
Bugs coming out of my wood.
- Thread starter Doublebogey
- 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
Sawdust
;-0
Just split and stack it. It dries faster and the fraction of wood that's gone is not significant enough. Moreover, the bugs are already near your house (hence they're in the tree), so no added danger.
;-0
Just split and stack it. It dries faster and the fraction of wood that's gone is not significant enough. Moreover, the bugs are already near your house (hence they're in the tree), so no added danger.
That’s exactly what I had last year except yours is on a minor scale my buddy suggested I make sawdust compressed logs out the sawdust I had ,you know for spite ,I had a half cord in a single row 8 inches off the ground and the sawdust was touching the boards the wood was on , I had to take my gas blower wearing a mask blow the dust away and then hand sweep every piece coming into the house real PITA but beat throwing it over the hill, which I contemplated seriously,LOL
they die when it drys out. SPlit and let it dry. Bugs provide good BTU.
Yes they didn’t bother me one bit other than the extra work cleaning it I did a little here and there mixing it with other wood so it didn’t get monotonous
Wisco Shepherd
Minister of Fire
Dry your wood out and they wont be there when you bring it in.
It's not near my house. I process wood in a pole barn on the back of our commercial property. This wood came from my buddy that owns a tree service. My stacks are mostly outdoors but I top cover with metal decking . Hopefully it stays dry enough.
Wisco Shepherd
Minister of Fire
Should do fine especially since you are taking the time to top cover. I had similar dust and was nervous so I split up a few pieces before bringing them in the house, wood was 17% and not a critter in sight.
You and me both. Borers. They do the same thing to Mesquite, and pecan. Pecan and Hickory are the worst tho, considering they come from the same family. They are more of an annoyance than anything. Or if you have an irrational disdain or fear of them, it can cause more than an annoyance. Best bet is either cover them with a solar kiln? or just dont grab hickory or pecan unless you plan to leave it far enough away from your house for a good year and a half
Damn, these things are savage. Literally inches deep of powder under this thing. Kind of obnoxious really.
![[Hearth.com] Bugs coming out of my wood.](https://www.hearth.com/talk/attachments/20240701_140333-webp.328134/ "[Hearth.com] Bugs coming out of my wood.")
![[Hearth.com] Bugs coming out of my wood.](https://www.hearth.com/talk/attachments/20240701_140308-webp.328135/ "[Hearth.com] Bugs coming out of my wood.")
![[Hearth.com] Bugs coming out of my wood.](https://www.hearth.com/talk/attachments/20240628_132137-webp.328136/ "[Hearth.com] Bugs coming out of my wood.")
![[Hearth.com] Bugs coming out of my wood.](https://www.hearth.com/talk/attachments/20240628_132130-webp.328137/ "[Hearth.com] Bugs coming out of my wood.")
Be careful with that, looks like powder post beetle to me. They are so called because they will literally turn an 8x8 post into sawdust. We had an infestation in our house when we purchased, but a combination of borates and consistent dehumidification seems to have eradicated them. (*knocks on pile of sawdust*)
As you have observed, they create the sawdust when the adults exit. So it's possible there are no more left, but nothing stops them from re-infesting the same piece of wood again unless it's really unappealing, as in, below ~15% moisture.
If you're going to burn that, I would leave it outside until it's time to put it in the stove. And maybe keep it away from your wood pile too.
As you have observed, they create the sawdust when the adults exit. So it's possible there are no more left, but nothing stops them from re-infesting the same piece of wood again unless it's really unappealing, as in, below ~15% moisture.
If you're going to burn that, I would leave it outside until it's time to put it in the stove. And maybe keep it away from your wood pile too.
Ya, I would research that bug. How exclusive is it to Hickory? Does it move to other species of wood when the Hickory dries out? I've noticed Ash borers move to other firewood. Hickory is such a good firewood and if I had access to a lot of it, I might build a small solar kiln to throw the Hickory in to kill those bugs.
Dragging this back up from a while ago. These things are really going through my wood. The holes are huge. Her are some pictures of the damage and the critters I found today.
![[Hearth.com] Bugs coming out of my wood.](https://www.hearth.com/talk/attachments/20240925_120347-webp.330165/ "[Hearth.com] Bugs coming out of my wood.")
![[Hearth.com] Bugs coming out of my wood.](https://www.hearth.com/talk/attachments/20240925_120355-webp.330166/ "[Hearth.com] Bugs coming out of my wood.")
![[Hearth.com] Bugs coming out of my wood.](https://www.hearth.com/talk/attachments/20240925_120317-webp.330167/ "[Hearth.com] Bugs coming out of my wood.")
![[Hearth.com] Bugs coming out of my wood.](https://www.hearth.com/talk/attachments/20240925_120407-webp.330168/ "[Hearth.com] Bugs coming out of my wood.")
Dieselhead
Minister of Fire
Bugs love shagbark hickory. Once it’s split and top covered the bugs won’t be interested in it due to lower moisture content.
I have seen the exact same channels (filled with sawdust like here, sometimes compacted into a putty like substance), and similar bugs (though a bit less matured) in pitch pine that was dead standing for 2 years.
Freshly dead pine here has the tracks of some beetle under the bark, but dead standing for more than a year looks like this.
Indeed much less heat content in my experience. (Tho pine does deteriorate much faster even without bugs than hickory.)
Freshly dead pine here has the tracks of some beetle under the bark, but dead standing for more than a year looks like this.
Indeed much less heat content in my experience. (Tho pine does deteriorate much faster even without bugs than hickory.)
Dieselhead
Minister of Fire
Have not had an issue with hickory (pig nut) but I have noticed they love fruit wood. Apple, and peach gets turned to dust here in a season.
Bugs provide Heat Too! Just sing the Song when you throw Wood In. "Throw another Bug on the Fire...". Problem Solved. I still sing it even with Pellet Stove. Wasps and Stink Bugs love to heat the house! They come in to get Warm. Wish Granted!
Depends; if they are live larvae their water content may use more than the heat their other body parts provide upon combustion....
No Way Bugs are Filled with Water after wood drying out. They leave when it drys out. Sawdust (Bug chit) is the only thing they leave. I found Mold and Mildew the bigger problem.
Similar threads
