Carpenter Ants? If so, what should I do?

[JordanCT]

Had this tree fall in a storm. It has pockets of carpenter ants (I believe). How should I process the wood?

The first photo is of the ants. The second of the hole they came out of.

 

[JordanCT]

Pictures didn’t load the first time.

 

[weatherguy]

Cut it up normally away from the house, theyll leave once the wood starts drying out. I came upon a round when first split had a ton of them. I finished splitting the round and laid the splits on the ground in the sun. Next day they were all gone.

 

[jrems]

If your really worried get some Sevin insecticide from Home Depot and hose it down.

 

[GadDummit]

I use Termador. Get it from ebay, soak it down and in a couple of days come back to the dead ants and cut the wood. Burns great.

 

[Hasufel]

I had to take down a maple tree that turned out to have a huge void from carpenter ants. It was far enough from the house so I just bucked it and left the rounds for a while. Ants disappeared almost overnight. Just to be safe I waited a couple of months before splitting & stacking. I'm no stranger to pesticides but I'd rather not spray my firewood with anything if I don't need to.

 

[peakbagger]

If the splits are exposed the birds will move in for a feast. No need to douse it with pesticides if you are going to split it. Carpenter ants only nest in wet wood, if it dry they will leave it alone.

 

[kennyp2339]

I just split up a large cherry trunk that was loaded with ant, as I was splitting I was just shaking / banging out the pocket colonies onto the ground and throwing the now empty ant free split into the pile, the ants were turned into bird food, I'm sure I may have missed a colony or two, it seemed though as I was splitting the rounds, the split would always break though the center of the colony groove / hole. Also once the splits start drying the ants leave anyway, they prefer moist environments to live

 

[Jay106n]

Straight to the fire pit.

 

[firefighterjake]

Cut.
Split.
Leave it be for a few hours.
Stack.

Ants-be-gone.

 

[xman23]

When I find them, I start the fire pit and burn ever piece there in. I find them when splitting. There probably only in a section of the tree.

 

[Highbeam]

If the antennae are bent then they are carpenter ants. Regardless, get all of this away from your home. The ants will go away on their own and you don't want them seeking shelter in your house.

You have ants in your area obviously so preventative home perimeter treatment with termidor is an excellent idea. I do it twice per year per the instructions.

 

[JordanCT]

Thank you all! I split and left away from the house. Ants seem to be gone now!