Been splitting some Maple and Red Oak for the past week, I have been getting some Black ants in the wood, what do you recomend for killing them, should i seperate the wood that they are in from my normal pile. Dont really want them in the house when it gets cold out. What are your suggestions
carpenter ants in wood.
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NordicSplitter
Minister of Fire
This may be tough...Keep splitting all of it and let it sit a year. One good cold winter exposed,,,they should all die. Only if you can....Separate it as well 
bigbarf48
Minister of Fire
Don't worry about separating the splits. Carpenter ants will die in short order once they're removed from where the queen is (in the ground wherever you got the wood). Certainly they'll die when winter comes
Although if I have some rounds that are REALLY full of them, I keep a box of matches and some carb cleaner handy
Although if I have some rounds that are REALLY full of them, I keep a box of matches and some carb cleaner handy
As the wood dries, the ants will leave. They need water. Stack the split wood off the ground and keep it dry...the ants will take care of themselves. Rick
Scooter422
Burning Hunk
Gboutdoors
Burning Hunk
As already stated split and stack it and they will leave or you can do what I like to do. I let the Chickens out as I am splitting and any ants or bugs don't make it to the stacK. The girls get a treat and we get great eggs. It's a WIN WIN but not for the ants
KenLockett
Minister of Fire
Ram 1500 with an axe...
Minister of Fire
Fire
.... I like to burn outside when splitting,crack one of those bad boys open and they start spilling out, toss it into the pit.....also take notice of the split that they are in each time you come to this, you will be able to tell that they are in there before you split it if you pay attention to the rounds, and see enough of them......
.... I like to burn outside when splitting,crack one of those bad boys open and they start spilling out, toss it into the pit.....also take notice of the split that they are in each time you come to this, you will be able to tell that they are in there before you split it if you pay attention to the rounds, and see enough of them......
Ain't never seen an ant in sight one day after the splitting.
So there I was . . . just me and about a half bazillion of my siblings just working away and getting ready to get all nice and comfy for the night when all of a sudden this huge saw buzzed through our home, splitting it in half and killing untold numbers of us. We all ran for safety and re-grouped . . . thought the worse was over until the next day when suddenly what was left of our home was suddenly ripped asunder with more death and mayhem following.
Thought it couldn't get any worse . . . there were even fewer of us left . . . many lay dead or dying . . . others were who knows where as they had scattered . . . and then THEY came . . . the wild turkeys and a host of our other mortal enemies. It's over. Mom is who knows where and our home is in ruins. The turkeys are picking us off one by one as if they're at an all you can eat ant buffet. I'm outta here!
-- Carpenter Ant #32765
Thought it couldn't get any worse . . . there were even fewer of us left . . . many lay dead or dying . . . others were who knows where as they had scattered . . . and then THEY came . . . the wild turkeys and a host of our other mortal enemies. It's over. Mom is who knows where and our home is in ruins. The turkeys are picking us off one by one as if they're at an all you can eat ant buffet. I'm outta here!
-- Carpenter Ant #32765
bigbarf48
Minister of Fire
bobdog2o02
Minister of Fire
Day 4
A few of us manage to make it past the turkeys and the thunder smasher.... It seems our home was transported to a new place. We are now in the woods beside a large white box, the aliens appear to have a small colony inside. We had a meeting and decided to infiltrate the box to find food and shelter. JACKPOT!! The Alien home is made of FOOD!! We have established a new colony inside the side of the box. So far we have been successfull at staying covert and not drawing their attention.....
-- Carpenter Ant #32765
A few of us manage to make it past the turkeys and the thunder smasher.... It seems our home was transported to a new place. We are now in the woods beside a large white box, the aliens appear to have a small colony inside. We had a meeting and decided to infiltrate the box to find food and shelter. JACKPOT!! The Alien home is made of FOOD!! We have established a new colony inside the side of the box. So far we have been successfull at staying covert and not drawing their attention.....
-- Carpenter Ant #32765
OP don't let the boys fool ya, they squeal like us girlies do when the bazillion little critters go up their pant legs. Its not like a hornets nest found in the hollow of a tree so we can all tell our stories with humor.
However, I will pass this story on. Dont know if its true. A cousin drops about 2 cords of wood a winter down into his basement. He claims that Carpenter ants migrated one year up into their master bedroom from the woodpile directly below them.
I have a hard time believing the ants originated from his woodpile but maybe its true.
I personally split off as much of the clean section of wood as possible. The ant condo area gets segregated to a far away pallet to be used for firepit wood or a watchful trip directly to the woodstove. Breaking up the colony tunnels into smaller splits helps dissipate the herd quicker also.
However, I will pass this story on. Dont know if its true. A cousin drops about 2 cords of wood a winter down into his basement. He claims that Carpenter ants migrated one year up into their master bedroom from the woodpile directly below them.
I have a hard time believing the ants originated from his woodpile but maybe its true.
I personally split off as much of the clean section of wood as possible. The ant condo area gets segregated to a far away pallet to be used for firepit wood or a watchful trip directly to the woodstove. Breaking up the colony tunnels into smaller splits helps dissipate the herd quicker also.
The ants I've run into while splitting will leave pretty quickly after the round turns into splits, especially if they're living just under the bark. Otherwise, wait until it's cold and they go dormant inside the wood, then just toss the split straight into your already burning fireplace. Don't let it sit around inside and warm up, or the ants might wake up again and start wandering around your house.
I keep a gas can near the splitter. If I run into carpenter ants or termites I soak them in gas and light them up. Once I am sure the fire is out the split goes on the stack. It is very effective and the pests don't get into my house.
As soon as you pour the gas into the nest they all come rushing out. The fire kills them instantly. It is a very simple and effective solution.
As soon as you pour the gas into the nest they all come rushing out. The fire kills them instantly. It is a very simple and effective solution.
Not recently on fire. I usually put them away from the rest of the wood until I am sure they are out....usually overnight. If they are smoldering I throw some dirt on them. Most of the time the gas burns off before the wood catches.
Fred Wright
Minister of Fire
Carpenter ants seem to love red maple for some reason. Many of the maples I've taken down have nests in the lower part of the trunk. They were growing in a low lying area where water stands, that may be why.
So yeah, I got to bust a lot of ant-infested rounds. Man I hate those things. But they scatter quickly, I dunno where they all go but they disappear in a hurry.
Carpenter ants won't stick around once their home is split and stacked.
So yeah, I got to bust a lot of ant-infested rounds. Man I hate those things. But they scatter quickly, I dunno where they all go but they disappear in a hurry.
Carpenter ants won't stick around once their home is split and stacked.
kennyp2339
Minister of Fire
CTFIRE
Burning Hunk
- Dec 8, 2012
- 175
I find the birds help a bunch. I had rounds full of ants. Would knock the splits against the splitter and the ground looked like it was covered. As I stack some other wood the birds came in for buffet.
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