Cherry split - TERMITES!!

[treehackers]

I had a cherry tree I cut down right before last winter and left it on the ground. I went to size and split it last week and it was COVERED in termites under the bark. I sprayed the wood and surrounding area with insect killer and they were dead in no time. The question is, if any termites got inside the wood, what are the chances of contaminating my whole stack? I do not want to bring termites into my home!

What can be done to prevent your stacks from becoming infested with any type of insects? termites, ants, etc...

Do people spray thier wood piles with anything?

 

[blujacket]

I always assumed once your wood is split, bugs are not interested in it.

 

[treehackers]

I always assumed once your wood is split, bugs are not interested in it.

Just started seriously burning wood 2 years ago so it's all new to me

 

[smokinj]

I always assumed once your wood is split, bugs are not interested in it.

+1 mouse to!

 

[firefighterjake]

Carpenter ants seem to love cherry . . . and I'm assuming termites are a lot like carpenter ants . . . once you get done running a hot, smoky saw right through the middle of their home . . . toss it aside for a few feet (well hundreds of feet for the wee ants and termites) and then start whacking their home into even smaller pieces with a maul or splitter . . . and then toss it aside again . . . well think of it this way . . . if someone sawed your home in two and then took what was left of your destroyed home and whacked it into even smaller pieces, exposing everyone in your family (well the survivors who were not sawed in two or whacked with an ax) to the elements and the unsavory element (criminals in our case . . . birds in the ants and termites' case) . . . would you want to continue living in the home or would you move on and look for another home?

No spray, no treatment. I just toss the bug-riddled piece to the side . . . and when I go back a day or two later, voila . . . no bugs. That said, since I'm a belt and suspenders sort of guy I often keep the former bug home separate and it goes into my punk, chunk and ugly pile which doesn't get put under the woodshed and is among the first wood to get burned in the Fall.

 

[DanCorcoran]

Whenever I spray around the piers on my pier-and-beam cabin for carpenter ants, I also spray the woodpile. It says right on the termiticide that it can be used on woodpiles, but to allow 30 or 60 days before burning (the package is at the cabin, so I can't say for sure which). Carpenter ants are just termites that have been to trade school.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I've not known of anyone worrying about termites except on this forum. But there are other bugs that can and will come in on wood.....even after being stacked for years....and even after being stacked indoors. For example, I had to give my wife another lecture last winter for bringing in too much wood. Why? Bugs, that's why. Moths. That's way. We simply do not want to even take chances.

 

[backpack09]

I love taken a nice craweling log like that and tossing it into the chickens pen.

 

[scoooter]

Whenever I spray around the piers on my pier-and-beam cabin for carpenter ants, I also spray the woodpile. It says right on the termiticide that it can be used on woodpiles, but to allow 30 or 60 days before burning (the package is at the cabin, so I can't say for sure which). Carpenter ants are just termites that have been to trade school.

Dan,

Are you going back to the cabin anytime soon? I would love to know what brand spray it is...


Scott

 

[billb3]

I've only seen termites in wood with some degree of contact with the ground.
(or stayed wet enough from a water leak of some sort)
I've seen tubes about 28 inches to aid in that contact bit that was a foundation.


Usually once rounds are split termites and ants aren't very happy with the housing arrangements and either leave or die.
Bugs that leave larvae behind might like splits - but then even if they hatch out they don't want to be in your house and usually die at windows trying to escape.


I'll spread bug and tick killer around on the ground surrounding the stacks.


I had a half at most stack of cherry get termites and it had sat so many years the skids had sunk into the ground and the wood on the bottom was termite heaven.

 

[treehackers]

Whenever I spray around the piers on my pier-and-beam cabin for carpenter ants, I also spray the woodpile. It says right on the termiticide that it can be used on woodpiles, but to allow 30 or 60 days before burning (the package is at the cabin, so I can't say for sure which). Carpenter ants are just termites that have been to trade school.

Dan,

Are you going back to the cabin anytime soon? I would love to know what brand spray it is...


Scott

Same here

 

[thinkxingu]

Termites need moisture and can build mud tunnels most anywhere, e.g. on the inside wall of my garage and basement foundation, but they cannot live when separated from the colony. So, if you have enough space between the ground and your wood, have the contact points on cement or patio blocks, and keep the area as dry as possible, you shouldn't have to worry about termites and the couple that might make it into the house will die.

S

 

[DanCorcoran]

Whenever I spray around the piers on my pier-and-beam cabin for carpenter ants, I also spray the woodpile. It says right on the termiticide that it can be used on woodpiles, but to allow 30 or 60 days before burning (the package is at the cabin, so I can't say for sure which). Carpenter ants are just termites that have been to trade school.

Dan,

Are you going back to the cabin anytime soon? I would love to know what brand spray it is...


Scott

It's Talstar P / Talstar Professional / Talstar One (all the same). I bought it at Southern States Coop (don't know if you have those near you) on sale for about $75 for a gallon. You use one ounce per gallon of spray for termites or carpenter ants. Here's a link to a site that I found that sells it (it's made by FMC Corp...you can read up on it on their website).

http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/talstar-talstar-one-p-97.html

 

[maxed_out]

I'm always amazed how many birds, like warblers I think, hang around my piles as soon as I split some. Looks like they get to eat well at a "bug buffet" if there are any.

 

[backpack09]

What about dusting with Seven dust?

 

[scoooter]

Whenever I spray around the piers on my pier-and-beam cabin for carpenter ants, I also spray the woodpile. It says right on the termiticide that it can be used on woodpiles, but to allow 30 or 60 days before burning (the package is at the cabin, so I can't say for sure which). Carpenter ants are just termites that have been to trade school.

Dan,

Are you going back to the cabin anytime soon? I would love to know what brand spray it is...


Scott

It's Talstar P / Talstar Professional / Talstar One (all the same). I bought it at Southern States Coop (don't know if you have those near you) on sale for about $75 for a gallon. You use one ounce per gallon of spray for termites or carpenter ants. Here's a link to a site that I found that sells it (it's made by FMC Corp...you can read up on it on their website).

http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/talstar-talstar-one-p-97.html

Dan, Thanks I am going to look into it. I just got about a cord or so of Oak still in the rounds and about 1/2" of the outside is punky and has "termite" looking things in it. I have been cutting off all the punk before splitting in hopes to get rid of them....

Scott

 

[treehackers]

Whenever I spray around the piers on my pier-and-beam cabin for carpenter ants, I also spray the woodpile. It says right on the termiticide that it can be used on woodpiles, but to allow 30 or 60 days before burning (the package is at the cabin, so I can't say for sure which). Carpenter ants are just termites that have been to trade school.

Dan,

Are you going back to the cabin anytime soon? I would love to know what brand spray it is...


Scott

It's Talstar P / Talstar Professional / Talstar One (all the same). I bought it at Southern States Coop (don't know if you have those near you) on sale for about $75 for a gallon. You use one ounce per gallon of spray for termites or carpenter ants. Here's a link to a site that I found that sells it (it's made by FMC Corp...you can read up on it on their website).

http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/talstar-talstar-one-p-97.html

Can not ship to MA - I guess we are to liberal and need to be taken care of. The government will protect us by deciding what we can and cant have. Try owning a gun in this state - it's a joke.

Anyway enough politics - had to purchase from someone on Ebay

 

[DanCorcoran]

"Can not ship to MA - I guess we are to liberal and need to be taken care of."

The government is usually responding to voters or lobbyists. I'll put my money on the pest control lobby in this case.

 

[cygnus]

Punk or not, once the wood dries out on the pile it will not host termites. Save the chemicals for a better use.

 

[Woody Stover]

Punk or not, once the wood dries out on the pile it will not host termites. Save the chemicals for a better use.

Yeah, I don't like the idea of running a foreign substance through my combustor...

 

[Cascade Failure]

I'm always amazed how many birds, like warblers I think, hang around my piles as soon as I split some. Looks like they get to eat well at a "bug buffet" if there are any.

I have two catbirds that come to visit every time I fire up the splitter. It's amazing how close they get for a free meal.