Lookin for some advice

[andybaker]

I got the go ahead to take a tall standing dead Oak. The only problem I foresee is it might be full of ants. I don't bring buggy wood to my house because I'm in the city, with a small yard and close neighbors. That being said, once I commit to felling this tree I have to take it. I can't leave it there if I don't want it. It's at a golf course and with all the cut backs, they don't have the extra help to move it if I don't want it. They have a small woods where they dump a lot of yard debris so I ask if it's buggy if I can dump it in the woods and come and get it next winter. Sure, no problem they said. My question is this, if I buck the tree up and drop it in the woods, will the ants leave it over the summer? Would there be something I could do to encourage them to leave? I love burning fully seasoned Red Oak because of the longer burn times and coal bed allowing me more sleep What you guys (or gals) think?

 

[Applesister]

I have a lot of carpenter ants in cherry trees that blow down. They pretty much leave when you start cutting up the condo. just knock the splits together when you split. You may get one or two persisant hanger ons. But nothing to create a bothersome problem. You may want to grab a case of spray if you know the tree has problems. Just to keep them from going up your pantleg.

 

[lukem]

I'd take a chance on it. Chances are ants are not infesting the entire tree.

 

[Applesister]

I would split the wood on site to remove the colonies. But its still not really a big issue.

 

[fabsroman]

I would split the wood on site to remove the colonies. But its still not really a big issue.

That is exactly what I would do too. I split most of my wood on site and then bring it home. Ended up splitting some stuff last year at my place that had ants and termites. Still not a big deal. They do not want to live in split wood that is not wet and rotting. The sun/heat pretty much takes care of them.

 

[Locust Post]

I agree with Lukem...most times they will just be in parts of the tree. Get those sections split open while you are working on the rest and you may be just fine.

 

[bogydave]

I agree with Lukem...most times they will just be in parts of the tree. Get those sections split open while you are working on the rest and you may be just fine.

+1
Split the infested rounds there & leave it for the last trip & you'll get rid of most of them.
Shouldn't be a problem after that.
Pretty slow moving this time of the year.
Get the wood

 

[Ralphie Boy]

They're correct, they most likely not infesting the entire tree so split on site. If it's cold enough the little guys will be sleeping or at best hardly moving. Crack 2 splits together and no more ant problem.

 

[Thistle]

Cut it up,split it,stack it for a year (or 2-3 depending on your climate/location) & burn it.I too live in town on a small lot with close neighbors.Cutting on parents property 1 hr west of me & other occasional locations when I get a scrounge or paid job so I see plenty of dead Red/Black Oak,plus a few other species.

When I see them during splitting/hauling,the birds get them pretty quickly after the wood is tossed in a pile before split/stack.I never worry about any bugs/ants.This time of year they're toast outside,they soon will be incinerated soon afterwards.I leave any pieces with holes etc outside & only bring them in the shop/garage just before burning.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I would probably split it on site. That would get rid of the ants right away and you could haul it home right away.

 

[andybaker]

This time of year the ants will leave?

 

[Thistle]

lol no they'll freeze to death.

 

[alex johnson]

I got the go ahead to take a tall standing dead Oak. The only problem I foresee is it might be full of ants. I don't bring buggy wood to my house because I'm in the city, with a small yard and close neighbors. That being said, once I commit to felling this tree I have to take it. I can't leave it there if I don't want it. It's at a golf course and with all the cut backs, they don't have the extra help to move it if I don't want it. They have a small woods where they dump a lot of yard debris so I ask if it's buggy if I can dump it in the woods and come and get it next winter. Sure, no problem they said. My question is this, if I buck the tree up and drop it in the woods, will the ants leave it over the summer? Would there be something I could do to encourage them to leave? I love burning fully seasoned Red Oak because of the longer burn times and coal bed allowing me more sleep What you guys (or gals) think?

I agree with the case of spray, i fell a tree kinda like your saying. cut it all up, and what had no ants took to the house and the part that had ants hosed it down with some bug spray and came back a couple days, I found no ants.

 

[andybaker]

I remember back when all the Ash were being tore apart by the EAB. I would bring the wood home in the winter, split it up and in the spring all those little critters would come to life and be flying all over the place. Once the birds found them though, they would stand on or next to the pile and eat til they couldn't anymore. It was funny to watch these birds jumping all over the place. Within a week there were no more EAB. In the spring, do you think the same type of thing might happen with the ants. I really don't see how the ants can leave in these colder temps anyway. I do like the idea about the bug spray. I've used the dusting powder with other trees when I've come across a nest and that wipes them out. The reason I'm asking like this is because I got a simular tree like this several years ago from the same spot and the entire tree was full of ants burrowed into all the borer holes and every split had ants peppered throughout all the wood top to bottom of the tree.

 

[ScotO]

Chances are that the inside bottom portion of that tree (near the base) is the culprit to the ants......I'd imagine that the taproot rotted and the ants took up residence. I've seen that in MANY standing dead white oaks I have cut. I'd be willing to bet that the vast majority of that tree is clean and good to go, I would definately get it. Do as has already been mentioned, split it on-site and the really bad center sections that were infested you can pitch them in the wood dump......take the rest back to 'da ranch with ya.

Leave no white oak unburned.......

 

[andybaker]

Sounds like a plan. Now I need to set it up.

 

[Thistle]

Lots with insect infested lower trunk can be stump sprouts from previous harvests,though sometimes a century-old ones.Original stump long rotted away,a good sign is swelling of the base where it grew over the remains.

 

[jdp1152]

Plenty of good wood in carpenter ant infest trees. Once you split it, they scurry pretty quickly. Makes for an interesting reaction for yourself though.