Noisy wood pile

[cmnash]

I've kept a leftover stack from last year of seasoned oak in my house next to my stove. It's from last winter.
For the last week and 24/7 now there's an chewing sound coming from the individual pieces.
I thought maybe insects ? Wood fibers separating ? Can't see any evidence of bugs or their trails.
It's really creeping my wife out. It's a dry crackling noise like rice crispes. Not loud but surely audible.
Any ideas out there what's causing the sound ? Thanks guys....

 

[blujacket]

Sounds like a borer, but you would certainly see a pile of wood dust. I had Locust borers using my Mulberry as a buffet early this summer and that's what they sound like.

 

[dafattkidd]

Woah. That's weird.

 

[Wood Duck]

I have heard bugs in my stacks, I assume they were borers, and they always leave small piles of sawdust and clearly visible holes in the wood. If you can't see any outside indication of holes or sawdust maybe you are on the right track thinking it is a non-bug related sound. If you can figure out that the sound is coming from a particular split I'd take that split outside and resplit it to see what you find inside.

 

[rideau]

I have heard bugs in my stacks, I assume they were borers, and they always leave small piles of sawdust and clearly visible holes in the wood. If you can't see any outside indication of holes or sawdust maybe you are on the right track thinking it is a non-bug related sound. If you can figure out that the sound is coming from a particular split I'd take that split outside and resplit it to see what you find inside.

I'd be taking that wood out of my house, then investigating...

 

[Vic99]

Had the same thing in a stack of pine a few years ago. Both interesting and eerie. Never did split one open as it was tough to pin down which split(s) in the HH it was.

 

[firefighterjake]

Sounds like boring insects . . . but I usuallly find the tell tale signs of their work with a pile of sawdust . . . or if intrigued enough I'll split open a split to surprise them by playing a game of Peek-a-boo with them.

 

[bogydave]

They're making some air holes to help the center of the splits season better,
They probably have some BTU content too.
Roasted up I hear the big ones are good tasting, & live, they make good fishing bait

I wouldn't worry to much unless they started hearing them chewing on the house.

 

[ScotO]

They were in my honey locust last summer, you could go out there on a quiet evening and it was amazing to listen to them. They are harmless to your home, especially after they go dormant when it gets cold. Those buggers (and spiders) are among the many reasons I do NOT bring wood into the house until it gets cold out....

 

[etiger2007]

They were in my honey locust last summer, you could go out there on a quiet evening and it was amazing to listen to them. They are harmless to your home, especially after they go dormant when it gets cold. Those buggers (and spiders) are among the many reasons I do NOT bring wood into the house until it gets cold out....

I agree with Mr. Overkill, my wood stays outside, i do store some in the detached garage to keep the elements off it. When im burning strong and its freezing out i bring in what i need in the morning for the day and replenish it the next morning.

 

[cmnash]

 

[cmnash]

Okay!! Just made the grisly discovery !! Peeled away the bark and there they were. Plenty of real fine sawdust AND these naked crawling maggot like creatures. I'm sure mother nature gave them a purpose BUT.....
Moved it all outside. Lesson learned. Nothing inside unless its going in the stove soon. Thanks guys.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Many will see this in there wood piles. Very common. Powder post beetles.Note the very super fine sawdust.

 

[billb3]

those borers are usually quite content to continue boring while you are watching the football game and eating cheese puffs.
I've never seen one open the door to the stove from the inside and start yammering and complaining about the poor accommodations either.

 

[ScotO]

Okay!! Just made the grisly discovery !! Peeled away the bark and there they were. Plenty of real fine sawdust AND these naked crawling maggot like creatures. I'm sure mother nature gave them a purpose BUT.....
Moved it all outside. Lesson learned. Nothing inside unless its going in the stove soon. Thanks guys. S

Those look like Sawyer beetle larvae. Good on ya for getting it outside. My wife would KILL me if she saw half of the chit that's in that wood in the summertime.......

 

[Thistle]

Powderpost beetles love the sapwood of most hardwoods,especially oaks,honey locust,mulberry & hickories,its like filet mignon to them.In early spring on a calm day I've heard them munching in several newly cut green logs 10 ft from me.And my hearing's not the greatest either...lol

 

[osagebow]

Came home from work today, splitting area is along my driveway. Big pileated woodpecker was working my pile of gnarly old locust rounds for those beetle larvae.

 

[rideau]

Came home from work today, splitting area is along my driveway. Big pileated woodpecker was working my pile of gnarly old locust rounds for those beetle larvae.

Had the biggest pileated I have ever seen in my garden at my birdbath last week. Didn't think I'd ever see such a site. He was so old some of his feathers were grayish. He flew into a treee next to the garden and hopped up the trunk to an upper branch. I got some pictures, but none were really clear. He had more red than he is supposed to above his eye...I'll try to locate the best shot and post it...

 

[etiger2007]

I saw some in if i remember correctly my ash this past weekend.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Powderpost beetles love the sapwood of most hardwoods,especially oaks,honey locust,mulberry & hickories,its like filet mignon to them.In early spring on a calm day I've heard them munching in several newly cut green logs 10 ft from me.And my hearing's not the greatest either...lol

Around here, the elm is what gets hit the hardest. Lots and lots of sawdust wherever we stack the elm.

 

[infinitymike]

I built a shed 2 years ago and I went out this summer to grab something and saw a pile of sawdust . I mean it was a huge pile and it was super fine almost looked like parmesan cheese.
Dennis, It looked like your pictures.
I cant see where in the world it came from.

 

[gmule]

. My wife would KILL me if she saw half of the chit that's in that wood in the summertime.......

So would mine.

 

[ScotO]

I saw some in if i remember correctly my ash this past weekend.

The ash and honey locust is what gets hit the hardest in my woodstack. Never had any problems burning the wood, but it does irritate me that they are eating my fuel without my written permission. I have no problem turning those grubs into BTU's when the time comes, either!

 

[firefighterjake]

The buggers here seem to like my white ash and pine . . . it's all good though . . . I get the final revenge on them for eating my wood . . . just a few more weeks!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I built a shed 2 years ago and I went out this summer to grab something and saw a pile of sawdust . I mean it was a huge pile and it was super fine almost looked like parmesan cheese.
Dennis, It looked like your pictures.
I cant see where in the world it came from.

The holes the PPB leave are super small.