While moving my wood up to the house I found some really fine sawdust in a section of the wood. What bug would cause this sawdust? Should I have any concern about bring the bug getting into the house.
Just one more reason I don't store firewood indoors. Fungus, mold, bugs. Probably a few other reasons, as well.
I get that same saw dust in some of my rack sections of wood. Not sure what causes it, and have never seen any bugs after I have spotted the saw dust. It usually is likely to show up in some sort of soft maple if I recall. I usually just knock off the dust, then it gets stacked outside the back door for 1-2 weeks before it comes in. Wood is usually only in he house for 3-4 days max. I’ve never seen any. It’s except for an occasional spider. And one time a yellow jacket that must have thawed out and come back to life! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The term for that is frass. Frass is fine powdery refuse or fragile perforated wood produced by the activity of boring insects.
Typical of powder post beetles.... but other insects will do it too.... er on the side of caution and leave your wood outdoors if you wish.
Several types of bugs will do that, powder post beetles most likely. Some times you can re-split and find the bug making the dust, but that's a P.I.A. and you could split 5 pieces of wood and find 5 different bugs. Most won't get into your house, but it's always better to be safe rather than sorry. I don't store wood inside the house, however I do stack a cord at a time, in a rack that is a few inches off the ground, on the covered concrete patio. After I put the rack on the patio I put down a layer of either granular or powdered insecticide. The stuff is suppose to kill just about every type of bug that one doesn't want in the house. I only bring in enough to fill the stove and no more. I don't know if this actually works, but it makes me feel good! If my house falls down due to insect damage I'll post pictures.
I concur with Eric VW. That is dust from powder post beetles. They usually get in the wood a little while after it's cut. They will be gone after it dries out. I get them in my logs before it gets CSS. Sometimes I will see little tiny grubs, but as the wood seasons, they are gone also. They make little holes like the wood was shot with birdshot.
I had a ton of that after I brought a few loads of Honey Locust home...after it dried a year it pretty much stopped...made a mess though...the sawdust holds moisture and made some of the wood start to rot. I don't do wood stored in the house...the one time I tried it there were way too many bugs that thought it was springtime and went scouting the dating scene...
What kind of wood is that? I get some powder post beetles and also locust borers. They make a big mess Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Not for sure, It came out of my Oak and Honey Locus stack but was neither of those. My guess would be some sort of Maple. Powder Post is what I was thinking and hoping. Wasn't sure they like to eat my house. I bring a max. of 2 day supply at a time. I am more than a little fanatical about bugs in the house. I sure didn't what it to be Carpenter Ants. Had them buggers in the house 30 years ago and I believe it cost me $600 to get rid of them back then. What would it cost now a days?
I use ant bait around my piles it works pretty well, also use it on the perimeter of the house. Just to keep them at bay. I like to keep them around as well because termites and carpenter ants are mortal enemies. I'd rather have the ants. Besides they only burrow into wet wood, so they let you know if you are having rot issues.
I scatter insect granules all around my wood stacks, once a year in the spring as temps begin to rise. Been doing this ever since I noticed carpenter ants taking up residence on newly css wood, years ago. Haven't seen any since.
Has anyone ever used Diatomaceous earth? I’ve been using is on my wood stacks that are under roof. It’s a real fine powder. I see the occasional spider web on my stacks but not if it’s working. It’s cheap and I bought the food grade so it harmless. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Piece of wood in the pic looks to be Honey Locust. Locust borers. My buddy got a ton of Honey Locust and Hickory last winter/spring and the Post and Locust borers chewed the crap out of it. We were out by his stacks this summer and a big gust blew through and both of us had frass in our eyes that had blown out of the stack. He has accused them of 'eating all his wood'. Honestly I don't think there's a single stick of Honey Locust without bore holes in it somewhere. Nothing to be worried about AFAIK.
Agreed as to another reason why I personally won't keep firewood indoors. I had cleared off a big space in the garage to stack some wood for this winter. After I cleared the space a light bulb went off (then I smelled a strong burning smell) know my stacks and what kind of critters are all over them I said I gotta be crazy to bring that into my garage. I've got wood roaches on them, beetles, I've seen termites on some big oak rounds, ants, etc.... Bringing that into house is just asking for a pest problem or worse with the termites. Good tip on putting a little bait around the stacks, I did pick up Diatomaceous earth for this reason and have yet to use it.
