Probably powder post beetles. I get them in red maple often, usually in the top couple of layers of a stack. If you find signs of them in your joists they usually came in during construction and from lumber that wasn't kiln dried ( or kiln dried well enough ) . Must have been a problem in my floor joists years ago as the joists have the tell-tale pin holes and they've been painted with a tar-like substance. I don't know the history and there may have been just a crawl space instead of a more finished basement at the time. Powder post beetles are one reason I don't like storing fire wood for long periods of time inside the house. Especially maple or wood they prefer. Also why I like long seasoning times as they can be gone when the wood dries out and it is too dry for them.
Every time I cut Shagbark Hickory, I get the same result. They, whatever they are, seemingly love the species.
I've seen it in my stacks. As long as your not storing mass quantities indoors you'll be fine. I keep a rack by the hearth that holds about 5-7 days worth and have never had a problem. Now this year I processed about 6 cord of white pine that is currently riddled with bark beetles and they are creating an unbelievable mess in those stacks. If they are still in them when I get to using them there is no way in hell that wood is coming in my house until I open the stove door to throw it in. Although I'm pretty sure they'll bail as they wood dries!
I seem to only see that on my Black Locust the last few years. Never seem to be a problem. Guessing just a few more BTU's.
Wow I just noticed you burn in a Enerzone. Seems you and I are the only ones here? I know DexterDay has a Enerzone pellet stove. Are we odd? I went to the 2 local dealers and Enerzone seemed like the best choice. I'm happy with mine. Just wish I could get the burn time longer.
Exactly, I've seen that dust here and there for decades and never had a problem.When I move wood up from my stacks to to wood boxes on the porch (one week supply) it is by then freezing, so no bugs are moving. I store no wood in the house, it goes from the the porch into the stove.
I know what ya mean..not many. I kinda wish we woulda got the 2.3 cu. ft. It woulda been close to get it in. I do see a lot of people that have Drolet which is made by the same company out of Canada (SBI) They also make a couple other makes to. All in all...we are happy with it.....very simple unit.
Termites don't leave dust like that because they consume the sap and wood fiber. Ant and beetles do though because they consume the sap and spit out the wood fiber.
We have a Drolet Blackcomb. Love it. It takes 18" wood fine and we have gotten 8 hr burn time on a good tight load of oak. Simple stove to operate. The first picture is loaded N/S with 10-11" shorts put in @ 10:30 PM. Next picture is the bed of coals @ 7:30 next morning, toasty warm (78°) inside, 22° outside...
Barcroftb has a Drolet which is an SBI stove in his home as well as a couple others I can think of. SBI is a higher end company, but it does not have a Huge following here in the states. SBI makes the Drolet, Enerzone, Osburn, Caddy, Valcourt, and Century Heating products that are popular in Canada (and the few folks here like us) I love my Eurostar Pellet stove. But the price tag of it is pretty steep compared to other 45,000-50,000 BTU stoves. The Valcourt fireplace line is so beautiful and has so much mass. I can only imagine how long that much soapstone emits heat. This is one of the most expensive models
I have that same fine sawdust also but only in my hickory stacks I have split a few pieces to see if I see any bugs but never found any just the little round hole they bored
I get it in honey locust stacks from locust borers in green wood. I also get it in my pignut and shag bark stacks from hickory borers. I see it until I put out DE. Never have issues with black locust, black cherry, Ash, or oak
Yup love my sbi/drolet Austral. It's not fancy but I actually dig the minimalist vibe it has going. Plus it's been rock solid through 5 burn seasons.
I wonder if DE will work on ants...I have gotten small black ants around my sheds, processing area and yard. They get in the soft part of the wood, under the bark or very top layer of dirt. Not the big carpenter ants, smaller size.
I think it will work...DE is like vert very small shards of glass n it actually cuts into the insect..
I would try it. I know it won’t last if it’s out in the weather but it’s cheap and harmless. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
