Say you want to keep a few burns of wood next to the fireplace. Any tips on how to not have bug problems inside? I suppose you could remove bark that comes off easy. Just wondering how you heavy burners deal with it or is it a non-issue for you?
Never really been an issue for me. I do occasionally get a hitchhiker but never been any sort of problem. My wood gets put in a bin/box with a lid so any bugs will have to get out of the box. Two dogs that are 50% beaver and the other 50% woodchuck requires a sealed storage bin.
Lots and lots of woodlice in the stacks this year. I just knock the splits together before I bring them inside, to shake the woodlice off.
I'll get the occasional wood roach inside. I just put them back outside. I do like has been said and knock the splits together. If I have a real concern, that split goes right into the stove.
Only bring in what you will burn within a few hours or if the wood is questionable with bugs itll go straight to the stove.
I always clap the wood together coming off the stack before it goes into the garage, and each piece gets clinked on the concrete floor before I haul it inside.
airtight box to store the wood in will keep any bugs from getting out. Other than that, short of fumigating it no- I always clink the wood as I get it from the stack. Just helps to knock the debris off it a little, loose bark etc. It doesn't always knock the spiders off though, they have some staying power.
Usually have a bout 1 days worth inside by the stove. I check out splits before I bring them inside for the rack, suspicious looking pieces stay outside and or go right in the stove, specially anything that looks like it has or had ants. Never really had a problem.
Wood lice are usually on the ground or under loose bark. They need moisture and They won't survive the dry of inside the house for very long. All my wood is stacked up off the ground and I just haven't found much for bugs. Knock on wood.
Nice that you bring this up, the amount of bugs are increased exponentially these days. Bird flu/ avian flu may be to blame as high numbers of birds aren't controlling that part of the population as food so the number of bugs are going to be something to reckon with.
I bring the entire winters worth into the basement of three houses. No real bug problem. If the wood is bone dry the bugs leave. The occasional spider in the stacks. Give em a toss.
The only stuff Ill keep inside is usually an extra reload and I try to pick the cleanest looking splits with no bark. Nothing with holes or a bucnch of cracks, stringy pieces etc.
We only bring in an armload at a time during cooler weather, and don't stock the indoor wood box till colder weather sets in. Moving the wood from stack to vehicle, to stack up at the house, then inside typically removes hitch-hikers and dirt/dust fairly effectively.
That's interesting, never really thought about that being the case in some places.... But definitely not the case in Virginia.
I also have never had an issue with bugs. But I do wait for two or three hard frosts before bringing in a couple of weeks worth of wood. There is an occasional spider but not bugs.
I see the least critters in the stacks around the end of August, beginning of Sept. Here in Ct there’s usually a long hot dry spell during that time. Bugs usually leave the piles entirely and retreat underneath the leaf litter where there’s some moisture. Always felt that may be the best time to bring wood in. Can’t get any drier too. But alas it never works that way. I’m still bringing wood in now. The only bugs are the few small spots where water invades the side of the stack in great volume. They can be knocked off easy.
