buggy wood

I have a couple cords stacked and a pile. I went to deliver a stack to someone and there were little gnats/fruit flies nesting between the logs. I told the guy I wasn't going to deliver it since he was going to store it in his garage. It's like a swarm came through saw my wood and decided to camp out for the winter.

Anyone have this happen? Anyone have any ideas on how to get rid of them? I have about 3 cords I was going to sell, but I can't do that if it has bugs. The wood is all nice and dry Ash and elm.

ortho home defense pesticide is what i have been using on just about everything my exterminator doesnt handle. Maybe spray it down with that and run off the bugs.

Toss it. The bugs will be disturbed and leave. You could toss it into a conical heap that will allow air circulation, ime, wood does better in a heap than in a tight stack.

Spray wood that you intend to sell with toxic chemicals?

Cover it with plastic or a tarp and set a fogger underneath

Thought this was going to be about Amish guy rollin past a good looking chick.

I do spray my wood pile , when I have the lawn spray out and I am spraying the stuff that kills all the mosquitos and such turn the hose on the pile each time and soak it down , I get stuff from time to time with carpenter ants in it , split open a huge round and get a nest , grab the 2 gallon pump up sprayer with permithrin and hit the nest they are all dead 20 minutes later , as soon as it is dry it is safe for me to work with it , months later not a big deal going up the chimney.

We do not spray poison here as we do not want the chickens to get ahold of any dead bugs. Wood tends to have advantages as well as disadvantages.
One good thing about having an outdoor furnace this time of year is that the insects are very slow and burn just as well as seasoned (oops - white) elm.
We just stack fireplace wood on the outdoor porch and use it as needed, rather than store too much inside. Insects and firewood go hand in hand, so to speak.

Zim

Touche!

Good one Flynn!
Black locust has lots of them little critters. I keep it inside a rubbermaid container with a lid on it until it gets burned.

So did I

Raid ant and roach spray
or just load it up. They will blow out driving down the road. Never heard of ANYONE selling "bug free" wood. Its wood for petes sake. Wood comes from outside. Bugs live out side. Heck bet most of us can look around in our garages and find some kind of bug

Move that wood pile twice and the bugs will leave, the bugs come because it's stacked nice and tight and is a warm comfortable nest. Selling 20 face cord a week year round back when I was tougher I saw a lot bugs come and go. Light and air makes it bug free and the spray will only hurt the bugs it falls on and the people that you sell the wood to, It's one thing to take your chances with your own health, but you have to bear responsibility for what happens to your customers, or not I guess; depending on your morality and politics.

Heat the wood to an internal temperature of 140 F° for 60 minutes.

That is what Minnesota requires to certify it for transportation out of the "buggy" quarantine area.

I don't know about your laws, but to skip the kiln, I only sell within the quarantine area. You did inform the customer of the situation; let him decide if he wants to assume the risk. I know I wouldn't want carpenter ant infested wood stored inside my home.
Other bugs...???
Outside for my boiler...???

Keep in mind that your nice ash and elm are probably the two worst offenders. ie:
Emerald Ash Borer
Dutch Elm disease.

Minnesota requires (at least in some situations) that the bark plus 1/2" of wood be removed prior to transportation.