Spending time curled up by a warm, cozy fire can be the perfect answer to cold winter weather. Between the warmth of the fire and the mesmerizing sight of the flames, it’s a perfect winter pastime that’s sure to leave you feeling more relaxed. The tricky thing is that there are some pesky bugs that like to make their homes in the wood you’ve piled up to use as firewood.
Termites
Termites can be a homeowner’s worst nightmare. These wood-loving bugs tend to be found more frequently in damp or wet firewood, and are more likely to be attracted to unsplit wood with bark. As such, splitting and drying your firewood can reduce your chances of it being infested with termites. As an added precaution, don’t pile your wood by your home. That way your home is less likely to become infested with termites, even if they do get into your wood.
Carpenter Bees
Carpenter bees aren’t typically active in the winter, but that’s not going to stop them from making their home in your winter woodpile during warmer months. Given enough of them and enough time, they’ll eventually break your woodpile down into little more than sawdust. That causes problems for people who want to use their wood later on for fires. Because carpenter bees aren’t active in the winter, you can burn firewood in your home without having to worry about them invading your home. Just be aware that you’ll be burning the bees within as well as the wood, and keep an eye out for any that may stumble out of the wood as it warms.
Carpenter Ants
Like the bees they share a name with, carpenter ants aren’t typically very active during the winter. The thing is, all they’re really lacking is warmth, and your home has plenty of it. If they get into your home via your firewood and wake up enough to make it out of the wood, you could have a carpenter ant invasion on your hands. This is especially the case if you have wood that’s been damaged by water, since that type of wood is ideal for carpenter ants looking to make a new home.
While your winter wood pile probably doesn’t seem like much of a home to you, that isn’t the case for pests like termites, carpenter bees, and carpenter ants. These pests can spread from your wood pile to your home without much difficulty. Take preventive action to keep them from invading before it becomes a bigger problem. Just remember, you’ll need to wait to burn any treated wood so you don’t end up sending toxic fumes into your home.
Need pest control? Check out our Richland pest control services today!