Bugs in Firewood

Termites

• Termites are found in moist pieces of wood that are left in contact with soil or those that are stacked together for extended periods of time. They travel from one infested site to another via land, since only worker termites are seen on wood. The colonies are left in termite hills, which look similar to anthills. Termites leave mud tunnels on the surface of the infested wood and can easily spread from one log to wood beams, floor boards and even treated furniture.

Longhorned Beetles

• Longhorned beetles have a characteristic extended horn, which is sometimes longer than the entire length of its body. They most often deposit their larvae in the spaces between the bark and the bottom of the wood pile and when hatched, tend to leave irregular tracks on the wood as evidence of their burrowing. The exit holes of longhorned beetles are three to 10 mm in diameter, having an oval to round shape. Longhorned beetles come in a variety of colors and sizes, but most adults measure 10 to 25 mm.

Flathead Borers

• For logs with bark still intact, the flathead (and sometimes metalhead) borers frequently attack firewood, especially after a bark beetle infestation. They are also common in wood coming from forests that were struck by a windstorm or forest fire. They are small compared to the other wood-boring insects, measuring around between two and 40 mm with iridescent outer shells in bright, metallic colors. The exit holes of the flathead borer's larvae are oval to D-shaped and produce sawdust-like tunnels through the wood, similar to termites.

Powderpost Beetles

• Powderpost beetles can spread from your firewood to nearby wooden furniture, and can do considerable damage by attacking unpainted wood such as ash, oak and hickory. As long as the wood present is high in starch and remains moist, powderpost beetles can move in. This type of beetle leaves talc-like sawdust under each exit hole. They can also infest wooden beams, floor boards and any untreated wood nearby. They have short horns and a dark brown color, similar to cockroaches.