bug control question

[dirtyj]

I saw a post a while ago (which I can't find) about treating wood to keep bugs/ants/etc off. I have used all kinds of methods which are not different than what were suggested.

My question (albeit maybe stupid) is someone said not to spray insecticides on the wood. While I understand it in principle, can I ask why?

If were to spray my wood now (or during hot summer months) would not the insecticide not only be dry but probably washed off or at very least disipated by the time buring season comes?

And even if the insecticide were still potent, what harm would buring it do? If you throw it on a hot fire wouldn't it either completely burn off and/or go up the chimney where its potency and danger would be minimal?

Please give me your opinions as I would like to do it right.

Thanks!

 

[goof008]

One of my wood piles is by house, actually against the back of the garage. It is t1-11 sided, so yeah, I spray that wood pile if I notice bugs I don't getting into the house. The ones out in the woods I leave untreated. Birds and toads will take care of anything out there.

One thing I do if I have cut down a tree with a carpenter ant nest in it is put some of the Grants Kills Ants traps around it...usually one per side...two on the long side if it's over 8 feet long.

Hope it helps...and remember, most bugs will get out of the wood once it dries...that's when the mice move in!!

 

[Mntn Man]

I spray my wood all the time. I don't think it hurts anything. I also but granuals under the plastic pallets. The other day ash borers were running all over it breeding like crazy and I let them have it. Regular, not emeralds.

I only found 2 spiders in the basement this year. Best ever.

 

[RCR 3 EVER]

Carpenter ants

While splitting wood we sometimes find nests of carpenter ants, at first we tossed the wood aside but now we spray the wood,nest and any ants crawling out on the ground with a mixture of water and dish soap which kills them nearly instantly. If the piece of wood is large we usually split around the chambered nest and toss that aside after soaking it first and just use the good solid wood around the nest. We also do the anty logs last so any escaping ants do not get into good wood. But the dish soap water does the trick though.
On the woodpile we use MAX ? ant killer granules under the stack so animals like our dogs or kids can not get to the stuff and also the Grant's ant traps. Using tin to cover the piles is also better than wood boards since the boards attract insects.