Flies and Yellowjackets attracted to woodsplitting?

[cityevader]

Anybody else notice this?

I'll be out in the yard with no bugs around, then spend a half hour on the logsplitter. Never fails that they start buzzing around all over the pile.

I can only imagine that they smell the inside homes of grubs and what-not that are now exposed, along with a few squished critters as well?

I've noticed it most when splitting Oak.

Maybe they like the semi-sweet, sort of fermenting-like smell of fresh split Oak just like myself when I keep going out there to smell it when I get home from work, leave for work, after dinner, let the cat out, take the trash out...
Honey! You need me to go outside for anything?!?

 

[radarme]

I split about a 1/2 cord of honey locust recently and really noticed the flies after that.... they were all over it!!!

 

[aandabooks]

Use mix in your splitter. The exhaust will help to keep your splitting area a bug free zone.













Just kidding. Don't do this and if you do don't blame me for problems.

 

[MATTYB11]

Interesting observation. I do most of my splitting in the winter to keep cool while working, however the absence of bugs is a nice bonus. That being said I do occationally split in the warm weather and I have not had this problem.

 

[wdanforth]

I have been splitting 2 truck loads of apple into splinters for cooking. The bees love the stuff. I can't wait for colder weather to finish up.

 

[wdchuck]

Wasps are the dominant yellow/black insect around my splitting/stacking areas, and do seem to increase in quantity after disturbing or stacking freshly split wood.
Take a 1/2 bottle of soda with the top cut off and put it a ways away from you, in the sun, that should keep them busy from you.

 

[chainsaw1]

Yes i noticed that this last weekend, the bees were bad after i was splitting for awhile. Like you said it must be the smell.

 

[Nailsbeats]

The bee's were bad last weekend here too. I was cutting in the woods and hauling it out to load on my trailer where the bee's would meet me. Pesky little buggers never got me.

 

[cityevader]

Funny thing is...it keeps up for at least a day after....by the third day, they're gone.
Gotta be some sort of atypical smell.

 

[turnkey4099]

See it all the time here when working Willow amongst other 'sappy' wood. I think they are interested in the 'juice'. Nice thing about it is that they do not bother you. I have split blocks of wood covered in wasps, even smashing one or two and they just go about their business.

Harry K

 

[day52]

Yeah, it has to be some odor that attracts them. I have always noticed them the worst on red oak, but they seem to go for anything with high moisture. Always the worst from late August 'till a couple good hard freezes around here. Good thing is that they don't seem to be too aggressive--just a nuisance. If I have a pop or other liquid refreshment, I always put something over the can or bottle though. Don't like that kind of surprise.

 

[peterc38]

I noticed it last weekend too, splitting maple by hand. All of a sudden a lot of yellowjackets appeared out of nowhere. I kept myself amused by wacking them with a 4 .lb sledge when they would land on a log.

 

[Suz]

Anybody else notice this?

I'll be out in the yard with no bugs around, then spend a half hour on the logsplitter. Never fails that they start buzzing around all over the pile. <SNIP>

I've always had hornets flying around when splitting wood. I'm "guessing" they are after the moisture in the wood.
Jim

 

[PA. Woodsman]

They really are attracted to the smell of Oak and Hickory; it smells like manure to me, so that might be what they like?

 

[Hansenj11]

I noticed it when i was splitting green cherry. I had wondered why. Just leave them alone and they wont sting you.

 

[woodbooga]

A year ago, yellow jackets built a huge hive in a smallish semi punky ash log in my pile. Dozens of the suckers entering and exiting each minute.

The log was in a pile close to our clothesline. One afternoon, I got a distraught call from my wife who sustained 7 stings. Some of the wasps were still on her clothes when she got in the house and she wanted me to come home and kill them. Fortunately, it was almost quitting time anyway. So I got home, hunted the b@atards down and took vengence.

That night, I backed the truck up to the pile, tossed the log in, and ran like the ####ens. Following day, I made a pitstop at a nearby pond and finished the job.

No yellow jackets this year. Word's out that woodbooga is no friend of wasps.

 

[mtfallsmikey]

Y. J's also like the smell of fresh paint, and paint thinner too! Not as bad here in the Valley this year compared to last.

 

[danrclem]

I was splitting some oak and cherry awhile back and the yellowjackets really seemed to like that stuff. The only time I've ever saw a yellow jacket get aggressive was when I intruded into their nest area. If they don't bother me I leave them alone.

 

[03USMC51]

All summer no problem yet 2-3 weeks ago went out and was splitting some Red Oak that's been down 2 seasons and got stung twice. Didn't bother while I was cutting just splitting. First I thought there might be an underground nest I was disturbing with the vibrations of swinging the maul but, loaded the truck, stopped at the hardware store on the way home and noticed the load in back was attracting quite a few Y.J.s even in the parking lot! Switched locations to cut the next day and still had quite the following although not getting stung. I think it's particularly the smell/moisture content of oak they like along with other highly pungent species of wood.