what do you do when you see carpenter ants?

[Jules083]

I'm cutting wood right now, just started cutting a big cherry tree and found that It's full of carpenter ants. I'm thinking I'm probably just going to have to leave it lay here. If I bring it home am I bringing a colony that's going to give me problems, or will they just die off? The tree is a blowdown that's 3' across, there's a good bit of wood here but I don't want to cause an ant problem for me. Thanks.

 

[groundup]

It is my understanding that the colony will die off once you break it up. That being said I usually leave heavily infested pieces in the woods and take anything that is still decent.

I cut a lot of cherry and deal with ants all the time, they like the standing dead wood I guess

 

[mitch95100]

I'm cutting wood right now, just started cutting a big cherry tree and found that It's full of carpenter ants. I'm thinking I'm probably just going to have to leave it lay here. If I bring it home am I bringing a colony that's going to give me problems, or will they just die off? The tree is a blowdown that's 3' across, there's a good bit of wood here but I don't want to cause an ant problem for me. Thanks.

Leave it there over a cold night and they should die

 

[ray benson]

I have been told they are thirsty, so the nest gets a liberal dose of the 2 stroke mix. :msp_smile: Then load those pieces last.

 

[Jules083]

Leave it there over a cold night and they should die

It's been down for 2 years, It's18 degrees now, and they are trying to move now.

Think I might just leave it and find a new tree. I was hoping to get this thing though, there's a lot here.

 

[cre73]

I bring it home and split it. Knock the ants out of it as I go. I have never found any ants as I move stacks or bring it in the house.

 

[kwalshy]

I bring it home and split it. Knock the ants out of it as I go. I have never found any ants as I move stacks or bring it in the house.

Same here. I have yet to find any ants that have made it through the winter; the ants have not colonized after I bucked the logs, split & stacked the wood with a good year or 2 of seasoning.

 

[Fifelaker]

I try not to knock any off there are BTU'S in them. Uncles on the other hand sit by the fire and drink all the beer.

 

[branchbuzzer]

I try not to knock any off there are BTU'S in them. Uncles on the other hand sit by the fire and drink all the beer.

Eah, forget the BTUs. There's not enough in ants to make it worthwhile. There is, however, lots of protein and good wholesome nutrition. Makes a good on-the-go snack when you're out sawing. I don't like to waste anything when cutting...

I believe that once you take the source of moisture away by splitting and stacking, the ants usually look elsewhere for an abode. I could be wrong.

 

[mga]

bring it home and split it in half...leave the pieces exposed to the weather away from the house.

they'll die.

i've split wood where billions have crawled out during the summer. i just grab some spray and spray the hell out of them.

 

[howellhandmade]

I have been told they are thirsty, so the nest gets a liberal dose of the 2 stroke mix. :msp_smile: Then load those pieces last.

Agreed, only it doesn't take much, especially in cold temps where they can't scurry off. Hit the nest with a few ounces and they're gone forever.

 

[zogger]

on bad ones I have cut them up and busted them up on site, let them sit a few days, then gone back and got them. In real cold weather that should do it.

 

[greendohn]

bring it home and split it in half...leave the pieces exposed to the weather away from the house.

they'll die.

i've split wood where billions have crawled out during the summer. i just grab some spray and spray the hell out of them.

Yeah, what he said. I've even opened the vent cap on the fuel can and given the bastard a splash out in the woods. I also use my garden sprayer and dose my wood pile every now and then with insecticide just for safety from bugs. I definitely wouldn't leave a nice fire wood like cherry because of some ants.. Chemical warfare is only a violation of the Geneva Convention when applied to humans. lol

 

[Jules083]

on bad ones I have cut them up and busted them up on site, let them sit a few days, then gone back and got them. In real cold weather that should do it.

That sounds good to me. I have it cut up now, ill drag the splitter down in the woods later and take care of it there.

Thanks for the quick advice.

 

[Constrictor]

I cuss at them and tell them they are not welcome.:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Unit44]

I knock off what I see then bring it home, anything left the birds around here love and are easy pickings since they move slow when cold. Also I keep it away from the house while it is in the seasoning stacks.

 

[zogger]

That sounds good to me. I have it cut up now, ill drag the splitter down in the woods later and take care of it there.

Thanks for the quick advice.

ya man, when you are busting them up a lot of them will evacuate and just leave. Throw the splits away from the stump, too. Let 'em freeze out a little after being split, then harvest. You'll still get a few ants most likely, but nothing major. Mostly it is they freak out once their nest is busted up and split, then the cold gets them.

Ya, too much good wood out there with ants in it to let the ants win.

Keep an eye out for those giant wood grubs when splitting that dead or close to dead wood, that's some really *good* fishbait.

 

[alleyyooper]

I keep a jug of Ortho home defence in the wood hauling trailer when I'm after fire wood. The ants get a good dose in the woods and stay there for a day or so.

Al

 

[branchbuzzer]

I keep a jug of Ortho home defence in the wood hauling trailer when I'm after fire wood. The ants get a good dose in the woods and stay there for a day or so.

Al

I must say you guys are taking no prisoners out there!

I have had some critters identical to your avatar coming out of my indoor woodpile the last couple weeks and can't find the source. Luckily they are solo fliers and not a swarm, plus they like to do kamikaze runs onto the top of my stove and go out in a blaze of glory. It's made for exciting reloads though, can't complain...

 

[dave_376]

I keep a sprayer filled up and spray the ants after i knock them out of the wood, sometimes I spray the wood but I really don't like to. Keep wood away from house so they don't find that to eat. I also spray the pallets I stack on and the ground around the wood piles, it kills all the critters going into or out of the pile. The only thing worse than ants in your wood pile is spiders and I like to ill them all. Too bad the spay doesn't work on mice, I killed 20 of them so far this winter mostly in traps but my boot has found a few also.