There is something about a warm and cozy fire in the fall and winter. Sitting by a roaring fire and feeling its warmth after being out in the cold all day can make winter enjoyable.
Mother nature can sometimes make this experience like a bad horror movie. Firewood that is stored inside and around a home can bring pests. The most common thing folks experience is when the wood is brought into the home any ants, beetles, spiders, stinkbugs, and sometimes mice that are living in the wood emerge when the wood gets warm. The wood is usually stored by the fireplace or stove in the den or living room causing a pest problem in these rooms. Imagine enjoying a fire and all of sudden there are hundreds of ants or spiders invading your den. What a nightmare! Wood-boring beetles may also emerge from the warmth. Beetles usually stay close to the firewood and not spread out in the room.
There a few simple things that can be done to help prevent this. Inspect all firewood for pests before bringing it into the home. If any pests are seen in the wood do not bring it into the home. Store all outside firewood on some kind of rack off the ground. Keep the firewood covered so it does not absorb a lot of moisture. Moisture attracts all kinds of pests, especially carpenter ants. Don't store firewood next to areas that may have pests. Some of these areas are next to mulch piles, old rotting firewood, tree stumps or old trees that may have ants. Use firewood that is split and clean. This type of firewood is less conducive to pests.
Storing firewood on the outside can also cause pest problems. If the wood is stored next to or close to a home, mice can make a nest in the wood pile. After a period of time the mice in the nest will reproduce and these new mice will create their own nest. If the wood pile is close to the home it is likely the mice will create their new nest in the home. In addition to mice, stored firewood is a great place for carpenter ants and spiders. This the best reason to store firewood away from the home.
We have a customer in Gladstone who had boring beetles in stored firewood in the garage. One day she noticed beetles in her garage. When we arrived and determined it was beetles, we helped the customer move the wood out of the garage and performed a thorough treatment that eliminated the beetles. The moral of the story is if the wood had been stored outside there would not have been a pest problem in the garage. We understand that storing firewood in a garage during the winter beats going into the snow to get wood.
If you have pest problems from wood piles (ants, spiders, beetles or mice) we have a plan to help. We will make recommendations for storage and treatment methods to eliminate the pests.
If we can be of help please call us or email us at info@permakillexterminating.com.
Our company is affiliated with professional organizations and accreditations in the industry recognized in the state of New Jersey and the rest of the country:
