Ants in the wood pile

[Newglide]

So I cut down a few trees and was rotating the wood into my wood pile and as I was moving the old wood to make room I found the old wood is full of ants. These are what I call sugar ants. The little ones not carpenter ants. They have made a home in-between all my logs.
What's the best way to get rid of them? I obviously don't want to spray anything.

 

[TNJAKE]

Get you some bifen concentrate. Mix in a pump sprayer and spray heavily around the perimeter of your wood pile. Don't spray it on the wood. Hopefully your wood isn't sitting directly on the ground. If it's raised spray underneath as well. Other than that there isn't much I can think of for you to do. Maybe separate the infested wood from the non infested wood

 

[TNJAKE]

Could hit the live ants with a weed burner for a sec to kill the ants without setting the wood on fire but I'd still treat the area around the pile with bifen

 

[babydocsmoker]

Could hit the live ants with a weed burner for a sec to kill the ants without setting the wood on fire but I'd still treat the area around the pile with bifenView attachment 643820

this sounds more fun

 

[Nefarious]

Is this wood for smoking or heating your house?

 

[Newglide]

Could hit the live ants with a weed burner for a sec to kill the ants without setting the wood on fire but I'd still treat the area around the pile with bifenView attachment 643820

That does sound like more fun.
The wood is raised up on cinder blocks.
I can try spraying under and around. I sprayed some stuff under and around this spring. Don't remember what it was. I guess I should do it every couple of months.

 

[Newglide]

Is this wood for smoking or heating your house?

It's for my smoker

 

[TNJAKE]

That does sound like more fun.
The wood is raised up on cinder blocks.
I can try spraying under and around. I sprayed some stuff under and around this spring. Don't remember what it was. I guess I should do it every couple of months.

Bifen is the generic of talstar. It's what I use around my property as I live in the woods and have lots of bugs. It kills and controls ants, termites and tons of others. You can get it for about $20 and mix it up. Reapply every 2-3 months or anytime you see bugs.

 

[TNJAKE]

Weed burner is cheap if you don't have one but that will definitely take care of the ants already on the wood

 

[Nefarious]

It's for my smoker

Do you want the bug killer spray vapor on your food when you hear it up?

 

[TNJAKE]

Do you want the bug killer spray vapor on your food when you hear it up?

He shouldn't spray it on the wood. Just the ground

 

[Newglide]

Do you want the bug killer spray vapor on your food when you hear it up?

Yeah I don't want to spray it on the wood.

 

[Newglide]

Weed burner is cheap if you don't have one but that will definitely take care of the ants already on the wood

May not be a bad option, I haven't had the chance to get to the store to pick up any bifen. Hope to try it this week and see how that goes.

 

[ifitsdeadsmokeit]

Why not just place some ant bait traps around the wood pile. they just sit on the ground on can place inside the pile. They are self contained so wont contaminate the wood. Will kill the ants and also they will bring the poison back to the nest and kill them there too. Sell them at all the box stores.

 

[BurntWeenie]

Diatomaceous earth

 

[Nefarious]

Yeah I don't want to spray it on the wood.

Will it be a problem cooking the ants that are in the wood? Probably done before many times

 

[TNJAKE]

Will it be a problem cooking the ants that are in the wood? Probably done before many times

Using wood that has ants on it isn't the issue. Having them in your woodpile is. Ants, termites, Beatles will destroy the wood

 

[JckDanls 07]

Bifenthrin is a granule that can be spread around the wood pile... I use it on my whole yard to control fire ants... Sounds like it would be about the same thing as the spray Jake is talking about... only it lasts longer... I usually spread about once a year...

 

[TNJAKE]

Bifenthrin is a granule that can be spread around the wood pile... I use it on my whole yard to control fire ants... Sounds like it would be about the same thing as the spray Jake is talking about... only it lasts longer... I usually spread about once a year...

Yeah same stuff different form. I live on 15ac and spray everything that gets mowed. House is in the woods and it really helps with ticks and skeeters as well. Might give the granules a try for the yard and keep spraying around the house. We used to have a terrible piss ant problem in the house every spring. Not any more. We did catch 2 snakes in the house last week though lol

 

[Retired Spook]

Use em all the time, all around the yard and house, and under the wood pile - works great.