There are a variety of insects that can find their way into your house on or in firewood. Most of them are simply nuisance insects, however, and won't cause any long-term or permanent damage. The insects commonly found in firewood in our region will not destroy furnishings, structural wood, or reproduce in your home. Some of the more common insects that can be brought in on firewood include wood boring beetles, bark beetles, ants, and spiders. The carpenter ant is one serious pest insect, however, that can be brought onto your property in firewood.
Carpenter ants can cause structural damage as they excavate nesting galleries in wood.
To avoid bringing carpenter ants onto your property on firewood, inspect the wood after cutting or before purchase for holes with fresh sawdust coming from them, evidence of carpenter ant activity. The presence of the large, dark ants themselves, which are about one-half inch long, may also persuade you to leave the wood where you found it. One of the easiest ways to avoid problems is to store all wood outside, bringing it in only as you need it. Another option is to put the wood in a tightly constructed woodbox, one with all cracks sealed and a very tight-fitting lid. The occasional insect will escape when the lid is opened, but for the most part, they will remain in the box.