Also, previously dry wood placed in contact with moist soil or in storage under high humidity conditions should be avoided. Occasional Pests Other pests occasionally found in firewood piles include spiders, woolyworm caterpillars and both mice and rats, which make their nests to rear young. Also snakes, which feed on insects and mice, may be discovered when moving sticks of firewood from the woodpile. Life Cycle and Habits Most firewood insects and their relatives are active from April to October. Many roundheaded and flatheaded borers complete their life cycle in one year or up to two to four years.
Some adults prefer recently cut logs and others seasoned logs.
Bark beetles and ambrosia beetles may have two to three generations per year and often attack weakened, dying and dead trees. Powderpost beetles complete their life cycle in three months to one year or up to three years with others living in the wood as long as 30 years before emergence. Carpenter ants and termites prefer damp, moist wood such as old tree stumps and wood in soil contact. Carpenter ants can develop from egg to adult in about two months or up to 10 months in cooler weather. Termite colonies vary in their life cycle with low populations the first year and active, larger colonies in the fourth year.