Firewood is riddled with holes. Small piles of sawdust accumulate around the holes or on the ground around the firewood. If the wood has been stored indoors, insects may be crawling around the firewood pile or flying around lights or windows.
Many insects develop in and emerge from cut firewood. If infested wood is stored either indoors or outdoors so that it rests against the house, there is a chance that insects will invade the wooden structure of the house. Insects that are capable of moving from firewood into the structure include carpenter ants (see Carpenter ants), termites (see pages @657 and @659), and powderpost beetles (see Powderpost beetles). Some insects, such as bark beetles (see Bark beetles), most flatheaded and roundheaded borers (see page 659), and woodwasps (see Woodwasps), emerge from firewood but attack only living or recently killed trees; these insects will not damage structural wood or household articles.
Spray infested firewood outdoors with ORTHO HomeDefense Ortho-Klor Insect & Termite Killer, ORTHO Diazinon PLUS Insect Spray, or ORTHO DURSBAN® Lawn Insect Spray. Sprayed firewood may be burned 2 weeks following treatment. Store all firewood outdoors unless you plan to burn it within a couple of days. Do not lean an outdoor wood pile against the home; stack it so that there is at least an inch between the wood and the structure. If practical, choose a location for the wood pile at least 10 feet away from the home.