Once the weather cools down around Pittsburgh, fireplaces and wood-burning stoves start getting used again. That also means more trips outside to the firewood pile.
Most of the time, you grab a few logs, bring them inside and don’t think much about it.
But every once in a while, a bug comes along for the ride.
At Budget Pest Control Services, we’ve been handling pest problems around Pittsburgh since 1984. Firewood is one of those things homeowners don’t always think about when they’re trying to figure out how a bug got into the house.
Sometimes it didn’t crawl in. You carried it in.
What’s Hiding in the Woodpile?
A stack of firewood can sit outside for months without being moved much. There are plenty of places for bugs to hide between the logs, underneath loose bark and inside cracks in the wood.
You probably won’t notice anything when you’re grabbing a couple of logs on a cold night.
Then later you see something crawling across the floor near the fireplace.
One possibility around Western Pennsylvania is the Pennsylvania wood roach.
Despite the name, finding one in the house doesn’t necessarily mean you have the type of cockroach problem people usually worry about in kitchens and bathrooms.
Wood roaches normally live outside. They’re found around wooded areas, fallen trees, stumps, decaying material and firewood. Every now and then, one gets carried indoors with a log.
They generally don’t do well living and reproducing inside homes, but that doesn’t make it any less surprising when you see one running across the floor.
Take a Look at Where You’re Stacking Your Firewood
Keeping firewood right against the house is convenient. Nobody wants to walk halfway across the yard for another armful of wood when it’s freezing outside.
The downside is that you’re also putting a pretty good hiding place for pests right next to your house.
If you have the room, keep the pile farther away from the home, especially doors and other entrances. It’s also a good idea to keep the wood as dry as you can.
You don’t need to inspect every log with a flashlight before bringing it inside.
Just give it a quick look. If you see bugs, brush them off outside. Check underneath loose bark if something catches your attention.
We also wouldn’t recommend bringing a huge stack of firewood inside and leaving it there for days. Bring in what you’re going to use and leave the rest outside until you need it.
Found a Bug Near the Fireplace?
One bug doesn’t always mean you have an infestation.
If you carried firewood inside and noticed a strange-looking roach near the fireplace later that night, it may have come in with the wood.
If you’re repeatedly seeing roaches in the kitchen, underneath appliances, inside cabinets or in other parts of the house, that’s a different story.
Where you’re finding the bugs and how often you’re seeing them can help determine what’s actually going on.
That’s also why it’s a good idea to know what you’re dealing with before spraying something around the house. An outdoor insect that accidentally came inside with a log is different from a pest that’s living and reproducing inside your home.
Keep Using Your Fireplace
There’s no reason to stop using firewood because a bug might be hiding underneath the bark.
Just pay attention to where you’re keeping the pile and how much wood you’re bringing inside at one time.
And if you start seeing bugs around the fireplace, basement or elsewhere in the house and aren’t sure what they are, Budget Pest Control Services can take a look.
We’ve been helping Pittsburgh-area homeowners with pest problems since 1984 and serve Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Washington and Westmoreland counties.
Budget Pest Control Services
412-318-4912
