Spraying Logs with Insecticide

Treating logs with bug spray before sawing is a bad idea, says the Wood Doc — ineffective as well as hazardous. October 30, 2005

Question
I have several mesquite logs. They have different size holes in them. Some are very small and some are quite large. It will be a while before I can saw these. Should I spray them with a bug killer now before sawing them? I also have many board feet of mesquite already sawn and stickered and it is already dried. Should I spray it as well, and if I should spray, what should I use? Will the stuff from the big box store down the road do (home termite stuff)? Does anyone here spray their wood?

Forum Responses
(Sawing and Drying Forum)
From contributor D:
I would guess that spraying the wood may prevent further infestation, but bugs that are already in the wood will not be affected. To get at the beetle larvae deep in the wood one would have to either kill them with heat (kiln drying at or above 130) or by fumigation (gaseous poison often assisted through use of a vacuum chamber).



From Gene Wengert, forum technical advisor:
Most "bug killers" will not work on logs or lumber. Contact your extension agent for proper chemicals to use. Even then, unless the insects are near the surface, the poison will not work. Also, you have to remember that if you spray, you will have poison dust flying all over and that is not at all healthy. If you spray the lumber, there will by dry poisoned dust. Do not do it.