Cutting Buggy wood

[Stuart Caruk]

A tree service buddy has to remove almost 100 pine trees that have a serious amount of beetles in them. Some of the trees have already been killed. Most are around 16" - 18" in diameter and wood make good lumber. He can't find a place to dump them without a tipping fee. I'm not really thrilled about bringing beetles to my log deck, so I've passed for now.

Am I right to be concerned... right now the bugs are 30+ miles a way from me. I suspect that even if cut for firewood there would still be bug problems.

Do the bugs leave once the logs are cut, or do you just perpetuate the problem?

[Ianab]

The bugs that are in the standing pine now will only live in green / wet wood. As the wood dries they either mature and leave, or die.

I wouldn't stack the bug infested logs with my fresh logs, but once the wood is sawn and dried the risk is negligible.