# Wood cockroaches in firewood



## sorethumbs (Dec 22, 2009)

How often you guys see wood roaches while processing firewood? I seem to have a ton of them, and they seem to be native to my homestead in NW Wisconsin. I do buy a 10 cord load of locally harvested red oak every year (mostly northen pin oak) and that usually has pockets of them too. It bugs me that I have "roaches" around my place, they're in every damp area outside the house. However they do not seem come in the house. I do see a few inside every spring but that's about it. Are any of you dealing with these things?


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## thombat4 (Dec 22, 2009)

*Hmmmm...?*

I'm wondering what they look like. I have lots of sow bugs or pill bugs in the piles but when the temps drop they seem to find somewhere else to hide.


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## Wood Scrounge (Dec 22, 2009)

I would like to see them also, I had a ton of those nasty stink bugs this year, still see them around once in awhile.


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## sorethumbs (Dec 22, 2009)

here you go:







Here is a discription of the pest from an Iowa State education site:

_Wood cockroaches, also known as wood roaches, are common outdoordwelling insects native to North America and found throughout Iowa. Their normal habitat is moist woodland areas but they frequently become a household nuisance because they wander into or are carried into houses as "accidental invaders."

Wood roaches are very similar in appearance to the common household cockroach called the American roach; flat, oval body, long antennae, spiny legs, chestnut brown color. However, wood roaches are slightly smaller, about 3/4 to 1 1/4 inch long, and the adults, especially the males, appear tan because of the color of their wings. Adults and large nymphs of the wood roach can be recognized by a pale, creamy white or transparent stripe on the outer edge on the thorax. The pale edge extends onto the first 1/3 of the front wings of the adults. Positive identification of small nymphs is more difficult and usually requires microscopic examination. 

Wood roaches that have wandered into the house usually behave differently than the household roaches. Wood roaches are not secretive; they are active both during the day and at night and they are less likely to scamper out of sight when approached. Also, they will wander about the house without congregating in any particular location. 

Wood roaches do not thrive and reproduce in homes because they require the consistently moist environment of their natural habitats such as under wood piles or loose bark and in decaying logs. Indoors, their presence is strictly a temporary annoyance. They do not harm the house structure, furnishings or occupants. 

The sprays and dusts used with success against household cockroach species are of very limited benefit against wood roaches. Exclusion techniques that prevent wood roach entry should be considered. Doors and windows should be tightfitting and cracks, gaps and other possible entry points should be sealed. If a breeding site can be moved or modified (e.g., relocating a wood pile farther from the house) it might help. Also, store firewood outdoors until you are ready to burn it. The males are attracted to lights at night and limiting porch light use in late May through June when males are flying might be of some benefit. Outdoor insecticide barrier treatments around windows and doors and along the foundation or firewood pile are a last resort that may reduce the number of wood roaches that get indoors. Direct application of insecticide to firewood does no good and is discouraged. Wood cockroaches inside need only be picked up discarded._


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## thombat4 (Dec 22, 2009)

*Thanks for that info thumbs...*

Learned something new. Never heard of them critters til today.

Interesting.


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## Mike PA (Dec 22, 2009)

I see them all the time. I just knock 'em off when they are at the wood pile or use them for supplemental BTUs when I find them inside. I've never seen them away from the wood, even when its been stacked in the wood for a while.


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## JeffHK454 (Dec 22, 2009)

Those nasty little SOB's are why I "clack" every piece of wood I handle together before I pack it in.... once you have one run up you cheek and into you ear you'll know what I mean.

They usually disappear after the first good single digit cold spell.


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## yooper (Dec 22, 2009)

That little bugger is kinda cute! I have never seen them around here. 

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## RVALUE (Dec 22, 2009)

yooper said:


> That little bugger is kinda cute! I have never seen them around here.
> 
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They're from south of the border, permabord.


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## rngrchad (Dec 22, 2009)

I got'm here in central ohio. I see one crawl acros the kitchen floor every now and then. No biggie.


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## stihl sawing (Dec 22, 2009)

Got em here, I see them in the wood all the time. Sometimes they make it in the house just to get smashed. If you listen closely you can hear them scream just before they blow up and pop from the fire.


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## LarryTheCableGuy (Dec 22, 2009)

stihl sawing said:


> ...If you listen closely you can hear them scream just before they blow up and pop from the fire.



Awesome!!!


.


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## rmotoman (Dec 22, 2009)

We have them here. Was feeding them to the chickens while splitting today.


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## Geez (Dec 22, 2009)

I ran into a bunch of them last year. I was splitting wood about 40 feet from the house and all of a sudden they were running everywhere, mainly back into the woodshed.
Something like that doesn't normally bother me, except for roaches, because LOML is horrified of them and said if she ever sees one in the house, it's going up for sale! (The house, not the roach, LOL)
And this is from as redneck of a woman as you'll see. Processes deer in her kitchen and feeds her 'pet' possums on the back porch! :dunno:


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## Mntn Man (Dec 22, 2009)

I don't want my wife to see 'em so I don't let her split wood with me (like she really wants to). I don't have too big of a problem with them, but the little tiny spiders on the ash that I bring home, they drive me insane. How can a spider the size of a speck of pepper spin so much web?


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## dingeryote (Dec 23, 2009)

We got 'em here too.

Best thing to do is keep the main piles away from the house, and only move the wood indoors by the arm load.

The wife HATES all roaches and gets all kinds of cranky if a wood roach wanders out of a split. 

Our Pooch Hannah, hates 'em too, and will nose all the wood I bring in LOL!
If there's a roach to be thumped, she will find it most of the time, or catch the booger making a break from the Hearth.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote


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## injun joe (Dec 23, 2009)

stihl sawing said:


> Got em here, I see them in the wood all the time. Sometimes they make it in the house just to get smashed. If you listen closely you can hear them scream just before they blow up and pop from the fire.



lol thats awesome exploding roaches.


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## hardy steve (Dec 23, 2009)

If I cut wood and come back to get it later and it has rained.The wood is loaded with them.I just throw them in the owb also.


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## stihl sawing (Dec 23, 2009)

injun joe said:


> lol thats awesome exploding roaches.


Yeah you can really gross the wife out when she ask why the fire is poppin so much. Ahh, That's just the roaches exploding.


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## bohawg1 (Dec 24, 2009)

had pest control come out to my house when i first built my house and he discribed them to be oriental roach, not the wood roach,, Yes i have plenty here also in wv, the like damp places... Wood roaches are bigger ,,, you will see them too at times, but what they told me there oriental roach,,, hope this helps, i could be wrong


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