What you need to know about buying, transporting firewood as winter approaches

Whether you have a wood stove you use to heat your house or you enjoy throwing a log in your fireplace, it’s always good to know what you are actually burning when it comes to wood.

After a tree has been cut down, the new logs can sometimes be the host of harmful insects that you wouldn’t want to bring into your home.

Below are some harmful insects that could be found in your firewood, according to Michigan DNR.

Adelgids

These insects are soft-bodied and small. According to Michigan’s DNR, these insects are hard to see and usually are detected by their eggs covered in white cottony tufts. These insects like to feed on coniferous plants like firs or pines.

Egg Masses

Egg masses can spread across the state as spongy female moths deposit their eggs on firewood, outdoor equipment and vehicles.

Michigan DNR warns about these egg masses as invasive spotted lanternfly species have been located in some counties in Michigan over the summer.

Read more -- Invasive spotted lanternfly found in Michigan for first time: What to know

Wood Borers

These beetles like to lay their eggs in or on the bark of trees. Michigan DNR state that these insects like to infest healthy trees and seek to weaken them. According to a recent study, 1,045 firewood pieces transported by the public in Michigan indicated that 23% contained live borers, and an additional 41% showed evidence of previous borer infestation.

According to Michigan DNR, these insects like to spend their larval stages feeding on the wood they were hatched in and destroying the tree tissues that help move water and sap throughout the tree.

Good rules of thumb when buying firewood:

Michigan DNR wants to remind people that seasoned and/or aged wood could have insects even if the wood is dry. The DNR also wants people to practice only buying wood that was cut within 50 miles of where you are planning on having a fire. If you are looking for certified firewood, check if there is a federal stamp or seal on the packaging, as those are deemed safe to move long distances.

Below are a few Metro Detroit firewood companies within a 50-mile radius:

• Allemon’s Landscape Center
• Eagle Landscaping & Supply Company
• Great Lakes Firewood
• Metro Detroit Tree and Firewood