Can I use wood with termites from dried trees?

I'm gathering wood to build the purlins on my Roundwood home and in the forest nearby there are plenty of dried trees, some are clean, and others have holes with termites in them. What are some ways I can remove the termites without removing too much wood?

I have some used acupuncture needles, I considered going through every hole and debugging after I've worn it down with the drawknife. If I charred the holes with a blow torch, would that suffice? It would neatly also mark where I've checked.

Also, some of the trees are more rotten than others. Are there some tests to ensure that the wood is still usable other than standing on it?

Maruf Miliunas wrote:I'm gathering wood to build the purlins on my Roundwood home and in the forest nearby there are plenty of dried trees, some are clean, and others have holes with termites in them. What are some ways I can remove the termites without removing too much wood?

I have some used acupuncture needles, I considered going through every hole and debugging after I've worn it down with the drawknife. If I charred the holes with a blow torch, would that suffice? It would neatly also mark where I've checked.

Also, some of the trees are more rotten than others. Are there some tests to ensure that the wood is still usable other than standing on it?

I would build a box and smoke the bugs out (or kill them). It will also help preserve the wood somewhat.
Just make sure you don't light them on fire with your smoker!

Hmmm, not sure how I'd build a box out of roundwood as I don't have any planks, but I'll see if there's something similar I could try with smoke.

Interesting question, using termite infected wood is not something I would have thought about.

I do not know if accidently introducing some into you structure would develop into a problem or not.
From; how-do-termites-get-into-your-home/
– Drywood Termites – they make smaller colonies which can be fully found inside a piece of timber (unlike subterranean termites who spread over a larger surface).
They get their humidity from the timber, so they do not need to get in contact with the soil.
They can stay hidden for years before being discovered, and by that time it’s already too late
– Dampwood Termites – they feed on moist and decayed wood, and their presence indicates a problem with moisture.
They create large galleries and they only stay inside of the infected wood.
They also have smaller colonies and can stay hidden for years
- Drywood termites can enter your home when alates (flying termites) are flying away and looking for a new nest.
If they find the right spot, they seal themselves inside and start reproducing.
The colony will slowly but constantly grow, causing serious damage to the infested home.

Having read this article I am even more concerned about what you are asking about.

Unless you have no other option, I would not use any termite-damaged wood, even if you are sure the termites are gone. One exception is if you had some extremely dense and rot-resistant wood like black locust. The chance of a weak spot is more than I would want to worry about. I think damaged wood is best used as firewood.

Thank you for the replies, I have to reconsider where to source my wood from...