It’s hard to imagine that something as seemingly insignificant as a beetle could do such damage, but that is the case when it comes to wood-boring beetles. You may not know it, but beetles can seriously undermine the structure of your home by laying eggs in wood. When those eggs hatch, the resulting larvae emerge and bring their voracious appetites to bear, gnawing through wood and hurting its structural integrity. If you discover wood-boring beetles or their larvae around your home, it’s important that you take steps to remediate the infestation. That includes contacting a pest control company in Middletown, NY, to treat your property thoroughly.
While wood-boring beetles are a beneficial species in the woods, they aren’t nearly as helpful in a residential environment. In the wild, they help break down and remove dead trees and restore their nutrients to the soil. In your home, they can bore extensive mazes in the home’s structural components consisting of tunnels that will make the wood weak and accelerate its natural degradation. As destructive as wood-boring beetles are, there are effective methods of pest control in Middletown, NY, that can be used to free your home from its grip. Read on to learn more about wood-boring beetles, the damage they can do, and how you can rid your home of them.
WHAT ARE WOOD-BORING BEETLES?
Wood-boring beetles aren’t a single species of beetle. Instead, the category is made up of many species that possess a common characteristic. All wood-boring beetles lay eggs in tiny cracks in the surface of the wood. Some of the most common species of wood-boring beetles in buildings and structures are the powderpost beetle, the false powderpost beetle, and the old house borer beetle. Powderpost beetles prefer hardwoods that are extremely low in moisture content, such as oak, walnut, and mahogany. False powderpost beetles aren’t nearly as selective, as they’ll dine on both hardwoods and softwoods, such as pine. Old house borer beetles prefer softer, high-moisture coniferous wood.
WHAT DAMAGE CAN THEY DO?
When the wood-boring beetle eggs hatch, the resulting larvae, also known as woodworms, then bore down into the wood. As they grow, they consume the wood, carving out tunnels as they go. Over the course of several years, these networks of tunnels can severely undermine the structural stability of wood, leaving it prone to rot and breakage. Powderpost beetles are more likely to damage dry wood inside and outside of the home, including structural supports, such as studs, wood flooring, soffits, and decking. In homes that include pine or cypress, these same locations may be targeted by false powderpost beetles. Because of their appreciation for moist wood, old house borer beetles may be more likely to strike areas outside of the home that isn’t climate-controlled, such as workshops, decks, and sheds.
HOW DO YOU GET RID OF THEM?
Getting rid of wood-boring beetles can be difficult, but with the help of a company that offers pest control services, it is a straightforward task. First, check for infestations. Look for the telltale signs, such as the presence of exit holes in the external surfaces of wood or powdery sawdust-like frass left behind by the beetle larvae. If you see white powder clumped around wood, the infestation may still be active, and the wood must be removed or treated with a borate-based solution. If the powder is yellow and exit holes are present, the wood can remain but should be treated and sealed. Once the affected wood has been treated, the house should be treated with a pesticide to make sure no other adult beetles are lurking.
If you notice that you have a wood-boring beetle infestation, there are some immediate steps you should take to prevent damage to your property. If you think you may have wood-boring beetles, contact Garrie Pest Control or request an appointment online.
