What’s A Wood Borer?
June 11th, 2009 Posted in Wood Damaging Pests
When you think of insects in relation to wood, I think it’s safe to say termites come to mind. But they don’t deserve all the credit. As their name suggests, Wood Borers, which encompass a variety of insects and larvae, bore into wood, that is, make their home there. Although the majority do not cause severe damage, that still doesn’t mean people want them tunneling through their home!
This article will explain:
- Different Types of Wood Borers
- How they get in your home
- Management
5 Common Wood Borers
Shipworms – Bankia setacea, have long, worm-like translucent bodies that reach up to 4 or 6 inches in length. And although worm-like, they are not a worm at all – in fact, they’re an unusual species of saltwater clam. Their head is protected with a firm “helmet” or shell and two horns, and their leech-like mouth makes gobbling up wood a cinch. From early fall and into winter, the shipworms situate themselves on a wood source and begin their tunneling from there.
They dwell in the water, and often attach themselves to vessels, which is where they get their name. As they burrow, they secrete a white substance through their mantle and thus render the wood unable to be used commercially as lumber. The outside of the wood may appear untouched, but once the interior is revealed, it looks as though you’ve been sailing on a honeycomb. To avoid their attacks, copper sheathing was used as early as Christopher Columbus’s age in order to prevent the shipworms from burrowing into the hull.
Powderpost Beetles – Lyctus brunneus, have very large appetites for both soft (spruce, pine, fir) and hard wood (oak, maple, ash). Softwoods are said to be at the biggest risk because support structures of homes can come crumbling down. Powderpost beetles, with reddish brown elongated bodies are said to be one of the most dangerous of the wood borers because they have the potential to survive for generations in the same wood source. Small holes streamed with sawdust are a good indication that your home is infested. These holes are most often found in the spring.
Carpenter Bees – Xylocopa Latreille, resemble bumble bees except for the fact that they have smooth, shiny abdomens versus the hairy abdomen of the bumble bee. They prefer to lay their eggs in wood that is unpainted or weathered, namely redwood, cedar, cypress and pine. Nests are often found on window trimmings, siding, decks and outdoor furniture.
They may ruin a meal outside: male carpenter bees lack stingers, but are still extremely aggressive (overcompensating for something, hmm?). But watch out for the women – they can inflict a painful sting.
Metallic Wood Borers – Buprestidae coleoptera, are also called jewel beetles. 675 of the 14,000 species are indigenous to North America. They are distinguished by their bright metallic copper, blue, black or green exterior.
Their larvae bore through the bark and wood of dead or dying trees. Eggs are laid in bark crevices and once they hatch they burrow deeper, feeding in a burrowed tunnel until their metamorphosis.
Adults make D-shaped holes in the wood and have the power in numbers to kill a young tree. Despite this fact, rare and colorful species are prized by insect collectors.
Horntails – Siricidae Tremex, are also known as wood wasps and prefer conifer trees. They like to populate trees that have been damaged by fire or weather.
The females really have a morbid curiosity – as they like to lay their eggs in recently deceased trees.
They have a long life cycle, reaching almost three years, and compared to other wasps, they are fairly large.
Both male and female have a short horn attached to their abdomen, which is usually marked with yellow or white bands. The rest of their thick body can either be a shiny blue, red or black.
How’d they get in?
Unless you live on a houseboat, I think most of us can rest easy regarding the shipworm. But the other four can be found tunneling through homes across the country.
Easy access points include:
- Any type of opening, crack, crevice or tear in the exterior of your home
- Trees in your yard or a neighbor’s yard that are currently infested can cause them to seek out another source – your home
- Backyard decks, outdoor wooden furniture – wood borers are attracted to it all
Take Action
- New Paint Job: How is your siding looking? Shabby? How about resurfacing that deck?
- Painted, finished, seasoned and pressure-treated wood is much less susceptible to wood borer attacks
- Spot Treatment: Control wood moisture by way of surface coverings, freezing, or insecticides
- Fumigation: Drop the bomb
While popular, these methods do not always prove successful or cheap. But most of all, they aren’t healthy! Liquid pesticide sprays often contain carbaryl, chlorphyrifos and permethrin – dangerous, toxic substances that harm not just the bug – but humans and pets, too.
The best defense against wood borers is EcoSMART ant killer. Safe, Environmentally friendly, and as natural as it gets. Instead of chemical compounds, its active ingredients include peppermint and sesame oils, making for a sweet, effective aroma.
Alyse Popp
21 Comments | The First 1,000 to Comment (Starting 12/21/2009) Will Become EcoSMART Product Testers!
By Robert Robinson on Jun 21, 2009
Aside from the pill bugs, ants, snails, and other critters infesting my house and eating my strawberries, I really hate the Carpenter Bees. Exactly which EcoSMART product would I use to get rid of them? How is it applied? You can always directly kill the bees you see, but the eggs and larvae are sealed deep inside the wood, impervious to most poisons. I want something safe and natural for me, yet still effective against them. Also, do you have a product for snails? Thanks…
By EcoSMART Kara on Jun 23, 2009
Check out shop.ecosmart.com for your pest needs!
By Jill McCallum on Aug 14, 2009
Have inherited furniture (including a piano) which has evidence of wood borer. Have not moved it into my home yet. I am based in South Africa.
By Tom Dorsher on Aug 27, 2009
I had to rip up my lower deck (douglas Fir) with underpinnings made of pressure treated wood. When I started to demo the deck the wood seemed to be dry rotted, however they were infested with what looked like 1-2 inch thin red worms that looked like earth worms. I am concerned about my upper deck, which is right at the moment solid. Do you know what this pest is and do you have a product that can dwal with this?. I cannot seem to find anything on the web about this worm. Warm Regards Tom Dorsher
By mike Eastwood on Sep 1, 2009
I am looking at what I can do to treat the underside of my timber floor before I cover it with foil insulation. With having small children I want something that is effective and doesn’t bring strong odours into the house.
By Michelle Baillie on Oct 10, 2009
I have a woodern bar that I got from my mother. I placed it in a sealed room and furmigated it, however there is still evidence of wood borer and I am nervous that it is going to get into my woodern floors. How can I treat it so that the infestation is completely eradicated.
By Michele Puccini on Oct 26, 2009
I have evidence of some type of wasp or bee making holes on the outside of my home. Some holes I have filled in with wood filler. How do I keep these pests from ruining my house?
By Renschi de Jager on Jan 4, 2010
have beautiful wooden floors and doors – old house and am now worried at the appearance of woodborer in the floors but need something non toxic and able to apply whilst occupying the house
By Renschi de Jager on Jan 4, 2010
need non-toxic pesticide that is safe whilst occupying home as well as cost effective as we are pensioners and cannot afford expensive pest control measures
By Wilie Schultz on Feb 20, 2010
We have wood borer in the roof (tented in 1992)and need a solution that will also solve the current problem and also pervent future infestation and oil the wood to make it stronger
By EcoSMART Megan on Feb 22, 2010
Dear Wilie Schultz,
Sounds like wood borers are a big problem for you. It would be difficult (and dangerous) to climb up on your roof with EcoSMART ant killer.
But EcoSMART’s partners could offer professional services that will still use only organic products. Thanks for the post!
By P S Connacher on Mar 13, 2010
Our committee has established that wood borer or worms exist in some of the floors and skirtings at our squash club. There are small holes in the beech floors and white powder like dust along the skirtings in the passages.
I am concerned that if these pests get into the floor support structure, the floors will eventually collapse. Unfortunately there is no way to access the underfloor voids and no vents exist. I will appreciate your advice on how to sort out this dilemma. Thank you. P
By EcoSMART Megan on Mar 15, 2010
Dear P S Connacher,
Since you cannot find a way to access to support structure, it’s time to call in a professional.
Many professionals will use organic commercial products, like those from EcoSMART’s partners.
By thea mulder on Mar 28, 2010
PLEASE, we need a natural remedy against woodborer! In KZN they are a menace
By Sandra Washington on May 5, 2010
I have been noticing a old wooden bench on my front porch has what looks like sawdust on the porch. I am not sure what is producing this and I am afraid to look.
Could possibly tell me what this is and how can I treat this? Should I call an exterminator?
I will appreciate any advice you can give me.
Thanks,
Sandra Washington
By Sandra on Jun 20, 2010
Would this help with the type of wood borers that are attacking our tulip poplar trees?
I don’t want to lose the trees, but I also do not want to use poison.
By Guy Nicholson on Nov 22, 2010
I have an old victorian house in Durban, Glenwood area, with oregon pine cealings and floors and notice a grainy dark sediment settling onto the bed which is falling through the oregon pine slats on the ceiling. It seems to get worse at different times of the year. What can we do to eradicate this woodborer and prevent it from returning before the roof crashes in!!!
By EcoCare Termite & Pest Management on Jul 18, 2011
We are eco friendly pest controllers in Maldives.. we would like to test your products here.
By Bruce Parce on Jul 26, 2011
A tree trimming company directed my attention to several series of horizontal holes, about an eighth of of an inch deep, in the bark of a large ornamental cherry tree on my property and told me that they were evidence of borers in the tree. The salesman wanted to cut the large branch off to spare the tree. The tree seems otherwise healthy. I had assumed the holes were woodpecker damage. Do borers leave horizontal rows of small round holes that do not appear to be more than an eighth of an inch deep? Do I have to sacrifice the branch to save the tree?
By Zelda on Aug 4, 2011
Just to my dismay I have discovered something is eating my wooden deck, I dnt know what to do? I live in KZN in South Africa
By Jeanette Froude on Oct 8, 2011
We also live on the coast of KZN, South Africa where wood borer is an ongoing problem. We have just discovered a fresh infestation and would dearly like an eco solution to this as the normal fumigation methods can wreak havoc on neighbours.