Many people want a house free from dirt, mold, and pests. It is so relaxing to come home to a pest-free house. However, what would you do if suddenly your wooden structures weakened and your furniture collapsed due to wood-damaging pests like the old house borer? It is stressful and costly, and it might not be the pest you are thinking about.
You may be unfamiliar with the old house borer that is suddenly infesting your furniture and structures. However, next to termites and carpenter ants, these pests are highly damaging. In this article, we will identify the behavior of the old house borer and how you can fight it. If you are faced with an old house borer, you need to be aware of what it is and the damage it causes.
What is an old house borer?
An old house borer is a long-horned beetle that grows up to one inch long. The adult old house borer has a slightly flat brown to the blackish-brown body, which is flatter than other species of beetles. These beetles have wings with fine white lines and very long antennae, which are hard to miss and set them apart from other beetles.
The larva has an entirely different appearance from the mature one. It is cream-colored and has three sets of eyes on each side. These larvae love to chew wood, especially softwood timber like pine trees, fir, and spruce woods. Depending on humidity and temperature, an old house bore spends several months and up to 5 years as a larva. Once they pupate, the mature beetles pave their way out of the wood to mate and reproduce.
Old house borer damage in your home?
Old house borers are not harmful to humans and pets, but are considered pests for a variety of reasons. The primary food source of these beetles is wood. Thus, when there is an old house borer infestation, they weaken structures and furniture inside your home. The signs of an old house borer infestation are often mistaken for termites. As you will see, the behavior is different.
The problem is that adult old house borer lay their eggs (about 200 eggs) in cracks and crevices of wood. When these eggs hatch and become larvae, they tunnel into woods and chew them for food. As much as you want to prevent this from happening, it can be difficult to spot old bore infestations because they have already been placed as eggs in wood structures. So, what are the signs of an old house borer infestation?
1. Lookout for sawdust-like muck and wood fragments called frass.
As these larvae move around and chew into the wood, they carve tunnels that leave frass on their trails. Fresh frass near the exit hole or the floor may be a visible sign of an infestation. Clean the area and await a week to recheck it. If there is still frass, it is a sign of an active infestation.
2. Perk up your ears and listen to rasping or clicking sounds.
During spring and summer, when humidity is high, larvae are most active. Their movements and wood chewing produce rasping or clicking sounds you can barely hear. You can use a stethoscope just to be sure, as it can collect even the tiniest of noises.
3. Check your wooden structures and furniture for exit holes.
The most common sign of an old house bore is an oval exit hole. This hole usually has ragged edges of about a quarter to almost half an inch. These holes are where adult old house borers move if they are ready to mate and reproduce.
Old house borers attack timbers and lumber. A common misconception is the following statement:
“We thought that these beetles were like old wood.”
That is not true; these pests love to infest wood that is ten years old and below because of its high resin content. They can also re-infest old wood if it is exposed to wet areas.
Old House Borer Prevention
Old house borers take time to do damage to your property. It would also take time to notice them until extensive damage has been done to your wooden structures. So, if you've seen signs of infestation, you should remove them right away to prevent further damage. It can cost you thousands of dollars to fix the damage.
To eliminate an old house borer infestation, you should follow these prevention tips listed below:
Old House Borer prevention tips
You can employ these prevention tips to keep old house borers from entering your house and infesting your structures and furniture.
1. Always inspect timber and wood products that will be brought into your home and check for exit holes.
2. Ensure that your wood items are correctly air-dried. Kiln-drying wood kills all stages of these beetles, from their eggs to the mature ones. It will also help if you store firewood away from your house.
3. Reduce moisture and humidity in your house by installing dehumidifiers and ensuring proper ventilation.
4. Spraying paint and applying wood varnish to fill cracks and crevices in wood eliminates old house borer egg-laying spaces. You can also apply borax-based products to untreated wood to prevent infestation.
Old House Borer Pest services
If there is already an old house borer infestation in your house, and it is still isolated in a few pieces of wood or furniture, you can remove the infected part. However, Apex Pest Control is here to help if there is already a significant infestation.
1. We will conduct an inspection to determine how widespread the infestation is.
2. We will then recommend and employ the best course of action to eliminate the infestation.
Final Thoughts
Managing old house borer infestations can be a challenge. They are not easy to spot, and if you have an older home in western North Carolina, you could already have an active infestation. It is important to have your home inspected if you see any signs of an old house borer infestation. Call apex pest control today!