Wood Boring Beetles
Wood Boring Beetles: One of Many Wood Destroying Organisms
MightyMite Termite is the leading termite control team in the Bay Area. In addition to termites, there are many other bugs who chew through wood, such as wood boring beetles. If you are unsure about what bug is terrorizing your home, we can help. Our team has also worked in the industry for many years and has plenty of friends who we can recommend to take care of your home or office if the issue is not termites.
These types of beetles are some of the most common bugs that get mistaken for termites. While they are very similar, there are differences you will notice to help you make the right next moves. Our professionals have included some information below to help you. If you have further questions or are still unable to determine which bugs have infested your space, give us a call to stop the destruction caused by these tiny bugs.
How Wood Boring Beetles are Similar to Termites
Wood boring beetles and termites share a similar love for the taste of wood. While this may be great for forests because they help further remove dead or dying trees, it spells disaster for your home. This feeding habit has also helped both species to reach further around the world. Since they both burrow deep inside your wood furniture, they have been able to move to places not native to them. The wood is not only a source of food but their entire community. They eat the wood to help build tunnels and create a colony where they can lay their eggs to protect them. These similarities can make it difficult to make the judgment call on which one is in your home. Call the termite experts MightyMite Termite Services to help get you the answers you need to proceed with removing them to protect home and furniture.
How to Determine If You Have Wood Boring Beetles
Wood boring beetles are the second-largest consumer of wood, next to termites. While they have very similar eating habits, there is plenty to help you determine if they are actually the cause of your recent wood deterioration. The easiest way to help you differentiate is how you discovered you had a problem in the first place. Both will dig into the wood for food, but only the wood-boring beetle will leave the hole open so their larvae can find their out once fully developed. Termites will cover their entry point or knockout holes with fecal pellets known as frass to help prevent themselves from drying out while they build their colony.
Types of Wood Boring Beetles to Watch Out For
The name “wood boring beetle” is a catchall for a specific type of beetle in the insect kingdom. Across the entire world, there are over 300,000 types of beetles, the powderpost, old house borer, and common furniture beetles are the ones you need to look out for when you begin to notice damage to wood fixtures around the home. Powderpost is the most common wood boring beetle, though, and it’s their larvae who do the most damage. They are white and generally hold the shape of a C. Often, they are referred to as woodworms. Their path of destruction is much slower than the common termite, though, helping give you plenty of time to devise a plan for removal once discovered. Professionals can easily take care of the issue, but you can also treat it yourself by removing and replacing the infested piece. Prevention is also as simple as applying paint or finish to your wood pieces. These wood-boring beetles only search for bare, unfinished wood. Be sure to thoroughly inspect any secondhand furniture you buy as this is how they often travel.
Call MightyMite Termite Today for Help
Western Drywood Termite infestations occur in phases. Beginning with the mating flight, swarming dry If you still have questions about what may be causing your wood to deteriorate, give the team at MightyMite Termite Services a call, and we will provide a professional inspection. We have helped those in Santa Clara, Alameda, Santa Cruz, San Mateo, Monterey, Marin, Contra Costa, and San Benito County for many years. Our experience in the industry gives us the clarity to make a precise determination and help with your next steps. Although we specialize in termite removal, we can help find another provider, whether it’s surface fungus, wood-boring beetles, or dry rot. Call us today to get your appointment scheduled!