Often, people don’t realise they have a wood borer problem until the resulting damage becomes visible, therefore early identification is key before they cause more harm. There are four stages of wood borer development
- Egg
- Larva
- Pupa
- Adult beetle
Adult beetles will lay their eggs in cracks in wooden objects, floorboards and timbers.
When larvae hatch they immediately burrow through the timber, making it highly unlikely you would see them. They are hungry and your woodwork will be their only food source. Safety is inside the wood, and they will continue to tunnel and feed for several years.
As the larvae mature and increase in size, they bore towards the wood surface to pupate and emerge as adult beetles.
What to look for?
- Fresh exit holes in timber – round or oval shaped with sharp edges, the holes will appear clean and fresh.
- Tunnels in the wood – also known as ‘galleries’ which are often hard to see.
- Bore dust – (also known as frass) caused by emerging adult beetles, usually visible below the infested timber.
Fact: Different insects prefer different woods, which will help you to identify what sort is causing your problems. Some prefer softwoods like pine, spruce and cedar while others like hardwoods such as eucalypt, oak, ash, and mahogany. Whatever the species, all of them will leave some signs, if you have an active wood borer infestation. Find out more about the different species.
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