Wood-boring beetle infestations are not usually as damaging as termite infestations, but several wood-boring beetle species can be found in the northeast where they inflict damage to structural wood as well as furniture and decorative wood items. The three most common types of wood-boring beetles are known as powderpost, deathwatch, and false powderpost beetles. Adult wood-boring beetles do not inflict much damage to wood, but their presence in a home should prompt a homeowner into having a pest inspection conducted. This is because adult wood-boring beetles place their eggs within the crevices and pores of wood, and when these eggs hatch, emerging larvae will bore into the wood where it will excavate tunnels until the infested wood becomes hollow. Wood-boring beetle pest activity in structural wood has caused the floors of homes to literally collapse, but most infestations are noticed by homeowners before becoming this advanced. Unsurprisingly, wood-boring beetle infestations are difficult to manage, and treating infestations is not a do-it-yourself activity, as the equipment and chemicals necessary to eliminate infestations can only be handled by licensed pest control professionals.
Due to the difficulty in eradicating wood-boring beetle infestations, the pest control industry highly recommends that homeowners take measures to prevent infestations. For example, since wood-boring beetles prefer to place their eggs on wood that has become saturated with moisture, homeowners should make sure to fix any indoor plumbing leaks or rainwater leaks into houses. Maintaining good ventilation in attics and crawl spaces will also go a long way to prevent moisture buildup indoors. Pest control professionals often resort to heat treatments or surface insecticide treatments to eliminate wood-boring beetle infestations, but homeowners can help to exterminate the pests by freezing small infested wood items in a freezer for at least a week, as many wood-boring beetle species are cold-resistant. Pest control professionals apply heat-emitting equipment to infested wood items as a spot-treatment for wood-boring beetle pest infestations. Infested wood must be heated to 140 to 150 degrees for a period of two to four hours to make sure that the innermost most cavities of infested wood become hot. Wood penetrating insecticides can also be used in place of surface insecticides to kill wood-boring beetles, and the latter is more effective in cases of severe infestation.
Have you ever froze infested items in a freezer in order to kill pests?