Despite being the first thing many people think of when it comes to wood damage, termites might not be the only thing gnawing through the wood in your residence. Other possible wood-destroying pests include carpenter ants, carpenter bees, and horned beetles. These insects all chew through wood inside and outside homes, causing property damage and forcing unwanted repairs. Knowing the differences between each of these and how to handle infestations is important in making your Peoria home bug-free.
Termites
Termites are the most infamous wood-damaging insect, and probably the one you’ve heard about the most. How do you identify termites?” Termites are usually less than an inch in length and are varying colors depending on what type of termites they are. Finding infestations early can save your home from damage, and you from paying large amounts of money in repairs later on. Watching for any of the following can alert you to a termite infestation in your home: mud tubes on foundation walls, discolored or sagging drywall, paint damage resembling water damage, small holes in drywall, buckling floorboards, loose tiles. If you spot any of these issues, it’s quite possible that you have a termite infestation.
Carpenter Ants and Bees
Carpenter bees and carpenter ants don’t actually feed on the wood in a home. They bore through wood to get to where they are going. Identifying these infestations is important to keeping your home structurally sound. If you find piles of wood shavings under wooden items, that usually means that carpenter ants and bees have been there. You can also listen for faint rustling in wooden items or inside walls. This sound is the sound of insects boring through the wood in the wall.
Long-horned Beetles
Long-horned beetles are commonly referred to as powder post beetles or old house borers. The powder post beetle is generally the more destructive of the two, and both of them feed on the wood in your walls. These beetles are usually smaller than an inch and are brownish in color. They are distinguishable by their antennae, which have double-jointed clubs. Do powder post beetles spread? As soon as their eggs hatch, they begin boring into your walls and take about five years to fully mature. Another question you may have is “Are longhorn beetles dangerous?” While they may occasionally bite a human if they feel threatened, the bite is not fatal and usually heals after a few days. You may be wondering, “How do you treat old house borers?” The best way to get rid of old house borers is to inject borer fluid into their holes. You can also paint wood protection on any wood inside your house.
Wasting time trying to treat wood-destroying insects on your own will just give the pests more time to destroy the wood. Instead, call the professionals at Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators at the first sign of infestation in your Peoria home.