Wood boring insects are pests whose larvae tunnel through wood, causing damage from cosmetic to structural. Early identification is crucial for homeowners to address infestations and prevent extensive harm. Recognizing specific signs is the first step in protecting your property.
Recognizing the Signs of Wood Borer Activity
Several common indicators reveal the presence of wood boring insects. One noticeable sign is exit holes on the surface of wooden items or structures. These holes are created when adult insects emerge from the wood; they typically appear round or oval with sharp, clean edges.
Another sign is “frass,” a powdery material resembling sawdust found near or below infested wood. This frass is a mixture of wood particles and insect excrement; its texture and appearance offer clues about the borer type. Frass may accumulate in small piles on floors, shelves, or other surfaces adjacent to the infested wood.
Internal damage, often hidden from view, can be detected through weakened or crumbling wood. Infested floorboards might feel soft or spongy, and wood around edges or corners may appear damaged. In some cases, tunnels might become visible if the wood surface breaks away. A less common but distinct sign is auditory: some wood borer larvae produce faint clicking, tapping, or rasping sounds as they feed within the wood, especially noticeable in quiet environments.
Identifying Specific Wood Borer Species
Identifying the specific wood borer type is important, as different species cause distinct damage patterns and require varied treatment approaches. The insect’s appearance, exit hole characteristics, frass type, and tunneling patterns are all useful for differentiation.
Powderpost Beetles
Powderpost Beetles are small, typically reddish-brown to black, measuring 3 to 7 mm long. They create tiny, round exit holes, usually less than 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch (0.8 to 3.2 mm) in diameter, resembling small nail holes. Their frass is very fine and powdery, similar to flour or talcum powder, readily sifting out of the holes. Their tunneling often reduces sapwood to a powdery consistency. Powderpost beetles primarily attack hardwoods with high starch content, such as oak, ash, and mahogany, but some species can also infest softwoods.
Old House Borers
Old House Borers, a type of longhorn beetle, are larger, ranging from 5/8 to 1 inch long, typically brown or black with gray hairs and two shiny black knobs behind their head. They leave distinct oval-shaped exit holes, larger than Powderpost Beetle holes, measuring about 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch (6-10 mm) in diameter, often with ragged edges. Their frass is fine and powdery, often with small barrel-shaped pellets, loosely packed within their tunnels. These beetles prefer seasoned coniferous softwoods like pine, fir, and spruce; their larvae can produce clicking or rasping sounds audible from within infested wood.
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter Ants, while not technically wood-boring beetles, tunnel through wood to create nests. These ants are among the largest household ants, measuring 1/4 to 1/2 inch long, typically black or reddish-black. They do not eat wood but excavate it, leaving behind smooth, clean tunnels. Their frass resembles coarse sawdust and often contains wood shavings, insect body parts, and debris, which they push out of their nests. Piles of this frass can be found near baseboards, under furniture, or in crawl spaces. Infested wood may sound hollow when tapped due to extensive tunneling.
Termites
Termites are social insects that can cause significant wood damage. Drywood termites infest wood directly, not requiring soil contact. They create kick-out holes to expel their fecal pellets, known as frass. This frass appears as tiny, hard, pellet-like droppings, often granular or sand-like, with six flattened or ridged sides. Pellet color varies depending on the wood consumed.
Subterranean termites, conversely, build distinctive mud tubes on surfaces as protective pathways to access wood. Unlike drywood termites, subterranean termites do not produce visible frass outside their tunnels; instead, they pack their tunnels with soil and chewed wood.
Deathwatch Beetles
Deathwatch Beetles are grayish-brown, typically 5-7mm long, with patches of yellow hairs. They primarily attack hardwoods, especially oak and elm, particularly when the wood has fungal decay or is damp. Their exit holes are round and larger than common furniture beetles, ranging from 2-4mm in diameter. Their frass is gritty, yellowish, and consists of disc or bun-shaped pellets. These beetles are known for the distinct tapping sound adult males make as part of their mating ritual, often audible in quiet conditions.
Next Steps After Identification
Once you identify or suspect wood boring insects, documenting your findings is a practical next step. Take photographs of signs like exit holes and frass, and if possible, collect small frass samples. This documentation helps professional assessment. While it may be tempting to assess the damage yourself, comprehensive evaluation often requires specialized tools and expertise. Therefore, contact a qualified pest control professional. They can accurately confirm the borer species, determine the infestation’s scope, and develop an appropriate treatment plan to mitigate damage and prevent future problems.