You will come across many different species of insects and rodents in your day to day life. Some are harmless, some very dangerous, and some can be very destructive to your home and surrounding property costing thousands of dollars in repairs. On this page we will take a look at some:
Common Wood Destroying Pests Damage potential in a particular region varies by insect pest group as well. Termites, for example, tend to be of more concern in warm climates whereas carpenter ants tend to be more important in cooler climates. Damage in structural wood, such as posts and beams, from wood-boringpowderpost beetles occurs mostly in damp/coastal climates. Powderpost beetles can damage hardwoods, like flooring and furniture, in any climate.
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Appearance Adult Powderpost Beetles grow to be between 1/16-1/4 of an inch in length & are reddish-brown to black in color. Their winged body is cylindrical in shape, & covered in fine hair. Powderpost beetles have a hood-like body segment that is located directly behind their head. This segment "covers" or "hides" their head. The larvae are slightly smaller than the adults & are whitish in color. The larvae are grub-like in appearance, C-shaped, have three pair of small legs, & rows of small spines on their dorsal side.
Damage The surface of powderpost beetle-infested wood is perforated
with numerous small “shot holes,” each about the
size of a pencil lead or slightly larger. Any slight jarring of the
wood causes a fine, flour-like powder to sift from these holes.
When cut or broken, the interior of infested wood may reveal
masses of this finely-packed powder. Powderpost Beetles are second only to termites as destroyers of seasoned wood.
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Appearance There are several kinds of wood boring insects that are identified as wood wasps and horntails. Wood wasps that are part of the family Siricidae are large non-stinging wasps that are attracted to dead or dying conifer trees. Infested timber can lead to an infestation in completed buildings.
Wood wasps found in North America are about an inch in length, elongated with a cylindrical body. They have a black or metallic dark blue body with black, red and yellow stripes and make a noisy buzz when flying.
Larvae are yellowish white with a small spine at the tail end. This spine tail is where they get the name “horntail”.
Damage Wood wasps cause more cosmetic damage than structural to buildings. Large exit holes can be seen in wall board, plaster walls, hardwood floors, linoleum, carpeting, non ceramic floor tiles and other interior surfaces. Once infested, the wood wasp does not re-infest a structure.
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Appearance Most Carpenter Bees are large & robust insects resembling bumblebees. Females range from about 5/8 to 1 inch long & are shiny black or metallic blue reflections. their abdomens are shinier than those of bumblebees with fringes of hair s on some segments. males usually have pale hair on the thorax and the male valley carpenter bee is golden brown.
Damage Carpenter bees cause damage to wooden structures by boring
into timbers and siding to construct nests. The nests weaken structural wood
and leave unsightly holes and stains on building surfaces. Sound, undecayed
wood without paint or bark is usually selected for nests. Carpenter bees also
frequently attack dead wood on trees or lumber from southern yellow pine, white
pine, California redwood, cedar, Douglas fir, cypress, mimosa, mulberry, ash,
and pecan trees. They avoid most hardwoods. The presence of carpenter bees
around buildings and wooden structures can be annoying or even frightening;
however, males cannot sting and females sting only when provoked or handled
roughly.
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Appearance Wood and wood-based materials can be ruined by wood-destroying
fungi. In and on the wood, the fungi form thread-like networks of hypha,
referred to in their entirety as mycelia. As a rule, such fungi only flourish
on wood or wood-based materials with a high moisture content. The fungi
normally need a temperature range of between +3°C and +40°C and a minimum
moisture level of over 15% to develop properly. Wood-destroying fungi are
divided into three main groups; brown rot, white rot and soft rot types.
Damage Brown rot fungi mainly
degrade the wood’s carbohydrates, i.e. the cellulose and hemicelluloses. The infested
wood turns brown in color because the dark brown lignin in the wood remains as
a residue.
The wood loses density, volume and strength,
shrinks noticeably when it dries and shows longitudinal and lateral cracks,
which give it a characteristic “checkerboard” appearance (so-called “cubic”
rot). In the final stage, the wood can be crumbled between the fingers to a
brown powder.
White rot fungi degrade both the lignin and the cellulose in
the wood cell walls. While this is going on, the wood structure remains largely
unchanged for quite a long time, unlike brown rot infestation. The wood loses
density and strength and turns brighter in color. It often maintains its
fibrous structure, even into the final stages, with cube-like crumbling
scarcely occurring.
Soft rot fungi degrade the
carbohydrates in the wood cell wall. They mainly occur in permanently moist
wood that is constantly exposed to water or damp, moist soil. Soft rot fungi
attack the wood from the surface, turning the outer layers a dark, grayish-black
color. The infested areas are soft and greasy and crack across the grain when
they dry. This discolored, infested surface layer distinguishes itself clearly
from the healthy wood lying beneath it.
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Appearance Nesting in damp locations, carpenter ants prefer to excavate
wood that has been damaged by water. From their nests in the beams, floors or
walls, they scavenge the house for food crumbs and insects. Carpenter ants may
occur in several colors, although the most important species are black. One of
the largest members of the ant family (1/4”-1/2” long), carpenter ants take
their name from their habit of chewing passageways (called
"galleries") inside wood. They live in these galleries and make
excursions, most often at night, to hunt for food and water. These ants often
set up satellite colonies inside homes from parent colonies located outside in
a tree or landscape timber.
Damage Carpenter ants damage wood through their nest building. If
they gain entry to a structure, they pose a property threat. If you notice
black carpenter ants, contact Halo Pest Elimination immediately to discuss a
proper plan of action.
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Appearance In most drywood species there is no true worker caste
(subterranean termites do have a true worker cast); this function is taken over
by immatures. These immatures are wingless, white to beige in color, 1/4 to 3/8  inch long and make up the largest number of individuals within a colony. They
gather food, enlarge the nest and feed and care for the queen, younger immature
forms and others in the colony. Soldiers resemble immatures in color and
general appearance. However, they have large, brownish to yellowish-brown heads
with enlarged, heavily sclerotized mandibles (jaws). Soldiers defend the colony
against invaders, primarily ants. Soldiers are about 5/16 inch long.
Damage Wood is damaged as the drywood worker termites tunnel to
enlarge their colony. Drywood termite galleries cut across the wood's grain
(right) thus weakening the wood's internal structure and eventually the wood
fails. Fecal pellets may be packed into some of the galleries. Drywood termite
damage tends to progress more slowly than damage from subterranean termites but
because it is so difficult to detect, considerable damage, extending over a
wide area, may be present by the time it is first found.
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Appearance Dampwood termites are generally much larger than
subterranean termites. The swarmers may be up to 1” in length, including their
wings. The soldiers of dampwood termites have a large reddish-brown head and
large multi-toothed mandibles (pincers). Dampwood termites contain various
species, and are known to "swarm" to set up new nests during the year
from January to October.
Damage Dampwood termites do not create shelter tubes as with
subterranean termites. The appearance of timber damaged by dampwood termites
can be varied but they always eat across the grain, consuming both spring and
summerwood. While doing this, they make a series of chambers or galleries
connected by tunnels whose walls are smooth as though they are finely
'sandpapered'.
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Appearance Western
subterranean termites are highly destructive to douglas fir and other common
building timbers. Western subterranean termites rapidly eat out the internal
sections of structural timbers - devouring mainly the spring wood, and
preferring to leave the harder summer wood sections. Leaving you a thin honey-comb shell. Western
subterranean termite infested timbers are often left as a thin shell with a
honey-comb of layered hollow sections packed with a composite of partly
digested timber and soil extrect. If this soil timber composite is moist,
chances are you'll also find live termites close by. Western subterranean
termites prefer a moist dark damp environment, it is essential for their
survival.
Damage The Western subterranean termite is one of the most destructive
termites in North America. It is a serious economic timber pest causing
millions of dollars of damage throughout the areas where it is located. It is
estimated that more than 1 in 5 homes in the high risk activity areas, have
been or will be attacked at sometime by these voracious little insect.
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Map of Drywood Termite Destribution
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Map of Dampwood Termite Distribution
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Map of Subterranean Termite Distribution
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As you can see Termites are virtually everywhere!
Termites cost U.S. property owners over $5 billion dollars each
year. - Around 600,000 residential homes are affected.
- The average cost to repair termite damage is $3,300.
- Formosan and subterranean termites account for 90% of all
termite damage.
- If you own a porch, deck, or stairway that conceals a portion of
your basement wall, subterranean termites can infest your home without any
external sign.
- One small termite colony of 60,000 can eat a 2" x 4"
in just five months.
- Scientists believe that most termite species eat 2 to 3 percent
of their body weight each day.
- In some regions of the United States Formosan and subterranean
termite colonies have numbers in the millions, and forage over 100 meters from
their colonies.
- A termite queen can live 15 to 25 years and lay an egg every 15
seconds.
- Some termites can chew through asphalt, plaster, lead, and
mortar.
If termites alone cost American property owners over $5 billion dollars each year can you imagine the impact of all wood destroying pest infestations? Don't forget Powderpost Beetles, Wood-Destroying Fungi, Carpenter Ants, Carpenter Bees, & Wood Wasps among others are destroying "Billions" of dollars each year as well!!!
If you have any questions or concerns give Halo Pest Elimination a call before these sneaky pests cost you thousands of dollars. (888) 502~0922
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