Pests often invade our homes and cause a considerable amount of damage to anything they touch. The most painful experience would be watching your new set of furniture destroyed and eaten away by these pests. However, there is hope at the end of the tunnel.
Here, in this post, we shall look at the most common types of pests that eat wooden furniture and how you can stop them.
Pests that cause damage to wooden structures are called Woodborers and are a selection of arthropods. The wood borers are also known to cause harm to crops in a rural setting with agricultural development.
Here are the typical types of wood borers:
Furniture beetles
Across the world, beetles are the biggest group of animals. They have over 400,000 species, with each having 500 families. Further, they are very dangerous because they adapt quickly to any environment to survive. In many rural areas, beetles are a menace; they will chew crops until you have nothing to harvest.
Additionally, beetles have normal insect anatomy of the head, thorax, and abdomen. However, you can distinguish them from other insects by looking out for an abdomen with many hard plates, a rigid exoskeleton, and tough forewings.
Carpenter Ants and Bees
The carpenter ants also have a large ant species. The ant has a length of about 3-12mm and is mostly known for its dark brown color. The carpenter ants can do some real damage to your furniture if left unattended.
They have strong jaws that drill away solid wood and instead create nests for shelter. They mostly attack pine and any wet or damp piece of furniture.
Further, the carpenter bees are somewhat like the carpenter ants. They drill through solid wood and form a tunnel that they use to lay their eggs.
In the recent past, they have been observed to prefer unfinished wood with some paint to timber.
Here are some signs of infestation:
• Round holes of about 3mm in wood
• Formations of sawdust around the round holes
• Wood shavings
Termites
Termites are notable for the damage they cause to any piece of furniture in their way. Termites have over 300 species that are found all over the world. However, terminates travel in groups that could go even to their hundreds, so you need to be concerned when you cite several in your premise.
Below are 3 widely-known types of termites:
1. Dampwood termites- as the name suggests, they love moist or decaying wood surfaces.
2. Drywood termites- these types of termites mostly infest hardwood furniture or even softwood
3. Subterranean termites- they like decaying wood but are also in the business of destroying softwood furniture.
Wood Wasps
If you have any piece of furniture made from timber, then wood wasps should be an enemy to you. They lay eggs on your timber and introduce the fungus, which leads to the weakening of your timber.
Wood wasps are, however, not a threat to humans because they do not sting. Generally, these wasps are about 20-40 mm long.
Structurally speaking, wood wasps will not harm your furniture but will cause holes that will be visible. The spots will ruin your furniture’s design and alter the outlook.
If, at one point, you see any wood wasp in your premise, do not hesitate to give a professional pest management company a call. Attempting to solve the problem yourself may cause even more damage.
Ways of Stopping the Infestation by the Pests
Let us start with the wood wasps.
The best way to curb these pests is by getting rid of any dead trees from your backyard. That is because they are easily attracted to untreated wood. However, if this method does not work, call a professional.
The second pest to control is the termite.
Putting in place a soil chemical barricade or installing a termite monitoring system may be your best shot at preventing and stopping the infestation. Nevertheless, it is always prudent to call an exterminator because the extent of the damage could be longer than what you can see.
Third, on the list is the carpenter ants and bees.
Doing consistent trash removal or cutting back branches is the best way to control the infestation. That is because they will not have a place to make their nests. Additionally, you can call a pest extermination company to check for any damage signs and determine the extent.
Lastly, controlling furniture beetles
The best approach to control them is by spraying the affected area with insecticide. The insecticide should be labeled wood-boring beetles for maximum effectiveness. However, to play safe, call the professionals so they can do the job for you.
Wrapping Up
If you are seeking a good pest control company to offer a solution to your pest problem, then look no more. Excel pest services provide free inspection service and provide solutions towards curbing pests that could have invaded your premise.
