What is a wood destroying beetle?
Wood destroying beetles are types of insects that invade wooden structures- wooden furniture, banisters, molding, flooring, and/or structural wood that is found within buildings. There are many species of these types of beetles, some of the most common in our areas include:
- Furniture beetles- These beetles generally invade older pieces of furniture and decaying wood.
- Powder-post beetles- These beetles prefer to invade unseasoned lumber, newly fallen trees; when inside of homes they can be found invading items made of hardwood.
- Flat-headed beetles- They attack dead or unhealthy trees, tree stumps, firewood, and rotting pieces of wood.
- Long-horned beetles- These pests mainly attack maple trees, but will also infest poplars, elms, willows and other tree species in a pinch.
Why do I have them?
The most common way that wood destroying beetles enter into homes is through barn wood, lumber, and/or pieces of furniture that are introduced into a property and are already infested. Also, if these pests are invading hard and softwood trees found on your property they may accidentally find their way inside your home through cracks and crevices in the foundation and exterior walls while foraging for food.
Are they dangerous?
Wood destroying beetles are not dangerous to people, they rarely bite and aren’t known to transmit diseases to people. Wood destroying beetles are however dangerous to your personal belongings and the structure of your home. A large infestation can cause major damages that can be costly to repair.
Can I do it myself?
Do-it-yourself wood destroying beetle control is not recommended, they are invasive and destructive; the only treatments that work to completely eliminate these damaging pests, are treatments that can only be performed by professional pest control experts. Also, DIY pest control products can be very dangerous to you, your family, pets, and plants if not placed or mixed properly. Contact Schendel Pest Services to see how we can help to get rid of wood destroying beetles from your property.
How soon can you get here?
We are dedicated to making sure that we get help to you as quickly as possible, we understand how stressful pest problems can be for you and your family. In most instances, Schendel will respond the same or very next day.
Is the treatment safe?
Yes, our treatment methods are safe for use around people, pets, and plants. We use the least amount of material possible to solve your pest problem whether that is using natural products, baits, mechanical means, or conventional produces.
We follow very strict guidelines, and all of our conventional products are EPA registered. Our trained and experienced service technicians will also inform you of any specific safety measures that may need to be taken before treatment begins.
How much does it cost?
We have standard pricing for all of our pest services, based on average size homes under 3,500 square feet and where the infestation does not require more than the standard number of services. We will always make you aware of any price changes before we start your service. Sign up for your FREE quote today and see how much you can save with Schendel.
How can I prevent this in the future?
Preventing wood destroying beetles from invading your home is difficult but there are a few precautions that you can take to reduce the likely-hood of an infestation.
- Place piles of firewood up off of the ground and away from the exterior of your home.
- Remove fallen trees, logs, and stumps from your property.
- Treat wood with paint or stain- they typically won’t invade wooden items that are treated.
- Inspect older, used pieces of wooden furniture for small holes that may indicate that they are infested by wood destroying beetles.
