Heat, humidity and wet weather around the country is causing a variety of timber-loving pests to make their way inside.
“Recent conditions are increasing the presence of a lot of the pests that we deal with,” Gavin Shill, who runs a pest extermination business, told the ABC. “But insects are a part of nature, so you will find from time to time they will pop up.”
What are borers?
Wood boring insects cause destructive damage to wooden structures and crops, especially in wet and humid weather conditions. These insects have an extreme affinity for wet wood, indoors and outdoors, and eat the grain of the wood until it can no longer hold weight. As a result, the infested wood becomes spongier and weaker as time passes.
Most people are familiar with termites as a destructive pest that eats away wood; however, borer or carpenter ants, belonging to the genus Camponotini, also bore through damp wood to build their colonies. While the latter are not as destructive as termites, they can still cause significant damage.
There are several varieties of wood borers in Australia, with the most common being the pinhole borer and the powderpost beetle. Other kinds include anobiid borer, acrobat ants and the European house beetle
Pinhole-style borers typically live in modern timbers, while the powderpost beetle usually live outdoors.
Here’s what you need to know about borers and some ways to effectively manage infestations.
Life cycle
Borers typically undergo four major metamorphosis stages in their lifetime, known as the egg, larva, pupa and adult stage. The timing of occurrence of each stage depends on the borer species and the conditions of their surrounding environment. After hatching, the larvae burrow into the bark and begin feeding. The larval stage can last anywhere between two months to two years and it is in this stage that they inflict the worst damage.
Detrimental effects
Borers tunnel into hardwood and create nests that compromise the structural integrity of buildings and trees.
One of the biggest signs of a borer infestation is insect frass, small wood shavings dropped by the larvae as waste. To safeguard outdoor timber from borers, a highly effective preventive measure involves applying a repellent or protective coating.
Wood with water seepage or water contact is especially favourable for colony building, with the colony expanding into adjacent sound wood as time passes.
In crops, borers establish colonies in the soil and decrease the nutritional capacities of the soil, making the plants susceptible to attacks by insects such as aphids. This ultimately causes increased pest pressure on plants, hindering crop yields and quality.
Integrated pest management
For effective handling and control of infestations, an integrated pest management (IPM) approach is recommended. IPM is a comprehensive strategy that combines multiple measures, such as biological, mechanical and physical control to minimise the impact on the environment.
Preventive measures
Prevention is better than cure. It is imperative to first and foremost create unfavourable conditions for breeding borers and undertake proper sanitation measures to keep wooden items safe.
- Remove damp or decaying wood and minimise contact with sources of moisture to curb the borers’ ability to establish colonies and thrive. Inspect any furniture that is in contact with soil or plants regularly to detect colonies.
- Regularly prune trees and plants that are near/in contact with a wooden structure such as windows and doors.
- Vacuuming furniture can draw up any possible infestation and aid in the quick removal of nests.
Mechanical control measures
Mechanical control measures include:
- implementing barriers to prevent borers from accessing wood barks or leaves
- improving ventilation in enclosed areas and removing any infested wood-sealing entry points
- inspecting and repairing any water leaks from pipes, sinks or other sources.
Biological control measures
Biological control involves the use of natural predators such as nematodes to enable long-term pest population control without the usage of any harmful chemicals.
Chemical control measures
This is considered the last resort in IPM for severe infestations, as the use of insecticides can damage the surrounding environment.
- Most often, slow-acting non-repellent insecticides such as gel and granular baits are used.
- This method can be challenging due to bait rejection among different species and may take up to 60 days to eliminate the colony.
- If borers are unresponsive towards a particular bait, a new one can be tried or the same one can be reapplied after a few weeks.
- Spray insecticides should be the last resort for pest control, especially on building exteriors and porous surfaces, as they may lead to runoff into surface water.
By understanding the behaviour and challenges posed by borers, a specialised control plan can be put together that mitigates the detrimental impact of timber-loving pests while minimising harm to the surrounding environment.
Have you ever had to deal with a pest infestation? How did you do it? Let us know in the comments section below.
Also read: Recognise and deal with termites