Wood Destroying Insects
-- Insects cause damage in a variety of ways --
Summary: The wood-destroying insects can damage wood and other building materials in many different ways. Termites, carpenter ants and several "powderpost" beetles are the most important wood-destroying insect pests overall. See the reference identification table below for a list of the major, and some minor, wood-damaging pests.
Insects that damage wood
Fortunately, only a few insects actually damage sound, dry wood. Of these, termites, both subterranean termites and drywood termites, carpenter ants and certain powderpost beetles are the primary insects that can destroy wood. Dry-rot fungi are the primary wood decay organisms where high moisture permits the fungus to grow. The potential for damage from any of these pests varies by region and climate with more damage in warm, wet climates and generally less in cool, dry climates. There are also a few that can do significant cosmetic damage but rarely impact the wood's intrinsic strength.
The potential for insect damage in any particular geographical region also varies by insect pest. 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 softwoods, such as posts and beams, from wood-boring powderpost beetles occurs mostly in damp/coastal climates. Powderpost beetles can damage hardwoods, like flooring and furniture, in any climate.
Characteristics of wood-damaging insects
Download this Wood Damaging Insects*** table that lists the key characteristics of the major and minor insect pests of both softwoods and hardwoods. The table can help to identify your wood damage.
***The file is downloadable as a pdf so you'll need Acrobat Reader or equivalent to open it. This version is modified from a similar table published in 1979 by Harry B. Moore in a bulletin titled Wood-Inhabiting Insects in Houses, USDA, FS and HUD.
Control of wood-damaging pests
Most wood damage from insects and fungal rot can be prevented with relatively low toxicity insecticides and/or pest-targeted baits. Use the following links for supplies and how-to instructions.
- Carpenter ants are
large black ants that nest in structures causing damage. Baits combined with
foundation "perimeter" sprays are generally the best approach to protect
structures.
- Dry-rot fungi attack and
weaken wood. Wood preservatives such as Bora Care and Timbor can be used to
protect structural wood.
- Powderpost
beetle larvae bore in and damage hardwoods and softwoods. Borate
insecticides like Bora Care and Timbor will prevent new infestations.
- Carpenter bees are
large wood-boring bees that resemble bumble bees.
- Termites - while
most people opt to hire a pest control company to treat for termites, there are
now very effective DIY available.
Professional perimeter sprays, baits and wall void treatments generally are not available in home and garden stores but can be found at DoMyOwn, our affiliate.
How to search 'Bugs for more information
The easiest way is to open a Google search page and type: "your query" + site:livingwithbugs.com into the search box. For example, to find all 'Bugs articles about carpenter ants type: carpenter ants + site:livingwithbugs.com in the search box.
The resulting list of pages may contain some Google advertising (marked with "Ad" next to the URL) as well relevant pages from 'Bugs. The ads do not originate with 'Bugs.