How do log homes become infested?
There are a number of insects that use dead trees in which to raise their young (larvae). Larvae feed on starch reserves in the wood that were formed when the tree was alive. Recently dead trees, therefore, are more susceptable to infestation because they contain better starch reserves. Most of these insects cannot infest live trees because of the tree's natural defenses.
In some cases the trees that are destined to be logs of a log home become infested while they are still in the forest. In other cases logs become infested after they are debarked and used in construction. In either case it is important to prevent infestation before extensive cosmetic and/or structural damage is done. Fortunately there are relatively inexpensive ways to prevent this damage.
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Large wood borer larva (family Cerambycidae, the longhorned beetles). Head end is on left. Despite the size of these larvae, up to several inches, damage is limited because these beetles do not re-infest. Emergence holes should be caulked to prevent water infiltration.
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