Beetles are the largest order of identified species on the planet. Most beetles are
harmless to man and his crops or structures. There are a few species that attack
and damage the woodwork within buildings that people build. When conditions
are right they can do serious damage to a structure.
Although we do
encounter these pests occasionally in the Fresno area, wood destroying beetles
are not a major economic pest of structures in this part of California.
Adult
wood
destroying beetles lay their eggs
in target wood. The eggs hatch into larvae (sometimes called "wood worms"). The
larvae are capable of digesting the wood for the stored starches in the cellulose.
The larvae pupate (go into their cocoon stage) within the wood, emerge as
adults, and then after mating lay eggs back in the wood.
Typically,
all of the species that attack seasoned wood in structures require a fairly humid
environment to be at their best. Our dry, Mediterranean climate is our first
and best defense.
We encounter wood destroying beetles most often
in wood floored houses with poorly ventilated crawl spaces. This situation provides
the beetles with the conditions they require.
Control of wood destroying
beetles requires correction of commonly controllable moisture conditions,
repairing the damage the beetles did, and steps taken to exterminate the infestation.
Before
anything is done an accurate identification is critical!
With
most types of beetles, correction of the moisture problem
is the most important step. Once the wood dries out and the damage is repaired,
many species of beetles simply will not re-infest.
With other species,
or where complete moisture correction isn't practical, some form of treatment
is necessary. Treatment may involve topical applications of wood preservatives,
such as boric acid compounds, or may be as involved as a structural fumigation.
As
in all other aspects of wood destroying organism control,
a well trained and experienced professional is your best hope of gaining control
of these pests in the most cost-effective manner.
Contact us for all your Fresno Pest Control needs. Fresno Web Design
Doug has worked in the pest control industry since
1973. He received his first license for pest control while stationed in Massachusetts
with the U.S. Army. He currently holds California Operator's licenses in
General Pest Control and Wood Destroying Organisms, as well as a Field Representative
license for Structural Fumigation. Doug has written several courses that
have been approved by the Structural Pest Control Board for continuing education.Article
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Doug_Morse
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