Powder Post Beetles
The name is appropriate because the larvae of these beetles reduce timbers to a mass of very fine, powderlike material. The anobiid powder post beetle is of particular concern in the CSRA because it infests soft woods that so many homes are constructed with.
Drywood and Powder Post Termites
Unlike subterranean termites, they do not require any contact with the soil to live. Thus, they can seriously damage not only buildings, but also movable wooden objects, such as furniture. Estimates of treatment costs per year are more than $500 million.
Wood Boring Beetles
Wood boring beetles include over 1200 species, such as the death watch beetle, longhorn beetles, round headed borers and old house borers. The life cycle of the old house borer is from 3 to 12 years. Because this beetle has a very long life cycle it can infest the same piece of wood again and again.
Timbor and Bora-Care are borate-based termiticides, insecticides and fungicides that are applied directly to the wood. The formula penetrates deep into the wood and eliminates wood as a food source for pests. Borates kill termites and other insects by poisoning the microorganisms in their digestive tracts that are needed to break down the wood’s cellulose.
Borates disrupt the enzyme system of fungi and have been used for over 300 years. The Borate compound contains the basic elements of boron and oxygen. Borate ores are mined from mineral deposits found in the earth.
Borates are used in many different applications including laundry detergents and cleaning products where they play important roles in bleaching and stain removal. You may have heard of “Twenty Mule Team Borax” in the past.