How to Identify Wood-Boring Pests’ Hideouts

Most experts agree that early detection is vital to effective pest control. Whether or not the homeowner has identified the kind of pest they are dealing with, what’s important is that they find out:

• Where they are hiding inside the house
• How they were able to enter the property
• Which areas of the house do they most frequently visit

The most challenging pests to locate are wood-destroying insects, particularly termites. Rarely does a homeowner know they are cohabitating with termites until they notice their foundations are weakening or the floorboards begin creaking.

What’s worse is that wood-boring insects are the best at hiding and often generate extensive, expensive property damage. In the U.S., termite damage alone ranges in the millions of dollars annually. It often takes three to eight years before a property owner sees signs of termite infestation, at which point the house has already taken a lot of damage.

To help homeowners easily find where these common wood-destroying insects hide, consider these tips.

Termites

Termites are one of the most common infestations requiring professional pest control treatments.

Look for signs of infestation by tapping on wooden walls, foundations, door frames, and floorboards to find where they are hiding. Use the handle of a screwdriver to tap on wooden surfaces. If the wood sounds hollow, then there is a good chance termites have infested that area.

Also, consider poking the screwdriver into the walls; if it goes with minimal effort, that area is most likely hollowed inside because of termite infestation.

Another tip-off that would indicate a termite infestation at home is when a homeowner sees discarded wings near their windows and doors, primarily during the Spring as it is termites’ mating season and they start new colonies. When termites find their mates, they shed their wings and go underground.

Other pests

Aside from termites, other wood-boring pests require professional pest control. Although not necessary, before bringing in the experts, it’s helpful if the homeowner knows what kind of insects have invaded their home.

Following are some helpful tips to find where other wood-boring pests are hiding.

• Carpenter ants – These ants love to hide in damp and decayed wood and often make a nest out of it. There, a queen will raise the first brood; worker ants raise subsequent broods. Evidence of these insects is piles of wood shavings and fecal matter mixed together they leave behind. Millions of dollars are spent in the U.S. annually to prevent and treat carpenter ant infestations.
• Powderpost beetles – This type of beetle usually comes out from May through August. During these times, be on the lookout for small holes the size of a pinhead on the wood parts of a house.

Powdery wood shavings near the wood are also sure signs that a house is infested with powderpost beetles.

Homeowners concerned their home is infested with wood-boring insects should contact a professional pest control service for treatment options.

Russell Pest Control is a family-owned Phoenix area pest control company specializing in effective, responsible and proactive insect, weed, and rodent control for commercial and residential customers. We offer free estimates. Call (623) 469-7583 today! "Expect the best from Russell Pest"