Old House Borer: Is Your Newer Home Safe?

The name would suggest that these pests only bother older homes. Is that really the case? Find out below.

Old house borers are a type of wood-boring beetle. They are unfortunately prevalent in Central Virginia, as well as along the entire Atlantic Seaboard.

What Do Old House Borers Look Like?

Are Old House Borers A Threat To My (Newer) Home?

How Can I Protect My Home From Old House Borers?

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What Do Old House Borers Look Like?

Old house borers are dark brown to black in color and range from about one-half to one inch in length. These beetles have hairy bodies that may cause them to appear more gray than they actually are. They have six legs, two long antennae and three distinct eyes on each side of their head.

Old house borers generally emerge in the spring and become most active in the summer months, where they mate and lay eggs inside the natural cracks and crevices found in wood.

Are Old House Borers A Threat To My (Newer) Home?

In spite of their name, old house borer infestations are found more often in newer homes than older. These beetles prefer softer woods, such as pine, fir and spruce and are most often found in structural components of buildings, such as beams, joists, etc. They do not infest living trees or stumps. Often, infestation occurs in the lumber construction locations, being transported to construction sites in building lumber already infested with old house borers.

You may have a brewing infestation that you aren't aware of for years. In fact, larvae can spend up to 15 years developing and feeding inside the wood before ever emerging, averaging 3-6 years depending on humidity and warmth of the area. Once the beetles have emerged, they tend to reinfest wood that is near their own exit site.

Damage from these pests can be significant, up to the point of structural failure of the building. Old house borers are one of the most destructive wood-boring pests, creating safety hazards within homes and requiring potential high financial costs in repair.

How Can I Protect My Home From Old House Borers?

Because old house borer adults are rarely seen, you should be on the lookout for oval emergence holes, usually one-quarter to one-half inch. You may also notice piles of sawdust-type powder or hear a gnawing sound as the mature adults feed.

If you find evidence of an infestation, replacement of the wood may be necessary. Consider hardwoods, as the old house borers don't infest those. If you repurpose lumber, be certain that the wood you're bringing into your home doesn't have a possible infestation already beginning inside the pieces.

Moisture control can help enormously. Lower dampness and humidity as much as possible, including in attics and crawlspaces. Vapor barriers can help prevent infestations of old house borers, as well as remedying any drainage issues around your foundation.

Insecticides are an effective tool against old house borers, especially as applied by a professional pest control company and on a regular schedule. Maintaining a home pest control barrier will help keep these pests from becoming a real problem.

We can help you protect your home from old house borers and all kinds of other pests. Give us a call today!

To learn about other common Virginia pests, check out our pest library and other blog posts