wood-destroying pests you should know about
- Rodents: Both rats and mice have been known to gnaw on wood, causing damage to residential and commercial structures. Mice have long front teeththat never stop growing, causing them to bite down on anything in sight that can help them wear those chompers down. When mice get in your walls, they will look for anything to bite, and eventually, they may start tearing through wood, creating little pathways that allow them to travel through your walls. Mice urine and feces have also been known to wear down wood over time, and excessive amounts of mice waste can even cause mold damage, not to mention various health risks. Rats cause similar problems, however, because of their larger size, a rat infestation can lead to even more damage than mice. These rodents tear through your wood and create large holes to fit their bodies through. Rats also love to chew on electrical wires, which can cause dangerous sparking, and even fires in a worst-case scenario.
- Ants: Carpenter ants actually get their name from their love of wood. These insects often seek out rotten, decaying wood, that has experienced water damage to create their colonies. Watch out for plumbing leaks that affect wooden parts of your home/business, as this kind of issue frequently draws carpenter ants in. Once carpenter ants do take up residence in a wooden structure, they will tear through it and spread rapidly, causing damage over a course of months or even years until you discover they are there.
- Beetles: There are many different kinds of beetles, though for the purposes of this blog, we’re going to focus on wood-boring beetles in particular. Wood-boring beetles can destroy almost as much wood as termites, with females always on the lookout for unprocessed, unseasoned wood to lay their eggs in. When these eggs hatch, they will burrow deep inside your wood, feeding on it and forming tunnels for protection. Then, when wood-boring beetles reach maturity, they will start swarming, with the females repeating the cycle and laying more eggs, further destroying any wooden structures. Wood-boring beetles are larger than termites, which means it does not take as many of them to cause significant damage. Therefore, while they do not swarm in as great of numbers, a few wood-boring beetles can lead to even more destruction than termites, so they should be dealt with by an experienced pest control professional right away.
To schedule treatment and extermination for wood-damaging insects today, call proof. pest control at , or contact us online.
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