Latin: Pselactus spadi
The borer snout beetle also belongs to the family of snout beetles – called Curculionidae. It also bears the Latin name Pselactus spadi. The borer snout beetle shares many appearance characteristics with its fellow species, which includes its head, where the front part is pulled out into a shorter or longer snout. Hence the name. The borer snout beetle is often confused with its family members, for example the grain snout beetle.
Appearance
The borer snout beetle has a dark color that changes from dark brown to a black-brown shade. The adult beetle measures between 3 to 4 millimeters. The larvae, on the other hand, are pale and have a curved shape, just as they are quite boneless.
Biology and behavior
The borer snout beetle has its very own preferences when it comes to choosing wood. The female lays her own eggs exclusively in wood that is affected by rot or that is otherwise moist. However, she is not nearly as picky when it comes to choosing wood species, and she attacks both deciduous trees as well as conifers.
The small larvae usually take a year to develop into adult borer snout beetles, and the borer snout beetle can hatch all year round. When the adult beetles are ready to leave the tree, it does so through small fly holes that have a diameter of 1 to 2 millimeters. These fly holes are oval and have a slightly irregular outline. They leave passages with borer flour, which is a fine and dusting material that consists, among other things, of the larvae’s excrement.
Damage
If a borer beetle has attacked woodwork, it is a clear indicator that the wood is affected by moisture or rot. In such cases, the borer beetle attack is actually a secondary problem. However, this does not mean that their presence cannot present challenges. An attack from the borer snout beetles in interaction with moisture in the woodwork can have an accelerating effect on the degradation of the wood.
Since borer snout beetles go after woodwork that is damp, woodwork in bathrooms or damp basements will be particularly vulnerable to attack.
Prevention and pest control
An attack from the borer snout beetle indoors will always have a cause. And most often, the attack can be traced to moisture or leakage of water into the house. That is why it is important to be aware of the situation in the home, so that you can take preventive action.
Pay particular attention to areas that may be more vulnerable to moisture and review them regularly. This includes areas such as roofs, gutters, downspouts and the like. Also, make sure you have good ventilation and air circulation in your home.
If you notice an attack from the borer snout beetle, luckily there is advice to get rid of them. The borer beetles die if the tree in which they live dries out. So, make sure to dry the area well with heat sources and good ventilation.
However, it may be necessary to treat the woodwork in the same embrace if, for instance, fungus or rot has been found. For light attacks, a wood preservative can be used that can fight both insects as well as fungus and rot. These products can be purchased at lumber stores, hardware stores and paint retailers.
Sometimes it may also be necessary to replace the infested timber. Here it can be an advantage to choose pressure impregnated timber for the purpose or to treat the timber with a wood preservative.
"Pests in House and Home"
"Bed Bugs - Bites, Stings and Itches"
"Food Pests"
"Husets dyreliv" (Insects Around the House - Only danish)
"Skadedyr i træ" (Timber Pests - Only danish)
"Stuefluen" (Common Housefly - Only danish)