For many people, spring is their favorite time of year. However, if you have ever had to battle with borers, you may be dreading the start of spring. The warmer weather encourages all types of plants and wildlife, including wood boring insects that can damage your home or wooden possessions. Getting ready for borers can be more difficult than preparing for other types of pests. That is because borer is a general term, referring to several different types of pests.

What Is A Borer?

Generally, people use the term borer to describe any type of insect that attacks wood. However, not all wood boring insects are actually borers. In New Zealand, the five wood boring insects that you are most likely to encounter include New Zealand Native Termites, Australian Subterranean Termites, Powder Post Beetles, Native Two Tooth Long Horn Borer, and the Common House Borer. For information on the Powder Post Beetle and the two types of termites, visit our pages about them. In this post, we are focusing on borers.

As their name suggests, borers bore into wood. Adult borers are not the main problem. Instead, their young, in the grub stage, will bore into timber. This can last for a period of up to three years before the grubs turn into beetles. They cause trademark holes in the wood. Unlike termites, borers do not cause most of their damage by eating the wood. Instead, they create holes that let in moisture, encouraging rot. They can also weaken your structural support.

How To Treat For And Prevent Borers

The treatment for borers is straightforward. We use insecticides to treat impacted areas. Depending on what is impacted, we may use different approaches. Fumigation, applying liquid insecticides to the surface, or injecting insecticides into wood are all potential approaches.

One of the best things you can do to prevent borer infestations is to make sure you do not have any inviting wood. Borers prefer to attack damaged wood, whether it is alive or dead. So, keep up with your landscaping and remove any diseased or damaged trees and shrubs. Inspect any outdoor wood. Treat bare wood with preventative insecticides. For painted surfaces, inspect the paint jobs and repair any issues. While those steps will not always prevent borers, they can greatly reduce your risk of getting an infestation.

Want more help? We are here to help. Give Flick Anticimex a call and schedule a treatment or inspection.