The old house borer beetle is one of the most dangerous wood-destroying insects, second only to the termite. This beetle prefers newer wood than old, contrary to its name, possibly due to the higher resin content.
Famous Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus identified these beetles in 1758, which is the sole member of its genus.
Size: 8–20 mm (0.31–0.79 in)
Color: It appears black or brown, covered with gray fuzz.
Other Characteristic Features: Their bodies are flattened with two prominent knobs on the prothorax. A shiny ridge is present in the middle of the thorax, with two more on its col3, making them look like eyes. The elytra have two white spots forming irregular bands in its center.
They are cream-colored and 1.25 inches long when fully mature. Tiny eyespots are present on both col3s of their heads. Upon hatching, they proceed to bore into the wood, which also acts as their food source.
They can stay up to 2-5 years this way, depending on available food, humidity, and temperature.
The pupation takes place just below the surface of the wood.
The adults lay eggs in the cracks of the wood of the host plants.
| Other Names | House longhorn beetle, European house borer beetle |
| Lifespan | 2-5 years on average, sometimes even reaching 10 years |
| Distribution | Asia, Australia, the Americas, North Africa, and most of the Mediterranean and Europe |
| Habitat | High moisture areas incol3 households like basements, damp crawl spaces, and storage areas |
| Seasons active | June- September |
| Host plants | Fir, spruce, pines, and other coniferous trees |
| Diet of adults and larvae | Softwood |
When the larva or adults bore through wood, they leave sawdust-like waste near the holes. If these forms of debris keep reappearing, it means an infestation has taken place. Sometimes even the exit holes are big enough to identify the damage.
Image Source: cdn.branchcms.com, live.staticflickr.com, extension.umd.edu, nzffa.org.nz, biolib.cz, bugwoodcloud.org, agric.wa.gov.au, proactivepestga.com
The old house borer beetle is one of the most dangerous wood-destroying insects, second only to the termite. This beetle prefers newer wood than old, contrary to its name, possibly due to the higher resin content.
Famous Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus identified these beetles in 1758, which is the sole member of its genus.
Size: 8–20 mm (0.31–0.79 in)
Color: It appears black or brown, covered with gray fuzz.
Other Characteristic Features: Their bodies are flattened with two prominent knobs on the prothorax. A shiny ridge is present in the middle of the thorax, with two more on its col3, making them look like eyes. The elytra have two white spots forming irregular bands in its center.
They are cream-colored and 1.25 inches long when fully mature. Tiny eyespots are present on both col3s of their heads. Upon hatching, they proceed to bore into the wood, which also acts as their food source.
They can stay up to 2-5 years this way, depending on available food, humidity, and temperature.
The pupation takes place just below the surface of the wood.
The adults lay eggs in the cracks of the wood of the host plants.
| Other Names | House longhorn beetle, European house borer beetle |
| Lifespan | 2-5 years on average, sometimes even reaching 10 years |
| Distribution | Asia, Australia, the Americas, North Africa, and most of the Mediterranean and Europe |
| Habitat | High moisture areas incol3 households like basements, damp crawl spaces, and storage areas |
| Seasons active | June- September |
| Host plants | Fir, spruce, pines, and other coniferous trees |
| Diet of adults and larvae | Softwood |
When the larva or adults bore through wood, they leave sawdust-like waste near the holes. If these forms of debris keep reappearing, it means an infestation has taken place. Sometimes even the exit holes are big enough to identify the damage.
Image Source: cdn.branchcms.com, live.staticflickr.com, extension.umd.edu, nzffa.org.nz, biolib.cz, bugwoodcloud.org, agric.wa.gov.au, proactivepestga.com
