Pest Control CT: Pesticides Spraying Firewood
Pest Control CT: Pesticides Spraying Firewood – Yes or No?
You should never spray pesticides on firewood that you intend to burn, especially indoors. You won’t find any pesticides labeled for use on wood that will be burned indoors, for good reason. Burning insecticide-treated wood in CT can release toxic fumes into your living area cause a potential health hazard.
There are lots of different insects that can make their home in a wood pile in CT. Some are there just temporarily seeking shelter; many pests spend the winter hiding under bark.
Pest Control CT: The Old House Borer
Pest Control CT: The Old House Borer: These are fairly large beetles with fairly large larvae that tunnel and feed inside wood. Compared to powderpost beetles that also feed in wood in CT, the old house borer leaves a large, oval exit hole (more than 1/4 inch diameter) when it emerges from the wood.
The adult beetle belongs to the “longhorned beetle” group, so called because of their long antennae. The old house borer is gray-brown with light gray hairs on its body, except for two shiny raised areas on its thorax, and is about one inch long. Adult beetles emerge from the exit holes in wood in July and August and may make their way to nearby windows or lights. It’s the beetle larvae, though, that do the feeding damage.
What do termites in CT feed on?
What do termites in CT feed on? Subterranean termites eat wood and other materials that contain cellulose. In the forest termites are primary decomposers. Termites feed on dead trees, fallen limbs, and stumps. Termites are able to return nutrients from the cellulosic materials to the soil and atmosphere. Termites help clear the way for new growth, and recycle the nutrients within the old trees.
Termites are highly social insects that live together as a colony. Colonies start when winged reproductive, leave the nest in what is called swarming. Swarming takes place in CT in spring to early summer, on warm days following a rain. Worker termites sense the environment for the right conditions and when the time is right, the swarm leaves the nest.
