WOOD BORER MENACE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXXII, Issue 2769, 31 August 1931, Page 2

WOOD BORER MENACE.

BECOMING COMMON ON PLAINS. ADVICE TO HOUSE OWNERS. The appearance of an oval shaped hole, about a quarter of an inch in diameter, in a piece bf timber in his house, recently led a Plains householder to examine thoroughly the remainder of the house, particularly the flooring. His investigations led him to a discovery that portions of the house were riddled with a large sized borer, and he found that he was obliged to remove approximately 400 feet of timber from the floors and door facings. This borer does a great deal more damage than that ordinary small worm—the worst feature of the larger one being the extent of its ravages and the fact that it makes only one hole in the surface of a piece of timber while it eats the woods into nothing more than a shell of dust. Instances of the ravages of this borer are quoted by entomologists, which show that it is a far more serious pest than might be at first imagined. A Plains house which had been erected for five years had practically to be rebuilt on account of borer damage, which indicates that the ravages of this insect are serious extensive.

The discovery of the borer to such an extent in his house led this Plains gentleman to make inquiries in authentic quarters and he received a good deal of interesting aad useful information from the Cawthron Institute, Nelson, as follows: — “The insect is a native beetle, which is now found rather commonly in wooden buildings in most parts of the Dominion. The adult beetles emerge in the greatest numbers during FebTuary and March, but are known to emerge at times in some numbers as late as June, local conditions being probably responsible for this. The eggs, which are yellowish, ovia and two millimeters in length, are often laid in batches of four or five in cracks, checks or joints between timber. Oviiposition has been noted about the' middle of May, but probably occurs later in some cases. “It is not known whether the eggs hatch at once or until spring. The larvae, on hatching, bore into _the wood and tunnel along the grain, increasing in size until they are about one inch in length. The length of the larvae period is not definitely known, it may be one or more years. When fully fed the larvae burrows hear the surface of the wood and paupates. the adult beetle emerging after cutting an oval shaped hole in the surface. TTfe hole usually measures from approximately one fifth to one quarter of an inch in its largest diameter.

“The insect is by no means easy to deal with. Thorough examination of all timbers in close proximity to those known to be infested should - be promptly carried out. Infested timber and suspected timber should , be promptly removed and destroyed; The surface of interior timbers can be treated with several mixtures, the handiest of these is turpentine, to which 10 per cent, of kerosene has been added. This should be applied thoroughly two or three times to wood surfaces with a saturated mop. “Preventative measures in building

are first to examine all wooden piles used to see that it is not present. If any doubt exists on this point ; the piles should be creosbted, Floor.,joists, plates and other dimensional timber can be painted with creosote, v ’here possible, particular - attention being applied to joists. Interior timbers can be treated with the turpentine mixture previously noted. “It is wise to take early precautions against the borer, for once established it is impossible to remove it without destroying the infested timber. The larvae, as it Imres, blocks up the tunnel with its cast, thus preventing any destroying agent from reaching it.” A brief examination has shown it to be present in the timbers of the Kaihere Hall. House owners are warned to instantly suspect the appearance of one hole in the timbers of their houses, since the worm can do a great deal,of serious damage before it becomes strikingly apparent to the casual eye.