“Wood-destroying organism” means arthropod or plant life which damages and can reinfest seasoned wood in a structure, namely termites, powder-post beetles, oldhouse borers, and wood-decaying fungi.
Termites cause an estimated $5 billion in property damage a year in the United States. It is estimated that termites annually cause more damage to FLORIDA homes than all fires, floods and tornadoes combined.
Our Florida climate provides a perfect environment for these destructive pest. Generally speaking, it would not be prudent or safe to purchase a property without having an adequate inspection made.
A visual inspection is for any visible and accessible evidence of any damage caused by wood-destroying organisms. Your structure should be inspected for termites (all types), powder-post beetles, old house borers and wood-decay fungi. These are organisms which can damage and reinfest seasoned wood in a structure.
Understanding and correcting conducive conditions for wood destroying organisms around your home gives you an active role in protecting your greatest investment – your home . Wood destroying organisms (WDO’s) include termites, wood rot fungi, and wood destroying beetles . The key to preventing most of these pests is keeping moisture levels low in and around your home. Without this moisture, most WDO’s cannot survive and thrive.
A wood-decay fungus (fungi, plural) is a species of fungus that digests moist wood, causing it to rot. Wood destroying fungus causes more damage to structures than all the fires, floods, and termites combined! Wood decaying fungus requires four fundamentals to survive which are oxygen, favorable temperatures, water, and food.Unable to manufacture its own food, it feeds off of cells in the wood. The fungus secretes enzymes that break down the wood into usable food. Fungi will significantly reduce the strength of the wood, if the condition continues over a period of time.
Preventive Measurements
Subterranean termites are the most destructive of the three species and infest wood from underground. These termites have become a burden to homeowners today because it is not until there is severe infestation that these hidden creatures are seen. Subterranean termites take advantage of the smallest defect to enter and infest your home.
A good way to determine if there is a subterranean termite infestation is to look for winged reproductives (or swarmers), shed wings, mud tubes, and wood damage.
The best way to control termites is to prevent the infestation before it happens. Treating a building and the area around it the best protection against termites.
Prevention should include:
Establishing a chemical barrier around the perimeter of you home is known as a “termite pre-treatment”. This chemical treatment provides a barrier around and beneath the structure designed to block all possible routes of termite entry. Any termites attempting to penetrate through the treated soil will be killed or repelled.
Drywood termites infest dry wood and do not require contact with the soil. Drywood termites remain hidden within the wood or other material on which they feed, so they are seldom seen. A good way to know if there is a drywood termite infestation is from their six-sided fecal pellets, known as frass. These fecal pellets are removed from drywood termite nests through small “kick-out holes,” which are about 1 to 2 mm in diameter. These are normally found in mounds and have been described to look like sawdust or coffee grounds. These are usually light tan to almost black, but have no relation to the color of the wood the termites are feeding on. Surface blistering or warping is also a good sign of an advanced infestation. Blistering occurs many times because of the termites tunneling right under the outer surface of the wood, which gives a blistered appearance. When this is visible, it is necessary to open the wood to be sure it is a drywood termite infestation you are dealing with.
Treatment of the soil under and around the structure will not protect a structure from drywood termites. Baiting systems (such as Sentricon, First Line, Exterra) will not protect a structure from drywood termites. Direct localized spot treatment of lumber MAY provide protection if the drywood termites have to tunnel through the treatment to infest the wood. Wood replacement of the infested area and/or whole house fumigation can eliminate the infestation.
Finding dampwood termite infestations can be a little tricky because there is little visual external evidence of their presence; they do not produce mud tubes or create visible open holes in the wood. They hide very well in the wood to prevent themselves from drying out, plugging holes with fecal material. Tapping wood that sounds hollow or feels soft is a good sign of a dampwood termite infestation. Different wood will show a different appearance of damage. In sound wood, dampwood termites will eat the softer spring woods, like subterranean termites. In decayed wood, they will form
galleries and tunnels that extend across the grain, such as damage by drywood termites. Fecal pellets may also be found in infested structures and will be found stuck to the sides of the galleries, usually forming clumps of feces. However, if conditions are dry, dampwood termite frass will be collected at the bottom of galleries, or outside of the infested material. While looking for a dampwood termite infestation, it is important to be aware of sources of excess moisture and other conditions that may lead to wood decay.
When swarmers of drywood and dampwood termites are visible, it is a good indication of an existing infestation. Many times, homeowners will find only the wings of the termites but not the bodies. This is because swarmers will shed their wings after short flights. Termites are typically weak fliers and will not travel far — usually only a few feet before settling down, unless wind currents are present to help them travel farther. Swarmers are often attracted to light and consequently found around windowsills, floors and spider webs. Because time of swarming is different for various species of termites, pretreatment is key to avoiding an infestation.
Powderpost beetles (ppb) can cause more confusion than any other structure-infesting pest. Homeowners often receive conflicting opinions as to whether the "damage" they are seeing is indeed ppb. Mistakes also are made in determining if the infestation is active and if so, how it should be managed. Incorrect information results in unnecessary treatment and expense, or a failure to protect the client's property.
The key to avoiding serious problems from powderpost beetles is early detection. As noted earlier, homeowners are much more likely to see damage than the beetles themselves. Since tunneling and development of the larvae takes place entirely below the wood surface, the only signs of infestation are the emergence holes made by the adults and the powder-like frass sifting from the holes.
Homeowners should know that there are various options for controlling ppb. Selecting that which is best depends on a number of factors including the severity of infestation, area being attacked, potential for reinfestation and treatment expense the customer is willing to bear.
Control methods include: Prevention, Moisture Control, Wood Replacement, Surface Treatment with Insecticides and Fumigation.