Bark beetle: description, signs of infection, control methods

Despite its small size, the bark beetle is capable of causing irreparable damage to forests and gardens in a short period of time, destroying huge tree stands. Its various species settle not only in living, but also in dead wood, turning it into dust and rendering building materials, wooden buildings, and furniture unusable. There are varieties of bark beetles that destroy food supplies.

• Where does he live?
• Characteristics and body structure Head
• Thoracic part
• Wings and elytra
• Limbs
• Abdomen

To prevent a pest beetle invasion, you need to know what it looks like and what the danger of its appearance is. To combat the beetle and its offspring, the most effective methods should be used, as well as the necessary preventive measures.

More information about the pest

The bark beetle belongs to a large family of weevils and is divided into 2 large groups:

• sapwood;

• pine beetles.

The first parasitizes mainly on coniferous plants. Among the second there are species that can harm garden trees.

The adult insect of almost all bark beetles is a small, inconspicuous beetle, the total body length of which is from 1.5 to 5.1 cm. The elytra are black or dark brown.

The cephalothorax is massive, oval in shape. The head is at its bottom. If you look at the beetle from above, it is practically invisible. Just below the eyes in the middle of the head there is a small proboscis.

Adults do not feed on wood. Their main food is juice, which they suck from the green parts of plants using their proboscis. The main damage is caused by the larvae. They have an elongated body, white with a creamy tint, divided into distinct sections.

The bark beetle larva does not have legs, which are present in most beetle larvae. The head is massive, hard, ending in large jaws. This structure of this organ helps the larva to bite into the tree and crush it.

Almost all types of bark beetles have the described appearance. The differences are very minor.

Bored beetles and longhorned beetles also feed on wood. The first ones are very reminiscent of bark beetles. The latter are quite different from them - they have an oblong body up to 5 cm long and long (up to 70 - 80% of the body length) mustache. Both borers and longhorned beetles lay larvae in wood. Only more often not into living things, but into something from which houses or outbuildings are built.

Characteristics and body structure

Externally, bark beetles are very diverse. The appearance of the tree pest, the bark beetle, corresponds to the image and conditions of its life. But beetles also have common characteristics by which they are classified and belong to this subfamily. Color can range from light brown to black. The smallest bark beetles living in Russia have a body size of less than 1 mm, and their larger relatives reach 9 mm.

Head

Although the bark beetle is considered a close relative of the weevil, its head does not have a rostrum, like that of an elephant. It is a continuation of the body with a blunt forehead. The front of the head varies between sexes of the same species. The eyes are round and flat. The antennae are geniculate and short. The head is usually darker in color than the rest of the insect.

Thoracic part

There are three segments on the chest - on the upper side they are called anterior, mid, and posterior. From the bottom - prothorax, mid-thorax, metathorax. The most important is the pronotum, which can be: spherical, quadrangular, oval, triangular. Its lateral edges are slightly rounded, and there is a narrowing at the very top.

Dotted grooves are applied across the entire surface. The tubercles and denticles located on the pronotum are of specific importance. The triangular shield is strongly recessed and also covered with dotted lines.

Wings and elytra

The body of the bark beetle is covered with strong, well-developed elytra, under which are membranous wings necessary for the insect to fly. The wings cover the main part of the abdomen. An important difference between adult individuals is the characteristic notch on the back of the elytra. It is called a “wheelbarrow” and serves as a device for clearing passages of wood flour. The elytra have pronounced points in several rows.

Limbs

Thin paws are covered with sparse, hard hairs or have none at all. The hip part of the forelimbs is round, the hind limbs are transverse. On the flattened shins, tubercles protrude from the outer side. The front legs are short, the hind legs are longer.

Abdomen

The abdomen is located horizontally, consists of five rings, and is covered from the upper part by elytra. Females usually have a wider abdomen than males. There are organs for oviposition.

Why is it harmful?

Adult females and beetle larvae damage the bark of trees. When the female is ready to lay eggs, she gnaws through the wood to the bast (some species of the pest - to the sapwood). There, the female gnaws out a rather large (for her size) oval chamber, where she lays eggs. It is called the uterine.

When the larvae hatch, they begin to gnaw their way out, diverging in different directions from the camera. Since there are 20–40 eggs in one clutch, there will be the same number of “trenches” made by the pest.

Females and larvae of the bark beetle damage bast and sapwood. This has the most negative effect on garden trees and often leads to their death.

Basts are the “vessels” of plants. It is through it that water with inorganic substances dissolved in it flows from the roots to other parts of the tree. And then - organic compounds, including glucose, produced during the process of photosynthesis, disperse along the phloem from the leaves. Violation of the integrity of this tissue leads to the fact that some parts of the plant are left without nutrition. As a result, their death begins. As a result, the entire plant may die.

Sapwood is a tissue that stores stored nutrients. It helps plants survive the cold season. If the sapwood is damaged, the tree does not have enough resources for spring restoration, when the leaves have not yet blossomed, but nutrients are already needed. The plant may die.

Species of beetles that feed on conifers often lay eggs in houses and other buildings made of pine, spruce, and larch. The passages made by insects make the wood less durable and contribute to the onset of the rotting process.

Features of the material

By bark beetle plaster we mean a construction plaster mixture of a certain consistency, which includes the addition of mineral or polymer components to give a special structure to the finished coating. This material came to the Russian Federation and CIS countries from the West, where it has been popular for decades.

The main difference between bark beetle and conventional plasters is the presence of small pebbles (filler), which are evenly distributed throughout the mass. The filler can be:

• marble or other stone chips;
• artificial acrylic resin in the form of flakes;
• titanium dioxide;
• mineral particles.

The formation of a beautiful texture, reminiscent of wood eaten by bugs, also depends on the technique of applying plaster, the experience of the master, and the type and size of the working tool. Patterns are made using a trowel or a construction float. When certain movements are made, the granular fractional filler creates characteristic grooves. The latter give interesting outlines, unique designs, which look unusual and catchy.

Creating a decorative coating Bark beetle

How to determine if there is a bark beetle in the garden

The presence of a bark beetle can be determined by the following signs:

• Holes in wood or boards . When a female bark beetle penetrates a plant (or board, timber), she gnaws a small entrance hole. Usually its diameter is no more than 0.5 cm. The hole can be easily seen with the naked eye upon careful examination.
• Drill flour . The female carefully pushes the spent wood out of the uterine chamber. Sometimes she chews additional holes to do this. Such wood is called drill flour. If there is a bark beetle in your house or garden, sooner or later small piles of it will appear in the insect’s habitat.
• Sound . When an adult beetle or larva gnaws on a tree, a characteristic sound is heard, vaguely reminiscent of the ticking of a mechanical watch. During the day, bark beetles most often do not show themselves. But in the evening or at night they begin their “subversive work.”
• Dried branches and bark . If the bark beetle has been “in charge” of a tree for a long time, its presence may be indicated by dead bark or dried branches.
• Attention woodpeckers . Woodpeckers are rare guests in the garden. However, sometimes they still fly there. If a bird has chosen a fruit plant, it means there are definitely larvae in it. A woodpecker will never “peck” a tree just like that.

Reasons for appearance

Although bark beetle larvae are usually found in forested areas, sometimes these insects can infect a person's garden or even home. They end up in gardens because they are constantly in search of food, and because of this they move from one plant to another.

The reasons for bark beetle infestation of buildings can be different. So, usually when building a house, the prepared lumber must be treated with special compounds that prevent the appearance and reproduction of beetles and larvae. However, unscrupulous builders may neglect this rule or carry out poor-quality treatment, which is why the pest may begin to destroy the building by spreading to it from the garden.

Another cause of infection is the use of low-quality material. If there are already at least a few larvae in the boards or logs, it means that the bark beetle will soon reach the furniture that will be in the house.

How to fight

The most effective means against bark beetle are insecticides.
If one of the signs of the presence of an insect is noticed, you will need:

• Carefully inspect the area of ​​damage.
• Carefully remove a small layer of bark with a knife or other sharp tool. This will help you understand how deep the beetle managed to get. If it is near the surface, it can be destroyed manually.

Treat the passages made by the pest with insecticides

It is best to inject the drug directly into the “tunnel”. A syringe is perfect for this. After injection, the inlet hole is sealed with garden pitch or molten bitumen.

Expert opinion

Mityuk Stefania Bogdanovna

Fighting an insect that has damaged the wood of a home or outbuildings is no different. The only difference is that you do not need to peel off the layer of the board - this will only damage it.

There is another way to destroy the pest. It involves the use of thin long wire. They push her into the entrance hole and try to push her as deep as possible. As a result, the larvae die. But this technique is not very effective. After all, there are usually many larvae, and each of them moves away from the uterine chamber. As a result, not everyone is killed.

An effective remedy for bark beetles

If you find isolated traces of pests in your home, you can use special insecticides, for example, Clipper.
Using a syringe, the solution is pumped into the hole that the pests have gnawed. The liquid must be pumped until it appears outside. However, if the move is large, then a sufficient amount of insecticide may be required. After some time, the wood treatment must be repeated so that the larvae that survived during the first application of the insecticide also die. After such treatment, it is necessary to plug the holes with matches so that the antiseptic does not leak out and insects do not crawl out.

Preventive measures

To prevent the beetle from taking a liking to garden trees and the house, it is important to take appropriate preventive measures.
The most effective is insecticide treatment. It is carried out at least once a year (ideally, at least 2 times). This is done using a spray bottle. Apply as much of the substance solution as is necessary for sufficient absorption into the bark.

In particularly advanced cases, fumigation with toxic gases is used. To do this, use phosphine or magtoxin. These compounds are dangerous to humans, so it is better to entrust the procedure to specialists.

In residential buildings, special ultrasonic devices can be used to repel beetles. They emit a high-frequency sound that female bark beetles and male borers cannot tolerate. The repeller is turned on from early spring to early summer. This is when most pest species have mating season.

Preparation for fumigation

• Close off all parts of the room where gas should not enter (chimney, ventilation).
• Cover the wooden window frames with masking tape.
• Sometimes the bark beetle settles not only inside, but also outside the house. In this case, the house needs to be wrapped in polyethylene, creating an airtight “dome”.
• At the time of the procedure, equipment, personal belongings, plants, and animals are removed from the house.

The best insecticides

Let's look at several substances for combating beetles that have proven themselves to be effective.

Dr.Klaus

An effective, domestically produced product that costs around 1,000 rubles. Available in liter bottles with a syringe nozzle, with which the liquid is conveniently poured into the inlet holes.

The main active ingredient is lambda-cyhalothrin. It is an effective insecticide against most types of insect pests. Lambda-cyhalothrin not only kills them, but also has a good repellent effect.

"Clipper"

An effective domestic drug. The product is expensive - it costs about 3,000 rubles. Available in 1 liter bottles that do not have a dispenser.

The main active ingredient is bifethrin. It disrupts sodium metabolism in the body of most insect species, which leads to their death.

Bifethrin negatively affects not only invertebrates, but also birds, mammals, and reptiles. Therefore, people and pets must be removed from the treatment site. It is mandatory to use personal protective equipment (respirator mask, gloves).

"Calypso"

Inexpensive insecticide for treating garden trees from. The cost depends on the concentration and volume and starts from 60 rubles per bottle.

The drug is based on thiacloprid. This substance affects the insect's nervous system, causing convulsions and paralysis.

The main advantage of "Calypso" is its versatility. The drug affects not only the bark beetle, but also other pests (ants, aphids, mites).

Bi-58

Expensive but effective insecticide. Sold in 10 liter cans. One will cost 5,000 – 6,000 rubles.

The main active ingredient is dimethoate. It affects the nervous system of insects and inhibits respiratory activity, which leads to the death of the pest.

Expert opinion

Mityuk Stefania Bogdanovna

The drug is very dangerous for people and pets - this must be taken into account during work.

Empire-20

Powerful imported drug. One 30 ml container costs about 500 rubles.

The composition of the product is based on 2 insecticides:

• cypermethrin is a neurotoxin that causes convulsions, paralysis and subsequent death in insects;
• malathion - disrupts the metabolism of pests, promoting the production of poison by their body.

The drug is dissolved in water and the resulting mixture is treated with plants.

The main advantage of Empire-20 is its relative safety for people.

Getting different effects

When the decorative plaster mixture begins to dry out, you can begin to apply the design. The marks are applied vertically, horizontally, at an angle or in a circular zigzag motion, trying to achieve a resemblance to the passages of a bark beetle in a tree.

Adviсe:

• if you start making vertical stripes from top to bottom, then you cannot change the direction to the opposite from bottom to top;
• the same goes for horizontal, circular and zigzag movements.

Under no circumstances do we change direction.

You can start drawing only after it dries. It is difficult to determine how much time is needed accurate to the minute. But there is one caveat. When the mixture dries, it decreases in volume, and small granules protrude above the surface. As soon as the grout stops clinging to the entire surface with its sole, you can begin.

"Rain Jets"

This is the simplest but most effective way of applying a pattern to the facade. It is done by vertically sliding a grater from top to bottom. The “length of the jets” is adjusted by the plasterer. Here you need to adhere to strictly vertical movements.

Method "Vertical rain"

The higher the house, the larger the size of the granules.

"Slanting Rain"

These are the same “Rain Jets” only from a certain angle. This effect is more complicated than the previous one because you must strictly adhere to the once chosen angle.

“Slanting Rain” Method

Before you start using this effect, you must first try it on a separate surface to decide whether this method of decoration is suitable for your object or not.

"Bark beetle"

This is the simplest effect, it is not difficult to perform. To do this, you need to move the plastic grater randomly in all directions.

Achieving the effect using grout

For home use, you should not take a mixture with granules smaller than 3 mm. Granules that are too small will not give a good visual effect at altitude. The grooves will be barely noticeable.

"Horizontal bark beetle"

Although such effects are most suitable for interior work, they are quite appropriate for implementing design ideas.

Horizontal option

When using this effect, the main condition is not to deviate too much from the horizontal.

Two-colored bark beetle

This is a more complex and expensive method of applying plaster in two shades. There are two ways to achieve this effect.

First. Adding color to the solution and preparing the colored base at the first stage. The next step is to paint the protruding surfaces with a different color using a short-nap roller.

The second method is to first paint the entire wall with a long-nap roller. It is necessary to ensure that all recesses (paths of the woodworm) are painted. At the second stage, the protruding surfaces are painted with a short-pile roller.

Use of two-color bark beetle

Thus, the recesses will be one shade, and the overall tone will be different.

For finishing the exterior of a house, “Bark Beetle” fits perfectly. It should be noted that when selecting shades for painting, there is a rule. No more than three colors should be used. In exceptional cases, four. Moreover, the fourth shade should be no more than 5%. These could be window frames, protective strips on the roof.

The foundation must be in harmony with the roof. If you cannot find a suitable foundation color that matches the roof, then use contrasting or neutral colors.

Harmony of foundation and roof

His Majesty neutral gray color harmonizes with almost all shades. See how the color scheme was chosen to decorate the walls of a residential building.

Pay attention to the almost complete match of the shades of the foundation with the roof. Painting walls white and light green

Classic design in three colors

There are a lot of options for choosing decorative solutions. After finishing the finishing work, impregnate the facade with a water-repellent composition. This procedure will protect the walls from the destructive effects of moisture and low temperatures for many years.

Expert advice

Video blogger Yuri Zelentsov believes that the best remedy for bark beetle is to carry out preventive measures at least 2 times a year. The man recommends treating garden trees with insecticides in spring and autumn.

The famous Soviet entomologist Georgy Gornostaev has repeatedly noted that due to the characteristics of the bark beetle’s reproduction and nutrition, effective control of it is possible only with the use of powerful insecticides.

What methods do you use to deal with bark beetles?

FolkChemical

Known methods of fighting beetles in a wooden house

Unfortunately, popular methods of fighting woodworms turn out to be ineffective. As practice shows, it is almost impossible to remove pests on your own. Yes, you can reduce their number for a while, but you are unlikely to be able to find and destroy the larvae, which usually hide in the inner part of the wood. That is why the beetles gradually eat the tree from the inside. Let's look at some of the popular, but, unfortunately, completely ineffective ways to correct the situation:

• " Fog ". Processing with generators (methods of “hot” and “cold” fog), of course, is much more effective than most traditional methods. However, sprayed insecticidal agents are not able to penetrate inside and destroy the larvae, since the latter are protected by drill flour and feces. That is why no aerosol reaches them, being unable to overcome the barrier.
• Introduction of “chemistry” (injection) of wood with insecticides. This even more naive technique involves introducing chemicals into the wood. Experts are convinced that chemicals can spread only in a small room and are unlikely to reach all pests. Moreover, there is another argument: few people would want to poison the wood of the building in which they live with serious chemicals.
• Impregnations. Impregnation of wood with special compounds also has virtually no effect, since they are unable to penetrate into the thickness of the tree; at best, such means destroy individual individuals that appear on the surface. In some cases, the larvae eat the entire log inside, but on the outside it looks “whole.”

Types of decorative plaster for walls: photo examples of finishing

There are two common types of bark beetle plaster on the market - gypsum-based and acrylic-based. In addition to the base element, additives are used in the compositions: polymer, granite or marble chips with a fraction of up to 3.5 mm. These additives form a unique relief surface. The finishing technology with acrylic putty involves preliminary tinting to the desired shade. Mixing is done by proportionally adding liquid color to the container with the mixture. It is tinted in bulk, which allows you to choose the most suitable color and create an effective and durable surface.

If necessary, an electronic tinting machine will help. To use it, you should contact large retail outlets. Due to the technical difficulty of creating identical shades in different containers, the latter option is considered optimal.

Note! Relief gypsum plaster is not tinted, but painted after application and hardening.

The acrylic-based mixture has good adhesion and increased moisture resistance. Therefore, acrylic textured plaster is widely used for cladding rooms with high humidity: showers, bathrooms, swimming pools. This material has good elasticity, hydrophobic and moisture-resistant properties, as well as high adhesion to any substrate.

The composition for bark beetle plaster may have additional additives in the form of mother-of-pearl or reflective particles.

The main disadvantages of the material are considered to be low vapor permeability, which makes the use of acrylic plaster advisable only for non-breathable surfaces. In addition, this coating is fire hazardous.

Note! To obtain the required color when tinting the composition, the mixture and the tinting material must be from the same manufacturer.

Mineral bark beetle plaster consists of a mixture of cement and quartz chips. It has high vapor permeability, fire resistance and frost resistance, which makes it an indispensable material for finishing the outside of a house. Decorative bark beetle plaster, photos clearly demonstrate this, can be applied in several ways and can create a complete and noble look for a building. However, the material cannot be tinted in the finished solution, which requires additional work to paint the finished base.

Silicate bark beetle plaster has good vapor permeability, water-repellent, hydrophobic and protective properties. The material has high adhesion to mineral substrates, where it creates a crack-resistant coating. Plaster is easily tinted and comes in a variety of colors and shades, which allows you to create a presentable and unique surface. This is proven by photographs of the plaster finishing of the facades of private houses and interior spaces.

Among the disadvantages of the material, one can highlight the high cost. Also, before carrying out work, it is necessary to prime the surface using a silicate mixture. Silicate plaster sets very quickly, so all facing work should be carried out very quickly.

Plaster consumption per square meter

Material consumption will depend on various indicators. Here are the main factors that influence the final figure:

• number and severity of base defects;
• substrate material (mineral bases “take up” more plaster);
• plaster composition and fraction size;
• the experience of the craftsman and the technique of work.

Mixture consumption depending on the size of mineral fractions

The approximate consumption is usually reflected on the packaging of the plaster mixture. It is always calculated based on the thickness of the layer, which will not be less than the size of the filler fraction. Typically, the average material consumption varies from 2 to 3.5 kg per square meter of surface.

Application technology

To form a beautiful pattern, the layer of plaster must be at least 3 mm. There is also no need to sharply exceed this figure, otherwise the ornament will look blurry. You should work with the bark beetle at a temperature within +5...+30 degrees, humidity less than 85%.

Necessary tools, graters and consumables

To work with bark beetles, you need to prepare tools - a trowel, spatula, grater or grater. To mix the solution you will need a construction mixer and a container. Consumables when applying plaster are masking tape (for gluing the joints of the material) and rags (for wiping off splashes). Also, for the initial leveling of plaster over a large area, you need to have a rule.

A mandatory tool for shaping the texture of the bark beetle is a construction grater. In stores there are graters made from the following materials:

• wood - used on small surfaces, does not last long, as it quickly deteriorates from moisture;
• plastic - creates a thin, smooth layer, but does not tolerate active movements with strong pressure;
• polystyrene foam - breaks under excessive impact, but is quite suitable for one-time operations;
• polyurethane is the best option, ideal for beginners, highly valued by professionals for its durability and ease of use;
• metal - the material is used to make the most durable, but expensive graters.

Graters for decorative plaster

Preparing the base

The preparatory process should be treated as carefully as possible. The base is cleaned of the old coating, all peeling pieces of paint and plaster are removed. Large defects are repaired with a cement mixture, cracks that are too deep are expanded and reinforced with fiberglass. A layer of primer is applied, but not concrete contact is used, but a special primer with the addition of quartz sand.

Building facades with large differences are leveled along the beacons with cement plaster. If necessary, lay a layer of insulation (expanded polystyrene, penoplex, mineral wool), which is reinforced with mesh on top. Afterwards, the mesh is plastered with the usual composition, primed with a special agent in 2 layers, and only then they begin to treat the walls with bark beetle.

Reinforcement of the facade before applying plaster

Preparation of the composition

Before plastering walls or other substrates, you need to make a mixture. The finished plasters are simply mixed to prevent separation of the composition. If necessary, coloring is done by adding pigment and thoroughly kneading. Dry mixtures are diluted with water, introducing the powder in portions into a pre-measured liquid. The water for diluting the plaster should be cool (12-20 degrees). After mixing the mass with a mixer, let it stand for 10 minutes and get to work.

Preparation of plaster mortar

Application of bark beetle

The composition is scooped up with a spatula or trowel, after which it is applied to the wall, covering an area of ​​about 1 square meter. Professionals lower the spatula into the container, take out a little solution and transfer it to the trowel. The plaster is applied to the wall from bottom to top, starting from the bottom corner and slowly rising to the top.

The remainder of the plaster after one stroke is put back into the container to then add the solution again. Next, the initial leveling is carried out using a rule or a large spatula, and the excess that remains on the tool is thrown away - there is little filler in it. Before forming the texture, allow the material to set a little (5-10 minutes).

Creating a drawing

The pattern is obtained by rolling plaster grains between the base and a construction float. When the solid granules move, they leave grooves and other elongated depressions. The final pattern will depend on the type of grain movement, so work can be done in different directions. Here are the basic techniques for creating a drawing:

• vertical movements with a grater - for the texture of rain;
• chaotic movements - to obtain a non-uniform image;
• spiral movements - to imitate lamb's wool.

To form grooves along the entire perimeter, the grater is pressed tightly to the surface and passed in the desired direction a certain number of times. After about half an hour, when the filler particles are firmly attached to the substrate, once again pass over them with a trowel using smoothing movements. If you need to take a break from work, cover the edge of the plaster layer with masking tape. After resuming plastering, they reach this area and remove the tape.

A poorly executed finish can be corrected with sandpaper. For this purpose, remove all rough areas and adhering lumps of plaster with coarse sandpaper, brush off the dust, and apply a thin layer of finishing white mixture (for example, “Rotband”). After it dries, prime the base with concrete contact, then apply another layer of primer with quartz sand. The last layer is applied with bark beetle in the standard manner. If it is assumed that the “double” coating will be too thick, then immediately remove all the plaster and do the work again.

Finishing

In order for the plaster layer to serve for a long time, it is protected with a finishing coating. Typically, plaster is treated with acrylic paint, latex composition or a special varnish for interior work. As for facades and other street surfaces, they are painted with products based on silicone, acrylic, silicates, which are not afraid of frost and precipitation.

The ideal option is to use paints and varnishes from the same manufacturer that produced the plaster for finishing. The adhesion of the compounds will be high, and the appearance of the finish will be smooth. Since the texture of bark beetle plaster is close to stone finishing, you can paint it the color of natural stone, which looks very stylish. For painting, large rollers with medium pile and a durable handle are used. If desired, after the varnish or paint has dried, wax is rubbed into the coating, which will give the surface a finished look.

Painting decorative plaster with a roller

Surface painting

Usually the paint is applied in 1-2 layers manually. On large areas, they try to work with a spray gun, because manual painting will be time-consuming and labor-intensive. Facade coatings are often painted one color, interior ones - one or two. You can only use acrylic varnish: tint the material, carefully rub it into the grooves and pits, and then apply wax on top.