The longhorned beetle is an uninvited guest in private homes and city apartments. Its name speaks for itself - it is a small, black insect with a blue-green tint and mustaches that are longer than its body. The body consists of a head, antennae, thorax, elytra, wings, limbs and abdomen. On its head there are powerful front jaws, the eyes are located on the sides. The antennae have a scaly or serrated structure. The insect's chest and back consists of three fragments, covered with beautiful iridescent wings.
Not all barbels can fly; their slow flight is accompanied by a loud sound. The limbs are made up of five components - pelvis, trochanter, femur, tibia and tarsus. The abdomen is five-segmented and soft. Males have pointed antennae, females have rounder and thicker antennae, as well as longer antennae.
What they look like
The size and color of insects depend on their species. More than 700 species of longhorned beetles live in Russia. The main part of them are black and black-brown individuals. Their size ranges from 5 to 25 mm. The body of insects may have a blue-green or purple tint.
A distinctive feature of the appearance of insects is their scaly whiskers. They can be 5 times longer than the body. Insects' eyes are located at the base of their whiskers. The beetles have powerful front jaws and three pairs of legs. Frightened individuals make a sound similar to a creaking or grinding sound.
The largest beetle species in Russia is the relict Ussuri longhorned beetle. This insect species is listed in the Red Book as endangered. Not all longhorned beetles can fly. Those individuals that can do this create a lot of noise during flight. Male insects have a pointed body, while females have a rounded body.
Origin of the species and description
Photo: Lumberjack Beetle
Lumberjacks are a very large family of beetles. They belong to the order Coleoptera and occupy fifth place in the number of species. As already noted, today scientists count more than twenty-five thousand varieties. The beetles got their name “woodcutter” due to their special “love” for wood. They not only eat wood, but also build their homes in it.
Interesting fact: The Titan Lumberjack is recognized as the largest beetle in the world. The length of its body can reach twenty-two centimeters. However, such a huge insect cannot be found in museums. The individuals presented for public viewing are no more than seventeen centimeters long.
Due to the fact that the wood is consumed by these beetles as food, they are considered pests. These insects cause enormous damage to human property, various buildings, and the environment. This multifaceted creature is distributed almost throughout the globe. The only exceptions are very cold areas of planet Earth. The largest populations are found in tropical regions.
A unique feature of these animals is their mustache. They are segmented, most often exceeding the length of the body itself by several times. Also a characteristic feature are the wings. However, not all members of the family can use them. Only a few species are endowed with the ability to fly. Woodcutter beetles, which are large in size, often look very clumsy when flying.
Habitat, lifestyle, nutrition
Despite the fact that longhorned beetles are considered arboreal insects, they can live and reproduce not only in various types of wood, but also in shrubs and herbaceous plants.
Insects prefer to lay larvae in coniferous wood. In low-nutrient, dry wood they can live up to 45 years.
Settling in houses made of timber or logs, they begin to slowly destroy it, devouring the internal tissues of the tree. In addition to eating wood, beetles infect the home with mold.
You can determine the habitats of insects in the house:
- by a dull sound when tapping wooden structures or its deflection.
- on piles of wood dust near walls or wooden furniture;
In a forest or garden, beetles live under the bark of trees and in their core. The nutrition of insects depends on their habitat. Adults can feed on leaves, bark, petioles, pistils and stamens of plants.
Signs of tree infestation
Wood infested with insects can be detected by the appearance of small holes and fine dust resembling flour in it.
To confirm the presence of a beetle, you can pierce the bark of a tree or the surface of the wood with a sharp knife next to the hole you find. If there is a feeling of emptiness, it means that the plant or lumber is definitely affected by the pest. In addition, its presence can be recognized by its special sound. Light crackling or creaking noises are often heard from wood infested with larvae.
Although the bark beetle looks quite harmless, pest control should begin as early as possible. If this insect appears in the garden, it means that it will soon switch to wooden buildings, since these parasites multiply very quickly.
Ways to fight
How do you prefer to fight the longhorned beetle?
ContactIntestinal
Wooden buildings need protection from insects most of all.
Existing means of combating beetles are divided into:
- Contact . A significant part of these products are insecticides based on chlorophos. The drugs act on insects only through direct contact with them.
- Intestinal . The drugs act on barbels through the stomach. They contain sodium fluoride and zinc chloride.
- Fumigants . Sulfur dioxide or vapors.
Protection of wooden buildings from pests begins at the stage of their construction. Structural elements are treated with special means. When forest areas are massively infested with longhorned beetles, microwave radiation installations are used to combat them. It kills all insects and their larvae that have settled inside the trees.
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.
The best drugs
Manufacturers produce a wide range of products designed to combat tree pests. The action of these drugs can only be effective if the instructions for their use are strictly followed.
"Clipper"
The Russian drug belongs to a new generation of insecticides. Has a universal effect. In addition to fighting barbels, Clipper is used to destroy typograph bark beetles and other tree pests. The product contains bifethrin. This compound belongs to the class of synthetic pyrethroids.
In trade, the product is presented in the form of a suspension, poured into 5 liter canisters. The action of "Clipper" is enteric-contact. When it enters the body of pests, it causes paralysis.
Treatment of areas infested with longhorned beetles is carried out a week before the start of the mass summer. To do this, all trees and shrubs growing in the contaminated area are sprayed with the product.
Advantages:
- versatility of use;
- does not accumulate in soil and plant tissues;
- fast and long-lasting protective effect;
- does not cause resistance;
- safe for humans and pets;
- compatible with pesticides.
Disadvantage : toxic to beneficial insects.
Spraying of trees with the drug is carried out in calm weather, observing all the necessary precautions. Repeated treatment is carried out after 15-20 days.
Review
| Julia G. |
| I bought the drug to fight barbels, but I also use it for other purposes. I use it to kill spider mites, aphids and whiteflies. A very effective remedy. |
"Anti shashel"
The main purpose of the product is to combat shawl, but it can also effectively destroy longhorned beetles. The drug is an organic solvent. It is only dangerous for chitin-containing insects. Inject it with a syringe into the holes made by insects in the wood.
The properties of Antishashelin last for 10 years. The composition of the drug contains silicones. They are able to penetrate deeply into the wood structure. When processing wood products, the product preserves their integrity and leaves no traces of use.
Advantages:
- high penetrating ability;
- effectively destroys insect larvae;
- eliminates the possibility of insects developing immunity to its use;
- resistant to light;
- ensures 100% destruction of pests;
- retains its properties for a long period.
Disadvantage : When working with the drug, precautions must be taken.
Review
| Leonid S. |
| I bought a product for treating the walls of a log house in the country. The expense is high, the work is painstaking, but the result is pleasing. |
"The Tree Doctor"
The product is available in 5 brands that have different effects. The drug under the brand name “4” is an alcohol or aqueous solution. Brands 1, 2, 3 and 5 are only aqueous solutions. All of them are biologically active substances. The main purpose of the “Wood Healer” is to protect wood from pests, as well as from fungal bacteria that cause blue stains, rot and mold.
Depending on the brand of the drug, it is used:
- M 1 – for antiseptic treatment of lumber intended for the construction of dry, heated and well-ventilated buildings.
- M 2 – for processing wooden structures operating in areas with high humidity and large seasonal temperature changes.
- M 3 and M 4 - for the antiseptic treatment of wooden buildings that are buried in the ground and located in areas of increased risk of biocontamination.
- M 5 is a universal remedy.
All types of products are applied with a roller to the surface of the wood. The average consumption of the drug is 300 g/1 sq.m.
Advantages:
- high efficiency;
- wide spectrum of action;
- reliable protection of wooden structures from biocontamination.
Flaw:
- high consumption.
Review
| Mikhail L. |
| I constantly buy a product for treating boards. It’s expensive, but before using it I lost much more due to damage to the boards by pests, blue and black rot. |
"Anti-bug"
The product belongs to the neomid group. This is a universal drug designed to combat all types of tree pests.
It is safe for humans, which allows it to be used for processing wooden buildings not only outside, but also inside. The antiseptic is not susceptible to moisture.
To treat the surface of wood, use a solution prepared on the basis of Anti-Bug. Dilute it with water in a ratio of 1:4.
Apply the liquid prepared in this way onto a wooden surface using a roller in three layers. The surface must be dry and clean, free from paint and varnish coatings.
Advantages:
- environmental Safety;
- deep penetration into wood tissue;
- complex protective properties;
- resistance to precipitation and washability;
- no unpleasant odor;
- long period of action.
Disadvantage : When working with the drug, precautions must be taken.
Review
| Kirill I. |
| The drug does a good job of protecting wood from pests, but is weak to combat insects already living in it. |
"Empire-20"
The Spanish-made insecticide is widely known as an effective remedy for controlling bedbugs, but can also be used to kill longhorned beetles.
It is low toxic, leaves no traces of processing and does an excellent job of killing adult insects and larvae. The best time to treat areas or wooden structures infested with longhorned beetles is considered to be May-June.
During this period, insects mate and the maximum effect of the treatment can be achieved. The product is used in the form of a solution, which is evenly sprayed over the surface of the wood. "Empire-20" is produced in the form of a liquid bottled in bottles. After treatment, all insects, including larvae, die within 24 hours.
Advantages:
- high efficiency;
- versatility of use;
- does not require re-processing.
Flaws:
- high price;
- the need to take precautions when working.
Review
| Maxim Ch. |
| With the help of Empire-20, I removed not only longhorned beetles from the dacha, but also all cockroaches. I am very pleased with the product. |
Reproduction of longhorned beetles
To reproduce, longhorn beetles try to climb as high as possible, where it is quiet and calm. Roof slabs and tall trees are great for this. This is where mating takes place. During the mating season, female woodworm representatives secrete a special liquid (secret) that attracts males. Their sexual games last on average half an hour. The fertilized female is looking for a nest to lay eggs. And the male faithfully follows her and accompanies her until the eggs appear. She crawls into secluded places - crevices, cracks, and there she can lay up to 400 eggs at a time.
The larvae appear already on the 15th day, they are quite voracious, so they immediately begin to intensively search for food, which becomes everything that surrounds it. After laying eggs, the adult descends to the ground and soon dies. They live on average up to 1 month.
Longhorn beetle larvae and pupae
The bark beetle larva is white or milky in color, flattened in shape, instead of limbs it has convexities with which it moves along the surface. The woodcutter larva has a fleshy yellow color, the head is black, in individuals living in grass and plant stems the body is long in the form of a cylinder, the tip of the body is covered with hairs.
With the help of powerful jaws and a well-developed sternum, it easily gnaws through wood and feeds fully, since the bark is not only a home for it, but also the main source of nutrition. Over time, only dust remains of her home, and she has to look for a new habitat.
She is gluttonous, in one day she is able to increase her mass to twice her weight. In order to turn into a full-fledged beetle, the larva needs to gain a certain weight, this is important because for the first 2-3 months in the summer, the adult eats practically nothing, but can eat herbs and plant flowers.
By the end of autumn, beginning of winter, the larva pupates, and in the spring it turns into an adult longhorned beetle. However, those that live at great depths in the tree, and are reliably protected, can remain in this stage for up to several decades. During this period of time they drill tunnels up to 50 km. On average, it can eat up to 3cm of wood per day.
The free pupal period of the longhorned beetle lasts up to 40 days. At this stage, the color of the body becomes more yellow, and parts of the body of an adult beetle are visible. The rudiments of the wings, whiskers, and limbs are not fused, they are only more tightly pressed to the body of the pupa. The head is located closer to the chest, and the antennae are tucked between the limbs. Most pupae of various species of longhorned beetles have spines and short filaments on the body. Pupation usually occurs in a chamber previously constructed by the larva. Different species of Coleoptera equip this chamber in different environments (wood, soil, stems).
Folk remedies
In addition to chemicals, folk remedies can be used to combat tree pests. Kerosene, turpentine and naphthalene effectively cope with the task of killing insects. They are mixed in a ratio of 1:4:1. This composition has a runny consistency, which is a deadly poison for insects.
This folk remedy is poured into holes made in wood or coated with tree trunks and affected surfaces. The beetles die from the fumes of the toxic mixture.
Natural enemies of insects
Natural enemies of lumberjacks include:
- woodpeckers and other birds;
- predatory insects;
- parasitic microorganisms.
Lumberjack larvae often become victims of wasps, parasitic microorganisms and other types of beetles.
Recommendations
Pest experts give useful tips on how to destroy bark beetles in a wooden house with minimal losses to your own health and the interior of the premises.
If the affected area is small, you should start the fight with folk remedies. And with the most gentle ones - Vaseline oil. If you cannot get rid of the beetles, use mixtures with turpentine and kerosene. The next stage is the purchase of chemicals. The last stage is professional pest control.
To get rid of bark beetle in the kitchen, you must first remove all food from it. It is advisable to treat this room with petroleum jelly rather than with powerful chemicals.
You need to be prepared for the fact that most beetle killing products spoil the appearance of wooden coverings.
If the surface is damaged too much, the top layer must be cut off and burned. Do not use power tools, as they will spread sawdust with larvae and adults throughout the house. Treat the remaining part with an insecticide. Glue an uninfected piece of wood on top to mask the traces of pest control.
If you manage to remove the bark beetle from a wooden house, make sure that the insects never return. To do this you need:
- Make sure that the humidity in the rooms does not increase. To monitor this indicator, buy a hygrometer.
- Dry damp wooden walls with a heat gun.
- All rooms must be thoroughly ventilated.
- Treat all wooden surfaces with Gloss or Polish. They contain substances that repel bark beetles.
- If the wooden walls in the house are not treated with anything, protect them with sodium fluoride. Dissolve 250 g in a bucket of hot water, cool, rub the surfaces.
If possible, you should try to find out how the bark beetles ended up in your home. If you can eliminate the cause, you no longer need to be afraid of re-infection. The breeding ground can be any wooden buildings in the yard - dilapidated and half-rotten, as well as a beetle-infested garden. Talk to your neighbors. If such a scourge is observed throughout the entire district, it needs to be gotten rid of in a comprehensive manner, “with the whole world,” as they say. If you act alone, you will not be able to stop the invasion.
