When Drywood Termites Infest Your Furniture
Hey, wait a second! That's MY armchair! -- Here's what you can do to reclaim your recliner when Drywood Termites or other wood-destroying insects take over the sitting room.
How Did They Get There?
Since non subterranean wood destroyers like drywood and dampwood termites and powder post beetles are able to live above the ground without ever having contact with the soil, these unpleasant pests often hitch a ride on infested furniture or other wooden objects to geographic areas where they would not generally be found.
True to its name, the Drywood termite prefers to live in dry, non-decaying wood. Further, Drywood termites do not require an excessive moisture content to survive as do their subterranean cousins, making it more likely that drywoods (and not subterraneans)will be the type to infest your indoor furniture.
Signs of Infested Furniture
One tell-tale sign of Drywood Termite infestation are piles of tiny, light- to golden-brown colored fecal pellets either inside or under the infested furniture. These pellets fall directly from entrance holes to galleries in the surface of the infested piece of wood. You can recognize Drywood Termite feces by its elongated shape rounded on either side, and its six flattened surfaces all around.
See the middle of our main termites page for more signs of termites.
How To Treat the Infested Furniture
You will have great success using a wood insecticide and preservative such as Boracare or Timbor. If the furniture is painted, sealed, or varnished, it will need to be stripped bare before using these products. The chemical that you choose should be sprayed directly to the infested surface and allowed to penetrate the wood. (Always read the product label for specific instrution before application). The treatment should kill all active termites or beetles and last the life of the wood.
Timbor
A wood preservative for the protection and treatment of lumber against fungal decay and wood destroying insects.
BORACARE
Provides prevention and control of Termites, Carpenter Ants, Powderpost Beetles and Wood Decay Fungi.
Products:
View all Termite Control Products
Liquid Termite Control
Termite Bait Systems