Content
Identification
- Color Reddish brown or darker
- SizeLength from 2.5 mm to 4.5 mm.
- DescriptionOval in shape, covered with very fine yellowish hairs. The heads are not visible when viewed from above, but their antennae, consisting of 11 segments, are visible.
Why do I have furniture bugs?
Adult furniture beetles do not eat wood, but their larvae, often called wood beetles, will eat both seasoned hardwood and softwood that is at least 10 years old.
Because of this, furniture beetles like to lay their eggs in crevices of wood frames, floors, and furniture to provide the hatching larvae with an immediate source of food.
Usually these beetles, or rather their eggs and larvae, enter the house by accident, with already infected furniture.
These beetles may also be attracted to damp structural beams, which are commonly found in basements.
How worried should I be about furniture beetles?
After furniture beetle eggs hatch, the larvae ingest the surrounding wood and develop within the wood before emerging as adult beetles.
As they feed, they drill deep into the wood, producing wood dust, and when they leave, they make exit holes that damage furniture, floors and wooden frames.
It takes up to three years for a furniture beetle to go through four different life stages - egg, larva, pupa and adult - so these larvae may be chewing on your furniture for a while.
For small pieces of infested wood that can fit in an oven, exposing the beetles to temperatures of at least 50°C for at least 30 minutes can kill them. Or you can try placing the wood in sub-zero temperatures for an extended period.
However, completely eradicating a furniture beetle infestation can be difficult as it depends on correctly identifying the insect as well as knowing the age, species and moisture content of the infested wood.
To successfully eliminate your furniture beetle problem and prevent them from returning, you need a professional pest control service.
How to prevent furniture beetles from getting in
Inspect the furniture or wood before purchasing. Apply varnish, polyurethane or paint. Clean your firewood and store it outside if possible. Ventilate attics and basements.