Termites

• More than 2,500 species of termites threaten treated wood structures and furniture, and may even infest food and books. Dampwood termites live exclusively in moist environments along the West Coast, while drywood and subterranean termites prevail across the United States. All termites leave the same signs of infestation, including wood darkening, blistering or tunneling. Other hints of trouble include swarms of flying termites in the fall and spring, and thinned wood that's readily pierced with a screwdriver or other sharp object. Termites have wings, are white, tan or black, and are about ¾-inch long.
  
  

Carpenter Ants

• Many homeowners confuse carpenter ants with termites, but key differences exist. Carpenter ants are dark brown to black, and some lack wings. Winged carpenter ants have front wings longer than rear wings, while termites have front and back wings of equal size. And unlike termites, carpenter ants' bodies narrow between the thorax and the abdomen. Carpenter ants are smaller than termites, ranging from ¼- to ½-inch long. But carpenter ants share termites' tendency to burrow into treated wood structures, such as housing frames. They gravitate toward moist or rotting lumber, and may invade plastic insulation to reach a home's timber. Homes in wooded areas are particularly vulnerable to carpenter ants.
  
  

Wood-boring beetles

• The powderpost, deathwatch and false powderpost beetles converge on treated wood products, including furniture and structural or decorative wood inside homes. The beetles' larvae feed on wood. When they reach adulthood, they chew through the wood until they emerge to fly away. The beetles even make exit holes through plastic, plaster and soft metals. Piles of fine dust at the bases of walls or underneath furniture are the first indication of boring beetles. Powderpost beetles nest in dry, hard lumber like oak and hickory, and are likeliest to infest wood paneling, furniture, molding, flooring and door and window frames. Deathwatch beetles prefer softer woods, such as firs used in girders, beams, foundations and furniture. False powderpost beetles feast on hard and soft woods. Wood-boring beetles are red or dark brown and ¼- to 2-inches long.
  
  

Prevention and Control

• Managing lumber-dwelling pests requires a combined approach. To keep insects out, cover air and attic vents with screens and seal knotholes and cracks in your home's exterior. Remove stumps, logs and other waste woods within 300 feet of your home, and store firewood away from the house and off the ground. Repair roofs, flashing, gutters and downspouts to keep water away from structural lumber. Replace water-damaged or decaying wood with hardier varieties that are pest-resistant and pressure-treated with arsenates or tetrahydrates. Once your home is infested, you may need professional help to fumigate your home or chemically treat your wood with chromated copper arsenate or wolman salts. Boring beetles are notoriously tough to get rid of, so preventing infestation is especially critical. Remove and destroy nearby dead tree limbs, and bring in firewood only as you burn it. Paint or varnish lumber to close off cracks, pores and holes that could contain beetle eggs. If boring beetles have invaded smaller wooden objects, such as picture frames, place the items in an oven at 140 degrees Fahrenheit for six hours or a freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit for three days. House-wide infestations require fumigation.