What is a wood borer?

Wood borer is an encompassing name that describes insects that bore into wood. Some of these insects include carpenter bees, anobiid powderpost beetles, lyctid powderpost beetles and old house borers.

Carpenter bees resemble bumble bees, but the abdomen is less hairy. Carpenter bees make homes in wood structures that include railing, supports and trim. Carpenter bee holes are clean and round, resembling a power drill insertion. However, carpenter bees rarely cause heavy damage to wood.

Old house borers have white marks on their wings long antennae. They usually exit through ovular holes. Old house borers can be heard tunneling through wood when an area is quiet.

Lyctid powderpost beetles have long flattened bodies and inhabit hardwood in the form of ash, oak, hickory or maple. Anobiid powderpost beetles may have a reddish-brown appearance and normally choose pine, maple or beech as their homes.