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SCIENTIFIC NAME: CLASS/ORDER/FAMILY: METAMOPHOSIS: |
Old house borer Hylotrupes bajulus (Linnaeus) Insecta/Coleoptera/Cerambycidae Complete |
INTRODUCTION. The old house borer apparently gets its common name from its ability to attack or reinfest well-seasoned wood found in old structures, although it usually attacks wood less than 10 years old. Of north African origin, it has been distributed through commerce to many parts of the world. In the United States, it is found in and eastward of those states going north to sough. Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, and Texas, and it is found as far north as central Maine.
RECOGNITION. Adults about 5/8-1in (15-25 mm) long. Body elongate, slightly flattened in form. Color brownish black to black but covered with gray pubescence (numerous short hairs/setae) which often form transverse bands on elytra (wing covers). Pronotum with a shiny ridge down its middle and a shiny raised knob/bump to either side. Eyes usually notched to inside and antennae often attached/inserted in these notches. Antennae 1/3 body length or more. Tarsi 5-segmented (appearing as 4) with 4th segment minute, hidden between lobes of biliobed (heartshaped) 3rd segment.
Mature larvae are usually about 1 1/4in (31 mm; range 20-40 mm) long. Color nearly white. Thorax slightly wider than abdominal segments, abdomen constricted between segments. Head with 3 black ocelli (simple eyes) in a row on each side to outside of antennae. Legs short, 4-segmented. Note that other species of cerambycids boring in softwoods have no more than 1 occellus (simple eye) on each side of their head.
HABITS. Old house borers attack only softwoods, primarily pine, and only the sapwood. They attack both structural timbers and lumber. In structures, primarily wood less than 10 years old is attacked but they can and do reinfest much older wood. The optimum wood moisture content for beetle develoopment is 10-28%.
The larval and adult activity vary considerably during the year based primarily on beetle biology and wood moisture content. It can be summarized as follows:
1. December-January-February. Larbae do little or no feeding; chewing sounds rare, no fresh frass or new exit holes.
2. March-April-May. Chewing sounds heard regularly in March and/or April, but stop in May. New exit holes and adults may appear in May in the south, but rarely so.
3. June-July-August. New exit holes with frass and adults common. Chewing sounds heard during the day in basements and interior walls and more often at night (lower temperatures) in attics and exterior walls.
4. September-October-November. Chewing sounds of 2-3-year-old larvae may be easily heard from several feet away, with sounds often more frequent in October and November.
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