Are Bugs Attracted to Wood?

There are two primary categories of bugs attracted to wood. Insects that live in healthy trees are called primary invaders. Those that live in dead and stressed wood are called secondary invaders, which are only known for being an annoyance. However, both types can be destructive on wood. Destroying the wood where you find these bugs stop them from spreading to other parts of your property. Below is a list of some of the most common bugs that are attracted to wood.

Twig Girdler
Insects put their eggs in the wood so that they will come out and grow uninterrupted. Twig girdlers adults chew v-shaped indentations all around the edge of fallen branches or twigs. Their larvae have a hard time living in healthy sapwood, so keep fallen tree debris out of your yard will keep the number of twig girdler population small and stop an infestation.

Wood-Boring Weevils
A wood-boring weevil’s snout is built for chewing. Therefore, these bark-harming insects can bring lots of damage when they strike tree trunks and the bottoms of ornamental trees. You will notice the existence of weevils by looking for their cream-colored, legless larvae under the bark of the tree. If you have a tree stump and want to get rid of it, contact a Rochester stump removal company.

Carpenterworm Larvae
Carpenterworm moths’ larvae get into the trunk of trees like cottonwood, elm, and oak. Carpenterworms will also attack cherry and pear trees as well.

While changing into moths, the larvae travel in and out of tree trunks, creating substantial damage. If you see heaps of something that looks like sawdust in the crevices and cracks of your tree, carpenterworms could be the culprit.

Bark Beetles
Bark beetles are quite common. Over 600 types live in North America. Studies have shown that bark beetles are bugs attracted to wood in junipers, false cypress, and redwood trees. Stressed pine trees appeal to southern pine beetles. These bugs go below the bark of a tree into the wood. If you eliminate the diseased tree, any nearby trees won’t suffer an attack.

Pine Seed Bugs
Pine seed bugs grow to one inch long and are spiky on both ends. In the summer, these bugs can be found in pine trees drinking sap.​