Something Burrowing Through Wood In Apartment

[mrireland]

This is a strange one, this morning when i woke up there was dust all over the floor as if someone drilled through the wood in the door frame, sure enough i spotted a tiny hole about the size of really small nail half way up the door frame. Thought it was strange, cleaned it up and didnt think much of it, then later today here was the same dust again, and a reasonable amount too as if something drilled a couple of holes for a plug.

Anyway i also noticed near that hole is another couple of soft spots in the wood, as if they have been filled in, or possibly something drilling through from the inside. Ive never encountered an animal like this back in Europe but is there an insect that could do this and is he any harm, ive heard of termites but ive never seen them in action, could this be termites?

If i listen closely i can sometimes hear poking so there is some sort of insect doing this, i imagine its burrowing a nest of some sort so if its something nasty would like to get rid of it before he invites his mates around, its a new clean apartment and so im a bit surprised if its termites

Any ideas of what insects bury into wood and kick the dust back out the hole?

[necronx99]

Nothing nice. could be termites, tell your landlord asap.

[NanLaew]

It may be a new, clean apartment but the door frames are from untreated wood that already had the wood borer larvae living inside. They can lie dormant for a couple of years. Tell the landlord and expect new door frames.

[Tonto21]

Don’t know exactly what you got there, as already said you could leave with the landlord, just deal with it yourself…………I would do both.

I live in an all wood house, I regularly find fine wood dust on the deck or little ‘mole hills’ of saw dust on the floor.

I can recommend this stuff; ‘CHAINDRITE 1’ It’s the mutts nuts! To use just put the metal lance in the hole, or crevice, (don’t spray over surface) as soon as you find a fresh one, give a little squirt…….Job done.

Do not leave this problem unchecked.

Good luck

[h90]

Don’t know exactly what you got there, as already said you could leave with the landlord, just deal with it yourself…………I would do both.

I live in an all wood house, I regularly find fine wood dust on the deck or little ‘mole hills’ of saw dust on the floor.

I can recommend this stuff; ‘CHAINDRITE 1’ It’s the mutts nuts! To use just put the metal lance in the hole, or crevice, (don’t spray over surface) as soon as you find a fresh one, give a little squirt…….Job done.

Do not leave this problem unchecked.

Good luck

and repeat it frequently

[h90]

It may be a new, clean apartment but the door frames are from untreated wood that already had the wood borer larvae living inside. They can lie dormant for a couple of years. Tell the landlord and expect new door frames.

or expect the landlord to kick you out for being a trouble maker and keeping the deposit because of the holes in the door frame

[arthurwait]

The ladyboy next door is making a glory hole for you.

[PattayaParent]

If you can literally hear the critters chomping their way through the wood then it's termites.

Otherwise probably just woodworm.

[Naam]

If you can literally hear the critters chomping their way through the wood then it's termites.

Otherwise probably just woodworm.

that is correct. woodworms can only be heard when they are partying and hired a brass band.

[notmyself]

It may be a new, clean apartment but the door frames are from untreated wood that already had the wood borer larvae living inside. They can lie dormant for a couple of years. Tell the landlord and expect new door frames.

And perhaps doors.

[phuturatica]

That would freak me out! Kill it with fire I say!

[Ricardo]

If you can literally hear the critters chomping their way through the wood then it's termites.

Otherwise probably just woodworm.

that is correct. woodworms can only be heard when they are partying and hired a brass band.

Heard they also like wood-wind instruments ?

Edited April 19, 2012 by Ricardo

[mrireland]

It sounds very like 2 things:

http://www.duratechpestcontrol.com/carpenter.htm

or

http://www.asktheexterminator.com/Beetles/Powder_Post_Beetle.shtml

I actually caught the fcuker kicking out the sawdust today, its hard to see because its a small hole and when it kicks out the sand the sand blocks up the hole while it falls down the door frame but you can see what appears to be legs disappearing back into the hole.

Would a good idea be to plug up the hole with tape until the landlord gets here to take a look or should i spray insect killer into first then plug it up before it escapes and goes elsewhere or in case theres eggs in there and they start hatching

From what i read termites eat the wood but the above 2 dont, they seem to be drilling and pushing out the fine sawdust.

[Tonto21]

It sounds very like 2 things:

http://www.duratechp...m/carpenter.htm

or

http://www.asktheext...<br /><br />I actually caught the fcuker kicking out the sawdust today, its hard to see because its a small hole and when it kicks out the sand the sand blocks up the hole while it falls down the door frame but you can see what appears to be legs disappearing back into the hole.

Would a good idea be to plug up the hole with tape until the landlord gets here to take a look or should i spray insect killer into first then plug it up before it escapes and goes elsewhere or in case theres eggs in there and they start hatching

From what i read termites eat the wood but the above 2 dont, they seem to be drilling and pushing out the fine sawdust.

I quote; "Would a good idea be to plug up the hole with tape until the landlord gets here to take a look or should i spray insect killer into first then plug it up before it escapes and goes elsewhere or in case theres eggs in there and they start hatching"

Are you new to this? "plug it up before it escapes and goes elsewhere"......It may just keep eating out to the other side.........Just spray in all the holes you find.....Job done.

[thaibeachlovers]

It sounds very like 2 things:

http://www.duratechp...m/carpenter.htm

or

http://www.asktheext...<br /><br />I actually caught the fcuker kicking out the sawdust today, its hard to see because its a small hole and when it kicks out the sand the sand blocks up the hole while it falls down the door frame but you can see what appears to be legs disappearing back into the hole.

Would a good idea be to plug up the hole with tape until the landlord gets here to take a look or should i spray insect killer into first then plug it up before it escapes and goes elsewhere or in case theres eggs in there and they start hatching

From what i read termites eat the wood but the above 2 dont, they seem to be drilling and pushing out the fine sawdust.

Doesn't sound like termites. They eat away from the inside, and not necessarily apparent till the wood disintigrates. We have loads of termites around our place. I spent ages knocking their little mud "houses" off the walls after we moved in.

A vacant house across the road had all the woodwork completely destroyed by them.

What you have sounds like a wood worm or borer.

[jinjinswing]

Dont worry...your apartment is 99% concrete and masonary, though your front door will fall off its hinges one day...

anyway leave them alone they will die before too long, they dont eat much...and im pretty sure there borers...messie guys.

[nietzche]

Dont worry...your apartment is 99% concrete and masonary, though your front door will fall off its hinges one day...

anyway leave them alone they will die before too long, they dont eat much...and im pretty sure there borers...messie guys.

Sorry, but this is possibly the worst advice that any human has ever given another..........

[Philatio]

If the powder is very fine and the holes almost undetectable, it is Bluak - termites, and as some of the posters have already said, use Chaindrite. The Thais will tell you "No Problem" they only eat the soft OUTSIDE of the wood, which sadly these days is what most of the wood you get here is.

There is another couple to watch out for - one is a medium sized wood boring wasp, it won't wreck the place but leaves bigger holes than the termites. The last one I came across is this Bee, looks like a bumble bee, it drills a hole into even hardwood about 1/2 inch diameter, (all you find on the floor is a pile of powder - but if you look up you will see a hole perfectly round as if someone had drilled a hole with a Black and Decker...and it is busy inside making compartments for its young) it then burrows its way up inside forming long corridors where it lays the eggs and the larvae hatch, these can be really destructive.