What bug is eating my furniture ....? A little help...?

[mikey88]

Hi..

I've got this very common light wood thai style furniture with the faux rattan on the exterior stained with a dark stain and a bit of varnish maybe....

It's been in the house for months... House has been locked up and dark (sadly) and when I came back ...little bits appear to have been eaten away. it looks like bits of the veneer has been eaten off in parts....mainly in the corners. There is a sort of white material in strips on parts and what look like very small moth cocoons stuck to the walls of the house....

Any bug experts have an opinion of what it is .... And importantly...how do I treat it?

Many thanks in anticipation...

[Beng]

Some pics would be helpful.

[JDGRUEN]

Is there what looks like fine sawdust anywhere ... under the chair or elsewhere?

[eyecatcher]

The small cocoon type hanging things common under stairs and ceilings are mosquitoes but as opposed to hatching out i am convinced they go there to die.

The furniture eaters normally the bamboo worm from the wasp that hatches out inside the wood however you do not mention piles of wood dust so its not that.

With pieces being eaten i fear cockroaches. Easy to get rid of them either by buying thr bait usually in a small red disc can buy everywhere or if you dont like to clear up carcasses buy some camphor from the market.

A small lump dotted about or even wrap in a muslin cloth and put in cupboards under work units should keep them away.

[mikey88]

Thanks for those suggestions..

In terms of fine sawdust.....no..

There's lots of small, roundish, dark looking droppings of some description around the base of the furniture and on top of the wardrobes etc... Looks a bit like tea only not black but dark brown and roundish...

Any ideas..

[JDGRUEN]

Thanks for those suggestions..

In terms of fine sawdust.....no..

There's lots of small, roundish, dark looking droppings of some description around the base of the furniture and on top of the wardrobes etc... Looks a bit like tea only not black but dark brown and roundish...

Any ideas..

Cockroach poop ... or other insect

[eyecatcher]

Yes definately cockroaches. Get tge red disc destroyer into action and the camphor.

Also suggest you take yiur furniture outside and give it a good spraying then any eggs will be destroyed.

[thailand49]

If your house and locations is like mines, the small brown cocoons with small holes are wasps nest.that are usually built anywhere they can attach themselves too. The Thai rattan furnishing is small bored holes are usually worms or termites you can get a can of insecticide at 7/11, it is a tall can with a straw like insert to the tip? it is for a number of insect... insert the straw into the holes and shoot...If you are out in the country like me replace the furniture in the future.

[ukrules]

This is a good one :

[Ned]

My rattan furniture got attacked by wood borers......in Thai,"mort."

[MiKT]

Not sure if they eat the rattan furniture, but beware of the termites (flying ants) that eat wood. They love to munch through the compressed wood pulp that forms the interior of the formica boards that are used for cabinets, etc.

The Home Pro fitted kitchen in my tenth foor Bangkok apartment was wrecked when we went away for a few months and our daughter left the windows open when the ants were flying. I also had this in the Hong Kong NT's in the eighties when the stairs were eaten from underneath, you just cannot get rid of the horrible smell without stripping out all the wood.

[Strangebrew]

Simple to get rid of take furniture outside get a gallon of gas pour on furniture Then set it on fire bring mashmellows to roast. And but on Thai music very loud confuses neighbors.

[Chiengmaijoe]

I had this problem a few days ago. Certainly not termites. The dust was, as you say, almost like tea-leaves. It was at the base of a door frame and there were no obvious signs of boring. I sprayed with thus stuff and it seemed to have worked. I don't know where the wife bought it, but it is an eco-friendly product, maybe bought st Rimping. Worth keing some in stock, at home.

[masuk]

The small cocoon type hanging things common under stairs and ceilings are mosquitoes but as opposed to hatching out i am convinced they go there to die.

The furniture eaters normally the bamboo worm from the wasp that hatches out inside the wood however you do not mention piles of wood dust so its not that.

With pieces being eaten i fear cockroaches. Easy to get rid of them either by buying thr bait usually in a small red disc can buy everywhere or if you dont like to clear up carcasses buy some camphor from the market.

A small lump dotted about or even wrap in a muslin cloth and put in cupboards under work units should keep them away.

The small cocoons hanging by threads are a garden bug. I had them in a hedge last year, and when they wanted to pupate, they hung themselves from walls and ceilings in the car port.

Mosquitoes lay their eggs in still water, and the larvae feed and mature there and then fly off as adults.

[Antifreeze]

I’m no expert and may be not the problem you have.

Had a problem with some little worm that was boring into the rattan furniture. Could see a little bit of wood dust on the floor and if taking a careful look at the furniture small pinholes (0.5mm) here and there. I did not want to spray insecticide so I waited for a hot sunny day and laid down the infested side on a hot dark ceramic patio. Worked just fine. I supposed they are still in there but certainly cooked! But looks like yours may be a larger insect.

As for the little cocoons on walls and ceilings, if they are 5 to 10mm long, pumpkin seed shaped, white, greyish or otherwise spotted then they probably are Casemaking Moth or Bagworm. They carry the little cocoon as they feed on animal matter such as hairs. When mature they find a spot on a wall or ceiling corner to pupate. A small moth emerges and lays a couple hundred of eggs. Best remedy is to regularly sweep/vacuum.

[Chiengmaijoe]

Humble pie time. I reckon it is a termites problem. I normally see a fine dust when termites are about so I assumed the thicker brown dust wasn't termites. A quick look on the internet suggests it is indeed termites. The problem I have is that they are in a door frame and although i did eventually find a small bore hole it is right at the bottom and the termites may be high up.

I thought that my spraying with wood-vinegar had solved the problem but I didn't realise that the housemaid had been brushing up the dust before I saw it. She did say there is a lot less today so maybe it's slowly working. Since the frame is painted it isn't easy for the wood vinegar to absorb the wood. I'll let you know if I managed to kill them off. Maybe a small drill hole higher up is needed. Anyone got any other advice? The frame sounds okay when I tap on it but the infestation may be recent.

For furniture, the advice of leaving it in the light and heat of the sun is a very good, effective measure.

[mikey88]

You have all been very helpful so thank again....