The Bug "O" Pedia -OLD HOUSE BORER

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OLD HOUSE BORER

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Old House Borer: Hylotrupes bajulus
Appearance: Adults are black to brownish-black, about five-eighths to one inch long; slightly flattened; wing covers are usually completely black, but may have distinct white markings.
Habits: Larval stage feeds on seasoned timber for two to ten years before becoming an adult beetle; adult emerges from infested wood, leaving one-fourth inch oval exit hole, and mates, living only 10 to 15 days.
Diet: Larval stage feeds on wood with moisture content of between 10 and 20 percent; prefers softwoods.
Reproduction: Life cycle averages three to five years, but can take as long as 12 years, depending on environmental and nutritional conditions, with the majority of time spent in the destructive larval stage.
Other Information: Contrary to its name, it occurs mostly in houses less than 10 years old.