Do we know our enemy by sight? Barbel beetle

One of the most unusual insects in nature is the barbel beetle. Biologists count about 26 thousand species of these cute creatures. All of them have a medium-sized body and, of course, a long mustache – the visiting card of the insect.. The color of the outer cover depends on the species, and the length of the antennae depends on gender..

The body of the beetle is designed in such a way that it is capable of making various sounds. Therefore, the presence of a pest in the house can be recognized precisely by them..

Detailed description of the dangerous insect

Quite often, barbel beetles are called lumberjacks, because they can turn into dust the trunks of powerful trees or shrubs. If insects start in a house from a wooden log house, you should immediately get rid of it. Let’s see what this “cute” pest looks like:

1. Most individuals grow up to 3 cm in length, although there are also giants..
2. The body is elongated, covered with a pair of black or brown wings. Adult barbel beetles can fly long distances.
3. A special advantage is the jaw. Due to their strength, the insect easily gnaws wood, turning it into powder.
4. The visiting card is a mustache. In some species, their length is 4 times the size of the insect itself..

The barbel beetle shown in the photo gives a complete picture of this pest. If you carefully consider it and remember the main features, it will be easier to deal with it. It means to know your enemy in the face. Large-sized barbel beetles are especially striking:

1. The titanium lumberjack grows to a maximum length of 16 cm.
2. Brazilian Big Tooth can reach 17 cm in length.
3. Ussuri relict barbel – about 11 cm.
4. Insect black coloring only up to 4 cm.

As can be seen from the images shown, barbel beetles have a different body structure, color, and elytral structure. Some of them boast formidable spines, graceful outgrowths or tubercles on the surface of the back..

No matter how attractive the beetle looks, you need to get rid of it immediately..

Hidden existence

The habitat of barbel beetles is often hidden from the eyes of people. Insects live and can reproduce in different places, the main thing is the presence of wood. Often their home is:

• tree trunks;
• shrubs;
• herbaceous plants;
• human dwellings made of wood.

The female lays eggs in small cracks in the bark of tall trees, in the depressions of young shoots or in the trunks of shrubs. Often they themselves make these indentations for settlement..

With the help of a strong jaw, the female makes a depression in the wood and lays about 300 eggs. After a few weeks, larvae emerge from them, which live for about 17 years. Biologists say that during this period they can make a tunnel 40 km long in the trunk or wood. And they will leave their habitat only in the form of an adult insect. Thus, the larvae weaken the age-old trees, which die over time..

Original diet

What the barbel beetle feeds on truly surprises outside observers. Much depends on the type and habitat of the insect. For example, “Lumberjack” loves to eat pine needles, and “Bark beetle” – young branches. In general, his diet, in addition to wood, consists of the following components:

• pollen;
• leaves;
• bark.

And if a black barbel beetle enters the house, then its menu is supplemented:

• attic beams;
• window frames;
• ceiling rafters;
• various partitions made of wood;
• by sex.

It’s scary to even imagine what a house with such settlers can turn into. By and large, it is in this that the danger of the barbel beetle to humans is noted. Otherwise, the insect causes a smile and admiration for its attractive appearance..

Some species of longhorn beetle feed on the sap that the tree secretes. And the barbel “Titan” does without food at all. Therefore, you should not destroy all insects with long whiskers in a row..

Miniature pest control methods

Often, pests enter the house along with wooden building materials. Nondescript, almost invisible beetles rarely attract the attention of people who are focused on work. Therefore, a few tips will help you spot your worst enemy before he takes action:

1. Unusual crackling of wood in the daytime indicates that the barbel beetle has settled under the bark of an uncleaned trunk. Noise during the night indicates the presence of larvae in the structure of the felled tree..
2. If winding miniature tunnels are visible on the surface, this is a sign of an infected product..
3. The bark is easily removed from the surface of the trunk, which means the beetles are somewhere nearby.
4. Brown or yellowish dust indicates large colonies of pest larvae that abundantly feed on wood.

The presence of these signs prompts immediate action. But how to get rid of the barbel beetle and protect the house from irreparable harm? The optimal solution is the processing of wooden building structures with special substances. Otherwise, the beetles will freely enter the new dwelling. However, in some cases, builders overlook to do such processing and over time pests settle in wood structures..

You can check for barbel with a screwdriver. To do this, you need to pierce the wooden surface of the building. If it enters freely, it means that the larvae are gradually destroying it..

To eliminate barbel beetles from wooden structures, it is necessary to perform the following work:

• cleaning contaminated surfaces with a brush;
• removal of wood dust with a vacuum cleaner;
• preparation of an insecticide, according to the instructions provided;
• processing of various recesses, cracks or holes in a wooden structure using a spray gun.

To ensure 100% effect of the chemical, the room is tightly closed for 3 hours. After the specified period, be sure to ventilate for at least 6 hours.

When working with chemicals, it is necessary to wear protective clothing, goggles and a respirator.