Infestation

[Ready about]

Has anyone had problems with wood boring beatles on board, if so how did you get rid of them

[Teknav]

Hi Ready! A Boric acid derivative will kill these beatles; follow the direction on Boracare's insecticide label. The biggest problem that you have is the channeling done by these insects. Wherever they made bores, they weakened the structure of that piece of wood. It will be difficult to track all of these channels, but whenever you find them you'll need to fill them up with a petroleum-based caulking material. Worst case scenario, you will need to carefully remove the infested timber and burn it, to prevent re-occurrence. Once that is done, you'll need to replace the affected wood; use kiln dried low moisture wood. These beatles can really sink a ship; check for hollow sounding on the surrounding timber. Better yet, seek the advice of a pro on how to deal with a large scale infestation. Not an easy task/solution and can be very costly. Good luck!

Mauritz

[Ready about]

Teknav

Thanks for the information you posted, you seem to be quite knowledgeable on the subject so I would like to pose another question

I am under the impression that these beatles lay their eggs in untreated wood and can lay dormant for upto 35 years, I have been in touch with the boat builder and they claim that the beatle must have flown into my yacht and started munching their way through.

Is this a likely scenario????

[Teknav]

Hi! Beatles flying in...a very remote possibility. Invisible beatles' eggs brought in aboard, usually when using cardboard boxes or paper bags when provisioning, is the pathway to infestation. Another possibility is that a piece of wood, used in the construction, was infested. Boric acid and its derivatives are killers to many of the insects that you'll find on a boat; CAUTION: Boric acid, does not discriminate, will kill your pets too! When provisioning, I usually carry reusable "fish net bags with handles". Small stores in outer islands do not always have the best hygiene/pests extermination.

Mauritz

[gjordan]

Boric acid always worked good for us until we tied to a marina in Hawaii. Then the bugs of all kinds overwhelmed us. Since boring beatles live deep in the wood, not like roaches, I think you might want to tent the boat. Exterminators should know if a different type of gas, or a longer duration is needed for the particular bug you have. If they are the same type of bug that I found in some antique furniture, the hole will be very tiny, and probably take a longer gassing to penetrate. Then get a good wood worker to survey the damage, and decide how much surgery you need to do. Regular sprinkling of boric acid helps for most bugs. ___Good Luck ____Grant.

[captain58sailin]

I was under the impression that Boric acid was not harmful to pets etc... it is the buffering agent used in eyewash. Am I misinformed?

[Teknav]

Hiya Captain! Powder Boric acid and its derivatives kill insects/pests by dehydrating them. If a dog licks the powder, it will go through diarrhea and convulsions following kidneys failure/death; due to severe case of dehydration. Ophthalmic Boric Acid eye drops is a very diluted sterile solution. It is used as a mild antibiotic and anti-fungal. In addition, it can be used to relieve eye irritation due to chlorine and salt water exposure to the eyes.

Mauritz

[captain58sailin]

Okay, my Bad, I was told by someone I trusted that, it wasn't harmful to pets. So thank you for the enlightenment. Poor day when you can't learn something.