invasive bug ? - Ask Extension
Found this bug in my basement last fall after moving firewood into the house. it appeared to mostly die off within 24 hours. Recently I found one pict...
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invasive bug ? #858805
Asked February 09, 2024, 10:48 AM EST
Found this bug in my basement last fall after moving firewood into the house. it appeared to mostly die off within 24 hours. Recently I found one pictured on the end of a pice of silver maple. Can you help me identify and tell me what it likes to feed on?
Do I need to take steps so that it does not invade our dream house?
the bugs average about a half inch in length
Chittenden County Vermont
Expert Response
Hello John: I shared your photo with the entomologist, and following is her i.d.
"This is a longhorned beetle, Cerambycidae sp.) of some sort. I can’t identify it to species based on the picture. Knowing the type of wood it emerged from is also useful for id. It is unlikely that this insect will infest the structural wood in the home. However, the homeowner should be advised to avoid storing large amounts of fire wood in their basement. It is best to store most firewood outside a fair distance from the home, bringing in only enough for a few weeks."
Here are a couple of references about fire wood pests that might be helpful:
https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-manage-insects-in-firewood-1968379
https://extension.entm.purdue.edu/publications/E-67/E-67.html#:~:text=Many%20spiders%2C%20small%20beetles%2C%20wood%20roaches%2C%20sowbugs%2C%20pillbugs%2C,emerge%20from%20wood%20are%20parasites%20of%20wood-boring%20insects
https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2022-11-18-why-are-there-bugs-my-firewood-identifying-and-managing-firewood
"This is a longhorned beetle, Cerambycidae sp.) of some sort. I can’t identify it to species based on the picture. Knowing the type of wood it emerged from is also useful for id. It is unlikely that this insect will infest the structural wood in the home. However, the homeowner should be advised to avoid storing large amounts of fire wood in their basement. It is best to store most firewood outside a fair distance from the home, bringing in only enough for a few weeks."
Here are a couple of references about fire wood pests that might be helpful:
https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-manage-insects-in-firewood-1968379
https://extension.entm.purdue.edu/publications/E-67/E-67.html#:~:text=Many%20spiders%2C%20small%20beetles%2C%20wood%20roaches%2C%20sowbugs%2C%20pillbugs%2C,emerge%20from%20wood%20are%20parasites%20of%20wood-boring%20insects
https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2022-11-18-why-are-there-bugs-my-firewood-identifying-and-managing-firewood
Thanks for your help,
The beetles were exclusively on and in an oak tree.
Just an FYI
