It’s not just termites that threaten our interiors. Less known but just as devastating, the house capricorn makes your wooden structures its favorite meal. From beams to frames, this insect can cause heavy damage if it takes hold. Here are the keys to flushing out this pest and getting rid of it for good.
Also called wood capricornthe house Capricorn may be small, but he can do great damage. How to identify it with certainty, what attracts it to our interiors and how fight against this xylophage and get rid of it for good? All our answers to your questions.
Who is he and what does he look like? Photos
Unlike the termite which looks like a large white ant, the capricorn is a beetle insect – its wings are therefore covered by elytra. Of blackher flattened body and partially hairy adult measurement between 1 and 2 cm and is equipped with two long curved antennae which earned it its name Capricorn. Although equipped with wings, the adult capricorn flies little and is quite sedentary, especially when it has found a good frame to lay its eggs. This is in fact its only function: reproduction.
What attracts Capricorns?
Capricorns are lovers of softwood (maritime pine, Scots pine, larch, fir or spruce). Certain geographical areas such as Landes or Provence – rich in conifers – are particularly affected by their damage.
It is only once inside the plinths, beams, door and window frames that the capricorn larvae develop their network by devouring the wood and creating labyrinths. The wood then becomes worm-eaten. To do this, they infiltrate under the surface of the wood by digging small oval holes measuring 1 cm, which are easy to spot.
New clue allowing their presence to be detected: by gnawing the wood with their mandible, the larvae leave small piles of sawdust on the ground. Finally, if the Capricorn is rather discreet visually, it is however noisy when it comes to devouring wood. By listening carefully, it is possible to recognize the light squeaking sound that the larva makes when feeding on wood. Another important point is the time of year. Capricorn likes heat, so it is not uncommon to see him at work during the summer months.
To find out how to properly treat your home against Capricorns, bring in a professional. It will identify areas attacked by insects by probing the wood. Then, he will estimate the damage using the loggingwhich consists of eliminating infested parts of wood. Then comes the brushing – stage during which the professional dusts the surfaces and drills holes to facilitate the penetration of the product. Finally, he injects the pressure or syringe treatment to eliminate capricorns. It ends with surface application to prevent further laying. This treatment guarantees effectiveness for 10 years.
What natural treatment against capricorns?
Capricorn loves heat, you can try to eliminate them by creating a thermal shock in the room they have invested. Simply turn off the heating, plug in an air conditioner or simply leave the windows open for a while – ideally at night when it’s cooler.
For objects or small wooden furniture attacked by capricorns – always using cold as a treatment method – seal them in an insulated bag and place them in a freezer. Below 0°C, the cold removes the oxygen present in the bag. It thus kills the insects present in the trapped furniture.
Please note: these solutions are not preventive treatments. They therefore do not prevent a recurrence of house capricorns.
