The photo below is another example of an insect that will "infest" wood but it is not classified as a WDO. First glance, this looks like wood destroying insect damage. The tunneling looks similar to the work of carpenter ants. Ends up, the critters doing the tunneling were sowbugs, one is visible in the photo. These insects DID NOT cause the "real" damage. They were opportunistically taking advantage of wood that had already been destroyed by another wood destroying organism -- rot. The sowbugs themselves are not classified as wood destroying organisms despite the fact they were hanging out in the wood. They would not have been there at all, had the wood (OSB composition wood in this case) been sound and had it not been down in the dirt which was conducive to the rot. You might say the sowbugs are wood destroying organisms that are NOT!
Steven L. Smith
Bellingham WA Home Inspections
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Steve, they are kind of like "mold"---wood inhabiting organisms:) They can also be one of your first signs of damage---somewhere in the vacinity.
Charlie,
I kind of look upon them, similar to the way I look at you in an Irish pub.
Steve, thanks for the info. We were up at our cabin at Lake Merwin, WA. this weekend and noticed a few flying bugs (looked like a big fly) trying to find holes to get into the siding. Are they harmful or just a pests?
Patty and Scott,
The list of flying wood destroying organisms in the state is pretty small. Flying termites, carpenter ants and moisture ants. They all have a distinct look, different from a fly if you really look and the moisture ants are small. Also, about the only insect I have seen in this reproductive stage, so far this cold year, is the carpenter ant. A few of them are out. They will light on buildings, both males and females, in the hope of starting a colony. Most of them die, but a few succeed. Enlarged photo below. If you are worried, catch one and send it to me.
Steven, a sowbug??? The only sows we know here are big pigs! Want me to send you one? LOL Nice post!
Barbara,
I am sure those critters have some fancier name, but we low-life inspectors call them that. I thought of this when my daughter was playing with my grandson today in the garden. She called them potato bugs. I think you can call them whatever you want.
Steven, congratulations on being the highest ranked inspector in the entire Active Rain network!
Thanks Kirk,
I try to do worthwhile blogs to keep that position. That is important to me.
Dang, you mean to tell me those rollie pollies don't destroy wood? HHHmm, I guess they just roll up and roll away.
Sean Allen
Sean,
Those rollie pollies damage wood but they are not wood destroying organisms. So there.
Steve, you mean they damage the damage?
You got it Charlie b, you smooth tongued devil you.