They feed and grow and produce long, winding tunnels inside the wood. Larvae grow till slightly more than 1 inch in length. The feeding action of the borers promotes the wood decay that also occurs in moist wood. Any wet, rotting wood could be a source for wharf borers. Reported sources include timbers and posts in contact with moist soil, lumber or wooden items under leaking plumbing or other water problems and buried lumber.
Wood wetted by dog urine is reported to be especially attractive to wharf borer beetles.
Control of a wharf borer problem requires correcting moisture problems and removing or replacing rotted wood such as decayed structural lumber or wood laying on or buried in the soil. Insecticide sprays are not effective for the control of this pest and their application would be a waste of time. Emerged beetles need only be vacuumed or picked up and discarded. It may or may not apply in your area. Prepared by Donald Lewis , Extension Entomologist.