# Vivarium termites or beetle help



## lewis1989 (Jan 28, 2009)

Hi all

I brought a branch from my local reptile shop and added it into my boas vivarium. I then noticed after a few days some bugs climbing up the glass after misting and something that looks like saw dust. Pics underneath. My questions are whats are these bugs? Are they harmful to my boa and how do I get rid of them? Any help would be great thank you


----------



## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

Looks more like a wood mite than snake mite. Snake mites ten to be rounder and black / dark grey or brown than red or white... Hopefully others will chime in and confirm or deny my identification.


----------



## Swindinian (May 4, 2020)

In the third photo, the profile looks like a weevil? 

Like other beetles, they would have a larval stage, so perhaps there are wood boring larvae in the branch?


----------



## Swindinian (May 4, 2020)

Suspect they aren’t harmful to the boa, but if you see saw dust as well, then they could be slowly chomping down the bark.

Ask advice from the shop, if you think they introduced it. Could try baking or soaking the branch to eliminate unwanted bugs.

inclined to just spray and then hand pick them off, if they are already in there.


----------



## lewis1989 (Jan 28, 2009)

Thanks for the replies, I removed all the log branches last night, will bake them over the weekend. Was scared I had termites at first. I always notice very small white bugs that jump underneath the substrate, could these be springtails?


----------



## lewis1989 (Jan 28, 2009)

How long and at what temperature should I bake ?


----------



## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

Personally I would soak in boiling water.


----------



## wilkinss77 (Sep 23, 2008)

Swindinian said:


> In the third photo, the profile looks like a weevil?
> 
> Like other beetles, they would have a larval stage, so perhaps there are wood boring larvae in the branch?


There are indeed wood boring weevils and I reckon that's what they are.


----------

