Both chewing termites and rodents have caused leaks in flexible PVC tubing (also called Spa Hose), the kind used in pools and spas. But now a different kind of insect-caused damage is also showing up in PEX tubing, a flexible plastic tubing used in plumbing and radiant heating.
The leaking in this tubing is not because it has been chewed on, but from microscopic holes. It was recently discovered that these holes can be caused by certain overwintering insects that randomly puncture the plastic with their sharp, needle-like mouthparts. Some insects have surprisingly strong piercing mouthparts—some of them puncture hard seed shells to feed on the nutritious seed inside—which is why they are able to puncture plastic tubing. Common pests that have these types of mouthparts include boxelder bugs, stink bugs, and western conifer seed bugs, a fall-invading insect that has been spreading to new areas around the country.