The name woodworm is quite self-explanatory – they live off wood! The critters are also known as ‘wood boring beetles’ and have plagued the world for centuries. If left untreated, they can cause great damage to your home or workplace. Expect to see them between May and October as that is when they are most active!
Woodworm favour moist, nutritious timber, particularly on the ground. Eggs are lain inside, and once metamorphosed into larvae, they will tunnel deep into the wood and remain there between three and five years – at this life stage, they are the main culprits to blame for damaging wood in your properties. Eventually, they will emerge as adults.
The sole purpose of male woodworm is to mate once they have grown as they have a very short lifespan. Females only live for up to 14 days, whereas males only live for up to 4 days!
How to identify a woodworm infestation:
- Small round holes in wood around your home.
- Crumbling edges to your furniture and house structures.
- Dust near to the wood.
- Adult beetles around the affected areas!
- Carefully inspect pre-owned furniture when you are buying it.
There are 4 main types of woodworm in the UK, including furniture beetles, longhorn beetles, powderpost beetles and deathwatch beetles. Furniture beetles are the most common and feed on all types of wood. Longhorn beetles prefer softwood like roof timbers, they can also infest other areas in the summer months as they are able to fly in warmer temperatures. Powderpost beetles are the most damaging of beetles and prefer hardwood. Whereas, Deathwatch beetles are often located in damp timbers such as sapwood and oak and have a ticking mating call. Their name derives from the Victorian era, when hospitals said the ticking noise was an omen for death.
Please call us and we will survey your property and decide on the best way to treat your property whilst ensuring its structural integrity.