‘Woodworm’ is a general term for many wood boring beetles that can infest and damage structural timbers in buildings, floorboards, furniture and other wooden items. Our experts assess the extent of any woodworm problem and offer tailored solutions to quickly and effectively solve the problem, with all our specialist woodworm treatments including long-term guarantees.
Signs of Woodworm
Some wood boring insects prefer softwoods like pine, spruce and cedar while others like hardwoods such as oak, ash, sweet chestnut and mahogany. All of them will leave some signs if you have an active woodworm infestation:
- Fresh exit holes in timber – round or oval in shape with sharp edges, the holes will appear clean and fresh
- Tunnels in the wood – also known as ‘galleries’ which are often hidden
- Bore dust (also known as frass) – caused by emerging adult beetles, usually visible below the infested timber
- Weak and damaged floorboards – in extreme cases a foot or chair leg going through the floor can indicate a more serious problem
- Crumbly corners or edges – to roof joists or floorboards
- Dead beetles – usually found near the infested timber or around nearby windowsills
If left untreated woodworm can seriously weaken timber – which can eventually lead to structural failure in a building.
What do Woodworm look like?
- Adults lay eggs in cracks in wooden objects, floorboards and timbers
- Larvae burrow into wood where they feed and tunnel for several years
- Biting their way out of the wood, adults create ‘flight’ or ‘exit’ holes
- Adult beetles emerge from timbers between May and October
The Common Furniture beetle (Anobium punctatum) is the most widespread across the UK; however Death Watch, House Longhorn and Powder Post beetles can also infest timbers.
There are four stages of woodworm development; egg, larva, pupa and adult beetle. Eggs vary in size, depending on the beetle, but all are difficult to spot with the naked eye. Woodworm larvae are usually a creamy-white colour and curved in shape. When hatched they immediately burrow through the timber, making it very unlikely they would be seen. Safely inside the wood they continue to tunnel and feed for several years. As the larvae mature and increase in size, they bore towards the wood surface to pupate and emerge as adult beetles.
Woodworm Survey
Our professional, experienced surveyors will carry out a thorough inspection to assess the extent of any problem and the type of woodworm involved. They will also determine if the infestation is active, check for associated problems such as wood rot or damp and if any timbers need replacing. Based on this detailed evaluation they will then recommend any appropriate woodworm treatment.
To book survey please call us on tel:01442-240-567
