Now is the time to be vigilant for Woodworm beetles!

The traditional season for woodworm beetles to fly is in spring, roughly from March to May, when the adult beetle emerges to find a mate. So now is an important time when you might see signs of woodworm in your property, and also the time when the infestation may spread.

You may see adult beetles emerging from their holes, or visible about the property. As they emerge, the beetles leave small round holes in your woodwork, varying in size depending on the species, House Longhorn Beetle Hylotrupes bajulu being the largest. The fine, powdery bore-dust or ‘frass’ is left around the holes.

See powdery bore-dust or 'frass' left around the holes on this wooden clock

Now is the season for the common furniture beetle Anobium punctatum, which is the most frequently found of all the wood-boring beetles. It is found in housing timbers, furniture and in wooden outbuildings.

The adult beetle lays eggs on end grain or in cracks and crevices in the wood. Hatching takes place within three to four weeks and a small white grub emerges which proceeds to burrow into the wood where it eats and grows for around three years.

Woodworm beetle eggs

House Longhorn Beetle in action

As spring approaches, the grub tunnels nearer to the surface of the wood. It creates a chamber, in which it can change into a pupa or chrysalis. Here it progressively mutates into a beetle which emerges onto the surface, leaving the bore holes and frass as described above.

Once this transformation is completed, the insect bites a round hole in the thin veneer of wood that covers the pupal chamber and comes crawling out on to the surface a small brown beetle. The beetle may mate and lay eggs on the piece of wood from which it emerged, or it may fly away to lay eggs on another piece of wood and so spread the infestation.

What if I see signs of woodworm?

Urgent action is needed in case the infestation is likely to spread and cause further damage. Common forms of woodworm, including where they can be found and the damage that they do, are described in our homeowner woodworm page include:

• Common Furniture Beetle 
• Powder Post Beetle 
• Wood Boring Weevil 
• Death Watch Beetle 
• House Longhorn Beetle 

A professional survey is needed to identify the woodworm infestation and locations and how urgent is the need for a solution. The surveyor will identify which species are causing the damage, and also whether the beetles are still active. Click this link to arrange a woodworm survey . Our surveyor will outline the severity of the woodworm infestation and will describe the potential woodworm treatment costs and alternatives. 

Woodworm: Powder Post Beetle

The Powder Post Beetle (Lyctus brunneus) damages wide-pored hardwood with a high starch content, such as ash, elm and oak. The Powder post Beetle can cause severe damage by tunnelling along the grain and can often be found in parquet or wood block floors.

A picture and description can be found here:http://www.pestworld.org/powderpost-beetle. According to this US article, some researchers believe that powder post beetles are second only to termites in the United States in their destructiveness to wood and wood products.

This woodworm beetle requires a high starch content which is present in new wood; the starch content will naturally deplete as the timber ages and text books say that the infestation will naturally die out after 10 or so years as a result. Older timbers (over 15 years old) don't provide a suitable environment for this species.

However the infestation can cause considerable damage in that time as the beetle has a short life cycle. The timbers can be treated as for Common Furniture Beetle. However, if the infestation covers a large area, we recommend brush applied gel treatments.

The key to avoiding serious problems from powderpost beetles is early detection. As noted earlier, homeowners are much more likely to see damage than the beetles themselves. Since tunnelling and development of the larvae takes place entirely below the wood surface, the only signs of infestation are the holes made by the adults as the leave the wood, and the powder-like bore-dust, known as frass.

The first action is of course to actually identify which woodworm beetle is causing the infestation – the damage is very similar to Common Furniture Beetle so it is difficult to tell from this. The distinguishing feature is the bore dust, Powder Post Beetle (Lyctus) frass is very fine like talcum powder, while Common Furniture Beetle frass is gritty.

Professional help is essential for woodworm treatment. Peter Cox Ltd will send an experienced surveyor to visit your property. The surveyor will outline the severity of the woodworm infestation and how urgent the need is for a solution. He will describe the potential woodworm treatment costs and alternatives. A professional survey is needed to find the woodworm infestation areas. The surveyor may need to access roof voids, lift roof insulation and/or floorboards.

The surveyor will identify which species are causing the damage, and also whether the beetles are still active. You can arrange a woodworm survey by entering your details into the form on the right.