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HOME > SERVICES > WOODWORM INFESTATION
 
There are four main species of wood-boring beetles which cause damage to property. They are responsible for most infestations in this country and cause a considerable amount of damage to the fabric of buildings year on year.
Responsible for about 75% of all damage caused to properties within the UK. They will attack both soft and hard wood.
Found Mainly in southern England it attacks mainly soft wood but because of its size it creates bigger problems. It is able to bore rapidly through the heart of a building timbers, leaving large bore holes. This beetle is responsible for causing more structural damage than any other species of beetle.
Most commonly associated with older buildings, attacking hard wood particularly where fungal decay has been present in timbers.
This particular beetle is normally associated with timbers where wet rot and damp are or have been present.
The bore holes left on the surface of the wood are the first signs of an attack.
The type of infestation and the species responsible can be determined by the size and shape of the flight holes. In the case of the common furniture beetle flight holes are about 2mm in diameter and are round.
Along with the flight holes there are normally signs of fine wood dust present.
An established infestation can increase at a fast rate, as is illustrated by the life cycle of the common furniture beetle.
This species will lay eggs in clutches of around 26 to 60 at time, usually in cracks in the surface of the wood.
When the larvae emerge from the eggs they tunnel directly into the timbers and will actively carry on boring their way through roof, ceiling and floor joists for upward of three to five years.
Such is their destructive power that if left untreated and allowed to develop in time the grubs will eat their way through sufficient a amount of the wood to eventually weaken the structural strength of the wood to the point where the wood will literally crumble to dust in your hand.
When the grubs finally pupate they emerge as beetles, again find a mate, lay eggs and so the whole cycle begins again.
In most cases the use of the appropriate insecticides or fungicidal fluids are sufficient. In some cases it may be necessary to cut back badly affected timbers to sound wood and where necessary drill into the core of the affected timbers and inject the appropriate solution.
Where infestation has undermined the structural integrity of affected timbers a supplementary survey may be necessary to detail the extent damage. |
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