Woodworm Infestation
Please view our property services pages to read indepth information on how to treat and deal with woodworm problems.
The 4 Main Wood Boring Species:
Common Furniture Beetle
This beetle is responsible for about 75% of damage to property. Generally found in Softwoods and European hardwoods. Solid timber, sapwood only affected unless wood rot present when it may be found in heartwood also. Very rare in tropical hardwoods.
Frequent in older furniture and all constructional timbers, particularly around loft access, timbers in contact with solid walls, under stairs, cupboards and other areas affected by damp. Emergence holes and tunnels are circular, 1 - 2 mm diameter. Often extensive, random orientation but mainly direction of grain. The bore dust is cream coloured and gritty when rubbed between fingers.
The adults are 3 - 5 mm long, dull brown. Found on and around damaged timber during late March and early August, particulary in warm weather. The larva are up to 6 mm long, curved pale cream. They have 3 pairs of legs and a narrow dark band over the mouth parts.
House Longhorn Beetle
Attacks Sapwood of most softwoods, particularly roofing timbers. At present common only in area of England SW of London (mainly Surrey) where Building Regulations exists to protect structural timber and prevent further spread. Small inactive infestations are common in buildings over 100 hundred in London. Isolated infestations in other parts of country usually stem from imported inested packing cases and very occasionally found in softwood plywood.
May be over looked in early stages. With large infestations, larval feeding may be audible on warm days as scraping noise. The tunnels are oval 6 – 10 mm in largest dimension. Extensive and join up to cause almost complete disintergration of sapwood but leaving thin, intact surface skin. Dust filled tunnels can cause blisters or corrugations on surface of wood which may be observed with oblique lighting from torch. The bore dust is cream coloured, sausage shaped pellets and when rubbed between fingers is gritty.
The adults are 10 – 12 mm long, black or dull brown. Smooth central line on thorax flanked by two shiny bumps. Two grey patches of hair on wing covers. Found on or around infested timber, July to October, particularly on warm days. The larva are up to 30 mm long, straight pale cream. Three pairss of very small legs. Three small black dots arranged in vertical rows on either side of mouth. Found all year round in infested wood.
Wood Boring Weevil
Normally associated with decaying softwoods and hardwoods in damp conditions; poorly ventilated ground floors, cellars and wood in contact with damp solid floors and walls are particularly susceptible. Damage secondary to funal decay. Also attack plywood in these conditions. Both adults and larvae attack wood. The holes are small, ragged, about 1 mm diameter. The tunnels are numerous and nomally in direction of grain, the bore dust is fine grit.
The adults are 3 - 5 mm long, brownish black wit distinctive long snout. Found on or around infested wood all year round. May migrate in large numbers into rooms adjacent to damage, particularly during summer months or if drying takes place. The larva are up to 4 mm long, curved, pale cream. No legs. Thin dark line above mouth parts. Found in infested wood all year round.
Death Watch Beetle
Attacks hardwood and a damaging borer in old buildings such as churches. Generally found in Sapwoods and Heartwood of partially decayed hardwoods, chiefly oak. Often found in historic buildings where large quantities of oak or elm are used structurally. Softwoods rarely attacked except when in contact with infested hardwood.
Dampness essential for establishment and promoting rapid development, although attack can continue, albeit slowly in drier timbers. Found in areas prone to dampness, wall plates, ends of floor joists, lintels and other built in timbers. Damage often extreme in concealed bearing ends of timbers inserted into damp walls. In conjunction with wood rot may hollow out centre of large section beams.
The tunnels are circular, 3 mm in diameter, often extensive and random in orientation and mainly in direction of grain. The bore dust is cream coloured, disc shaped pellets and gritty when rubed between fingers. The adults are 6 - 9 mm Lond and chocolate brown. Found on or beneath timbers in March to June particularly in warm weather when they may be seen and heard tapping their heads.
The Larva are up to 9 mm long and are curved pale cream. They have three pairs of legs and are covered in fine golden hairs. Found within timber all year round, but may be located deep within large size timber. Occasionally fall from severely damaged wood and are found on floor beneath.
Woodworm Eradication
Woodworm is the commonly used term for a number of wood boring insects which lay their eggs on or in timber and whose larvae bore through the wood leaving a network of tunnels, damaging and weakening the structure.
Woodworm attack is varied - both in the type of timber which different species infest and their larval life-span which can range from ten months to 11 years. This means that accurate identification by the surveyor is the first essential step because not all infestations need treatment.
Professional Woodworm Survey
A thorough survey of the building is needed to locate the areas of active woodworm infestation. In domestic buildings it may be necessary to lift sections of floorboards and gain access to lofts and roof voids. Where timbers are heavily infested by woodworm and wood rot, and have to be cut away and replaced, our surveyor will also consider all the structural aspects of the building and will guide you through any difficult infestations.
Woodworm Treatment
At Verminate we have a range of products to treat all types of situatations.
We use micro-emulsion insecticidal formulations applied by spray, brush or paste that carry very little odour and permit re-occupation of treated areas within 1 - 2 hours. The special micro emulsion formulation lead to better penetration than obtained with the older traditional water based emulsified preservatives. It will provide the necessary control and long term protection of wood against woodboring insect infestation for many years thereby giving confidence in any issued long term guarantee.
Timber paste a full bodied emulsion for the use in eradication of wood boring insect and treatment of fungal decay. The active ingredients are Permethrin and Organoboron Ester. This product is used for the pre-treatment and the remedial treatment of timber where acess is restricted or where treatment by conventional fluid methods may not be adequate.
Boron timber rods are designed to be used as implants in vulnerable timbers such as joist ends or lintels resting or embedded in masonary, or in timbers in ground contact. This product is used in such timbers that may be periodically or continually be at or above fibre saturation point of around 28-30%. Under these conditions Boron rods will diffuse rapidly and distribute preservatives into the surrounding timbers.
Boron brushable gel a special boron based, brushable and injectable gel, it leaves no surface residue after treatment, is non staining and can be over painted in time. This product is used in high risk areas to treat dry and wet rot as well as destroying insect.
If you have a problem with woodworm, Verminate can help you! Contact us today for more information and please view our indepth property pages covering woodworm.
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If you have a problem with woodworm, Verminate can help you! Contact us today for more information.
