Today’s surveyor photo shows the tell tale signs of a woodworm infestation. It was taken by a Timberwise surveyor whilst surveying the loft of a property in Chester that was having a positive pressure ventilation system installed. Our eagle eyed surveyor spotted the tell tale signs of frass (a fine powdery like material that is the waste product of the woodworm)  on some of the owners belongings that  were stored in the loft space. This gave an indication of a possible woodworm infestation.

Although it is common to see  holes left behind by woodworm from previous infestations it is always worth seeking the opinion of a woodworm specialist to see if the infestation is current and needs treatment or not. In this case the surveyor also found some live woodworm indicating that the infestation was active.

The photo above shows one of the purlins in the roof where exit holes from the woodworm are clearly visible. We are now in the woodworm flight season (this runs roughly in the warmer months say May to September) and it is now that the woodworm are “coming out of the wood work” so to speak! For people who are interested in further information about woodworm we have a document written by our “Woodworm Expert” available for free as well as a woodworm video podcast looking in detail at the life cycle of woodworm.

What to do if you have a woodworm problem in your property

Timberwise have been treating woodworm problems for over 40 years and our highly skilled surveyors will be able to advise you on the nature of the woodworm infestation within the property. To arrange a woodworm survey call 0800 288 8660 or complete our woodworm survey request form.

Now that the  warmer weather is upon us we have seen a rise in the number of people asking for our advice with woodworm related problems.  So, to help all those who think they have a woodworm problem here is a timely reminder about woodworm and some useful woodworm tips!

Firstly, do you know what woodworm are? The term woodworm refers to the larvae of any wood-boring beetle, rather than one particular species. Here in the UK, the most common forms of woodworm are the Common Furniture Beetle (Anobium punctatum), Deathwatch Beetle (Xestobium rufuvillosum), House Longhorn Beetle (Hylotrupes bajulus) and Powderpost Beetle (Lyctus brunneus). All species of woodworm invade and consume wood, and then leave the timber when they have reached maturity.

Woodworm advice

Know the type of woodworm infestation you have

It is always a good idea to get a woodworm specialist to identify the type woodworm before you decide on any form treatment. Not all woodworm beetles or larvae are harmful and woodworm specialist would be able to advise you on the type of infestation and the best course of action to remedy the situation. Contact Timberwise for a woodworm survey on 0800 288 8660 or for some helpful woodworm advice from one of our specialist surveyors.

Is it a live woodworm infestation?

To holes that are commonly associated with a woodworm infestation are made by the adult woodworm beetles. The woodworm make the holes as they exit the wood . The woodworm flight season is between May and September. One idea is to block the woodworm holes during the winter months by painting with a simple coat of emulsion, or by applying masking tape. In the spring, you can then easily see if any woodworm beetles have emerged from the timber and therefore determine whether you have an active woodworm infestation or not.

Have the humidity of the timbers checked

Have the humidity of the wood within your property professionally checked by a surveyor with a timber moisture meter. The surveyor will insert the probe into the timber and get an instant moisture content reading. For reference: a moisture content of around 20% would be a cause for concern. Woodworm prefer timbers with a moisture content of over 18% however; woodworm can also tolerate moisture contents as low as 12% for short periods. At lower moisture levels, the rate of woodworm colonisation tends to be low and infestation will die out with prolonged periods of reduced moisture levels. You can assume that a reading of 11% puts you at very low risk of a woodworm problem

Woodworm advice – helping to prevent woodworm infestations

To prevent further woodworm infestation, it is an idea to employ the following woodworm tips:

- Remove items of furniture or non-structural timber that are woodworm infested to avoid the woodworm spreading to other timber in the property.

- Keep humidity levels low and ensure areas with wood are well ventilated.

- Install electric fly traps in loft spaces and areas that are under-ventilated. This will help kill emerging adult woodworm beetles in the summer months, and thus reduce the threat of further infestation.

Further woodworm advice from Timberwise

To find out more about woodworm, visit the following woodworm related web pages:

- What is woodworm?: General information about woodworm & woodworm beetles

- The Woodworm Lifecycle: from larvae to beetle – learn about the lifecycle of woodworm

- Woodworm Treatment: watch our woodworm video and find out how Timberwise can eradicate your woodworm problem

Contact Timberwise for further Woodworm Advice

If you would like to talk to someone regarding your woodworm problem, contact your local Timberwise office on on 0800 288 8660. Alternatively complete our woodworm survey request form.

House Longhorn beetle (Hylotrupes bajulus)

Today’s photo looks at damage caused by one of the least common types of woodworm found in the UK  – House Longhorn beetle.

 House Longhorn beetle is seldom found outside of north west Surrey although it has been found to a much lesser extent in parts of London. Isolated outbreaks of House Longhorn have been found in other parts of the UK as a result of infested packing cases. Principally the House Longhorn beetle is is found in roof timbers where it can cause structural damage by feeding on the sapwood of softwood species of timber. To control the spread of the House Longhorn beetle  local Building Regulations require that new roof timbers are pre-treated with an appropriate preservative.

What does the House Longhorn beetle look like?

The larvae of the House Longhorn beetle usually mature in the spring months. The mature House Longhorn beetles eat their way out of the timber, in the process creating a hole  between 6-10 mm in diameter. These holes resemble the holes left by the most common form of woodworm, Common Furniture Beetle, with the exception that the holes are significantly larger. The head and body are covered with greyish coloured hairs and two shiney black spots that resemble eyes. To learn more about the life cycle of woodworm view check out of woodworm life cycle animation.

What should I do if I suspect I have a House Longhorn beetle infestation?

Timberwise are experts in treating woodworm of all kinds. With over 4 decades experience in treating woodworm you can be sure that Timberwise can treat your House Longhorn beetle problem quickly and effectivley. To arrange a woodworm survey couldn’t be easier simply call 0800 288 8660 or complete our on-line Woodworm Survey Request form.

Meet “The Expert”  – This man of mystery is an experienced consultant with a wealth of knowledge to share. In this article we look briefly at the different kinds of woodworm found in the UK and look at the different characteristics of them.

The term ‘woodworm’ is a generic term which covers attack by any wood boring insect.  In the UK there are a number of wood boring insects which can infect timbers in properties.  However, others which attack trees and logs in forests and woodlands cannot infest or survive in seasoned timber but in such cases the ‘pre-attacked’ timber can be incorporated into buildings where it will present no problem as the infestation is no longer present.

Set out below are some details of wood boring insects which are most commonly encountered attacking seasoned timber in buildings and which, depending on their state, may need treatment.

Common Furniture beetle (Anobium punctatum)

In appearance the Common Furniture Beetle is a small dark reddish brown beetle. Damage caused by the Common Furniture Beetle is by far the most common woodworm damage encountered. The beetles attacks sapwood of softwood and European hardwoods. The attack is most severe in damp and fast grown timbers.

The Common Furniture Beetle

  Deathwatch beetle (Xestobium rufovillosum)

This beetle is a chocolate brown coloured insect  with a variegated appearance due to the presence of patches of yellowish hairs. You are very likely to find the beetles during the emergence period – mid-March to end of June. Attacked wood is virtually always hardwood with some degree of decay, often by the white rot, Donkioporia expansa. Wood is usually oak. However, Deathwatch beetle will attack softwood if well rotted and in contact with infested hardwood. Deathwatch beetle is not usually found in Scotland or Northern Ireland.

Deathwatch Beetle

 Wood-boring Weevils (Euophryum confine and Pentarthrum huttoni)

The beetles are small and black in appearance. Wood-boring weevil damage is very common in damp skirting boards and embedded joist ends. Wood boring weevils are effectively a secondary pest in that the real problem is the dampness/decay.

Wood boring weevil

 Powder Post beetle (Lyctus brunneus)

A mid reddish brown beetle  the damage it makes looks similar to Common Furniture Beetle damage, the holes being of similar size.

Powder Post beetle

 House Longhorn beetle (Hylotrupes bajulus)

A large beetle black to dark brown in colour with long antennae. This insect is VERY localised to the south-east of England, centred around the Camberley area. House Longhorn beetle can cause severe structural damage.

House Longhorn Beetle

 As described above, some damage to wood may have been caused by ‘forest’ wood boring insects.  Even where timbers have been infected within a property some wood borers are regarded as innocuous and do not require treatment, and in some cases an infestation has simply died out.

At Timberwise all our surveyors are fully conversant with the wide range of wood boring insects found in the UK, and most important, whether the infestation needs treatment or not.  We are fully aware of limiting preservative treatments to only those situations which are necessary, thus we only carry out works where is essential thereby minimising costs and disruption to the client but still maintaining the integrity of the timber.

If you suspect you have a woodworm infestation don’t panic! Call 0800 288 8660 to speak to one of our woodworm experts or click to arrange a survey. 

Watch out woodworm are about! Important woodworm information for home owners.

Now that the warmer months are upon us we are beginning to see more cases of woodworm infestation in property. To help home owners have a better understanding about
woodworm and the life cycle of the woodworm we have produced a short video that shows clearly the life cycle of the woodworm.

Here is the life cycle explained in a little more detail: For the purpose of this illustration we have made the assumption that the beetle that lands on the timber is a pregnant female.

1. The female beetle starts the life cycle process by laying her eggs directly into the timber through cracks, crevices and existing flight holes. To protect the eggs they are not left on the surface of the timber.

2. After a few weeks the eggs hatch downwards into the timber and produce larvae  – this is the worm stage of the infestation. This worm, or larval stage, carries on for any where between 2 and 5 years. In that time the larvae  eats its way up and down the timbers and causes the structural damage to the timber. It is at this stage in the life cycle that the frass, or dust, that is associated with woodworm is produced.

3. Towards the end of its life cycle it forms a pupal chamber where it enlarges the tunnelling towards the surface of the timber and pupates from the larval stage into an adult beetle.

4. The adult beetle then eats its way through the last thin veneer of timber producing the round exit holes that you normally see. From here on in the beetle causes very little further damage to the timber.

5. It is the round exit holes that normally identify timber that has been subjected to beetle infestation. The females live for between 10 and 14 days where as their male counterparts only live between 3 and 4 days. Once the adult male beetles have emerged from the chamber there sole purpose is to mate with as many female partners in their short lifespan and the life cycle continues.

If you suspect you have a woodworm infestation don’t panic! Simply call our woodworm experts on 0800 99 11 00 or click to arrange a survey.

The Truth about Woodworm from the woodworm experts – Timberwise

Debate has raged about the scale of the woodworm problem and whether central heating controls it for many years.

Now the matter can finally be settled by the publication of actual data collated by Paul Carter CTIS CRDS A. Inst. MBM of Premier Heritage, the historical and period property division of Timberwise.

Claims that woodworm is effectively no longer a problem and that central heating controls woodworm are now demolished. It is now clear that woodworm remains a widespread threat to the nation’s homes and architectural heritage. It is also clear that woodworm is not controlled by central heating – and there is even the prospect that central heating actually makes the problem worse.

To find out more about the study read on or visit our web pages dedicated to woodworm.

The Truth about Woodworm Study:

Media reports that the use of central heating creates conditions unsuitable for the survival of woodworm in housing appeared with increasing frequency in the early part of the decade. It was further suggested that as a consequence the incidence of woodworm activity in houses had become rare.
No data or other scientific works were advanced to support the postulations, which on the one hand gained apparent credibility by repetition but on the other were dismissed as being  counter-intuitive and unsupported by anecdotal evidence.
Investigations and data collations were conducted by Premier Heritage, the historical & period property division of Timberwise, with the purpose of 1, establishing whether or not data supported the hypotheses propounded in the media and 2, if they were, supported to investigate whether central heating could be employed as an active medium for the eradication  of woodworm infestations in houses.
The findings are contained below:

Methodology

‘Woodworm’ can mean any wood-boring beetle, but is generally used to refer to the Common Furniture Beetle (Anobium punctatum).
Surveys of properties were conducted in 2001 and preliminary findings published. Further surveys were conducted in 2002, 2003, (resources were not available in 2004) and 2005.

The beetle activity was denoted by the presence of new emergence holes and insect frass.
In 2001, 2002 and 2003, each property was the subject of examination of roof and ground floor timbers. Not all ground floor timbers were available for monitoring. In 2005 only roof voids were investigated.

Where properties had central heating systems, they had been installed for over 20 years and the effects of such heating would have been well established. Surveys were carried out when heating systems would have been in full use.
Further data recorded included the relative humidity in the roof voids and moisture content of the timbers.

When a listed prefabricated property was in need of a survey of its timbers the owners called upon Dorset based Timberwise at Sherborne to provide expert advice on eradicating woodworm and treating fungal decay.

Corrugated house in Sherborne

The house, which dates back to the late 1800’s  is one of the last few examples standing of a full sized corrugated iron house in the UK. Originally these pre fabricated buildings were designed for export to part of the ‘Empire” so to have one in such good condition in the UK is exceptionally rare. Originally from London the property was transported by rail to Sherborne and erected in 1889 where it was the home of a local pharmacist.
The property is of timber frame construction, clad with tin and pannelled inside with match wood. Our woodworm survey discovered activity of woodworm in some lower parts of the timber which will benefit from our woodworm treatments.  These treatments will help make this historic local house remain a local feature for many years to come.
For more information on woodworm and our woodworm eradication visit our woodworm pages or call 0800 288 8660.

The Woodworm Lifecycle

1. For the purpose of this explanation we have made the assumption that the beetle that lands on the timber is a pregnant female.
2. The female beetle starts the woodworm lifecycle process by laying her eggs directly into the timber through cracks, crevices and existing flight holes. To protect the eggs they are not left on the surface of the timber.
3. After a few weeks the eggs hatch downwards into the timber and produce larvae – this is the worm stage of the infestation.
4. The worm, or larval stage, carries on for any where between 2 and 5 years. In that time the larvae  eats its way up and down the timbers and causes the structural damage to the timber. It is at this stage in the lifecycle that the frass, or dust, that is associated with woodworm is produced.
5. Towards the end of its lifecycle it forms a pupal chamber where it enlarges the tunnelling towards the surface of the timber and pupates from the larval stage into an adult beetle. The adult beetle then eats its way through the last thin veneer of timber producing the round exit holes that you normally see. From here on in the beetle causes very little further damage to the timber. It is the round exit holes that normally identify timber that has been subjected to beetle infestation.  The females live for between 10 and 14 days where as their male counterparts only live between 3 and 4 days. Once the adult male beetles have emerged from the chamber there sole purpose is to mate with as many female partners in their short lifespan and the lifecycle continues.

Here we see a photographic representation of the lifecycle of the woodworm

The beetles eggs placed in the end grain of the timber.

The larvae or worm stage of the lifecycle.

The pupal chamber showing pupating larvae

Finally the adult Common Furniture Beetle. As the name suggest this beetle is the most common in the UK and can be identified by its distinguishing features such as its “hooded pro-thorax”

Woodworm – Associated Links

Download our Woodworm Solutions Leaflets

Request a woodworm survey for Woodworm Solutions

View our on-line RIBA CPD Woodworm and fungal decay seminar