Woodworm is a common issue that can impact the timber throughout your property if left untreated. If you’re seeing signs of woodworm in your home, you’re probably concerned about the extent of the issue and what that might mean. Infestations can vary, so it’s important to act fast when you spot the signs.

What is Woodworm?

Woodworm is the common term used to refer to the larvae of all wood boring beetles. There are several species found in the UK, but most of the damage is caused by the offspring of the Common Furniture beetle.

What does a woodworm look like?

Woodworm larvae are usually a creamy white colour and have curved bodies. It’s highly unlikely you’ll ever actually see woodworm larvae, as they stay hidden munching away on timber until they are fully-grown. Adult wood boring beetles look different depending on their species: the Common Furniture beetle is a brown winged beetle, typically 3-4mm in length.

Life Cycle of Woodworm

The complete lifecycle of a woodworm takes place over a two to five year period. There are three stages of woodworm development egg laying, hatching/tunnelling, and transformation:

Egg laying phase

The woodworm cycle begins when an adult female wood boring beetle lands on a wooden surface and lays her eggs just under the surface in pores, cracks and crevices. Her aim is to secure the eggs in the safest condition possible to give them the best chance of survival. In any given laying cycle, a female can lay anything between 20-50 eggs in a single batch.

Hatching and tunnelling phase

Within a matter of weeks the eggs will hatch from the bottom to produce larvae. These small larvae will then burrow their way through the wood for anything between two to five years. Over the course of this time, a single larvae will tunnel extensively which is how large batches of the creatures can seriously damage structural integrity.

Transformation

As time passes, the larvae begins to mature and will tunnel its way towards the surface and create a “pupil chamber”. This small room acts as a final staging area where the larvae can rest and begin its transformation into an adult beetle. When the time is right, the newly transformed beetle will bore its way to the surface and fly away, ready to mate with a female and restart the process.

Types of Wood Boring Beetles

Some of the most common wood boring beetles are: Common Furniture beetles, Deathwatch beetles, House Longhorn beetles and Powder Post beetles.

What are the signs of woodworm infestation?

It can be tricky to tell if you have an active woodworm infestation as the main damage is caused inside the timber and you’re unlikely to see any visible results for years. However, there are a number of tell tale signs that can help you identify a potential woodworm infestation:

Additional woodworm infestation signs:

Above are some of the main signs of a woodworm infestation, but there are a few others to look out for:

Dead woodworm beetles around window sills

During the summer months (woodworm season is May to October), you may also spot adult wood boring beetles emerging from holes within the timber. Once a wood boring beetle has chewed itself out of hiding, it instinctively heads for light. So check for live or dead beetles around a suspected woodworm infestation and on the windowsills.

Presence of predatory beetles

Steely Blue beetles are the main predators of the Common Furniture beetle, so if you see them wandering around it’s probably because they’ve found a good food source close by.

Signs of beetle frass

Exit holes are probably the most obvious sign, but they do not occur until the adult beetles are ready to leave the timber, years after hatching as woodworm larvae. So it’s good practice to look for signs of frass on the back or underside of old furniture.

Finding holes and frass on your furniture or flooring isn’t always a cause for concern, they might just be signs of a previous woodworm infestation which has long been dormant. If you are unsure, it’s best to consult a woodworm specialist.

How to tell if woodworm are active

Judging whether the damage you’ve found is an active woodworm infestation or not is always the hard part.

One popular method for testing for an active woodworm infestation is filling the exit holes with beeswax or tissue paper, leaving it for a year and seeing if any adult beetles bore through in the next year. Whether or not you give this a go, it’s always best to talk to a specialist before going ahead with any treatment.

Where You Can Find Woodworm

Woodworm can be found in all manners of wood surfaces including:

Woodworm Damage

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