At Principal Property Care we provide remedial timber treatments for infested and damaged timber caused by woodworm, also known as wood boring insects. Woodworm can eventually cause serious structural damage internally and externally if they are allowed to constantly repeat their breeding cycle, and can even lead to structural collapse in a building. Woodworm can also infest valuable household furniture.
WHAT IS WOODWORM
Woodworm is a universal name for a number of wood boring species, which are small insects that attack wood. The term woodworm confuses people because they are a beetle that fly from place to place, the term woodworm refers to the lava stage of the insects life, when they enter and eat through wood.
- Deathwatch Beetle (Xestobium rufovillosum)
- Common Furniture Beetle (Anobium punctatum)
WOODWORM SEASON
Woodworm are seasonal, they normally take flight from April to September, October of each year. Customers frequently contact us stating they have an insect problem around window sills and also on top of attic insulation or loft hatches as most insects are attracted towards light. When we inform the customer on the telephone they are very surprised because they think woodworm is a crawling insect.
HOW TO SPOT WOODWORM ACTIVITY
Wood boring insects enter timber leaving a small pile of dust or frass as it’s professionally known leaving signs of entry holes and tunnels within the timber.
- Bore dust: dust pushed out by emerging adult beetles from the timber.
- Life cycle: from lava to the adult beetle they move inside the timber for 36 months (approx.) causing a trail of destruction and weakening the timber.
Damaged caused from heavy infestation where you could put your foot through a floor or a roof void causing sagging or the roof collapsing
TIME FOR ACTION
For more information about treating Woodworm please contact us on (01) 493 9007 or send us an email.
