The term “woodworm” refers to a group of insects that damage furniture, floors, and other wooden products. If left untreated, they can cause significant damage and may even be dangerous to your health.
Woodworm infestation occurs when the larvae of an insect called the common furniture beetle (Anobium punctatum) burrow into the wood. This usually happens in untreated or inadequately treated wood and can cause serious structural damage over time.
To prevent woodworm from ruining your furniture and floorboards, you should regularly inspect them for signs of infestation. If you find any signs, it’s important to get professional help as soon as possible! Here are some things to know about woodworm treatment:
The first stage of woodworm treatment involves using insecticides to kill off any live beetles or larvae that may be present in the affected area. This is usually done by drilling holes into the affected area and injecting insecticide into them through pressurised air. Once the insecticide has been properly applied, it will kill off any remaining live insects within 24 hours and prevent new ones from appearing for up to two weeks at a time depending on how much material there is in need of treatment.
Woodworm can live in any type of wood including furniture, floorboards and even garden sheds. The only way to tell if you have an infestation is to look for their signs – small holes that appear on the surface of the wood where they’ve been feeding. These holes are usually around one centimetre in diameter but can sometimes be much bigger than this.
Look out for any damage or holes in your furniture, doors or floorboards and check for telltale signs of powdery dust on the surfaces. This can be an indication that there are larvae eating away inside the wood. You may also see tiny white maggots or even adult beetles crawling around if there’s already an infestation underway. If you find any evidence of activity like this, it’s important to treat it as soon as possible because it will only get worse over time!
There are three main types of woodworm:
Common Furniture Beetle – These are small beetles that are usually found inside large pieces of furniture such as wardrobes and chests of drawers. They’re usually brownish-red in colour with a black head and legs.
Deathwatch Beetle – These beetles have large yellow heads and black bodies with white spots on their wings. They’re sometimes called clock beetles because they make ticking noises at night when they’re feeding on wood.
House Longhorn Beetle – These are larger than deathwatch beetles, which means they’re more likely to cause damage if left untreated for too long.
