Q. What is ‘woodworm’?

Submitted by: GC 

A. ‘Woodworm’ is a generic name given to a whole group of wood boring beetles that spend part of their life cycle within timber. It is the larval (grub) stage of the beetle’s life cycle that causes the damage within timber and at this stage of their life they are ‘worm like’ hence the term ‘woodworm’. Eventually they emerge from the timber as an adult beetle and in so doing form the characteristic ‘hole’ that provides the visible evidence of a ‘woodworm’ infestation being present. The shape and size of the exit hole will often denote the type of wood boring beetle that has infested a piece of timber but there are also other diagnostic procedures that enable an exact identification to be made. There are different wood boring beetles that infest the standing tree, the freshly felled tree, partially decayed and seasoned timber so correct identification is important when considering the need for treatment.

The wood boring beetles that cause most concern are those that infest timber that is incorporated into our properties or used in furniture. By far the most common ‘woodworm’ found infesting timbers inside properties in the UK is the Common Furniture Beetle (Anobium punctatum) – hence its ‘common’ name.