The Wood Borer beetle is a sneaky character, in that it can do significant damage to a wooden structure before the average person is even aware of its presence. Most often it is only when the damage becomes noticeable, that one realises they have and infestation. By this time the critter has already caused irreparable damage to any dry wood structure, furniture or antiques.

What is the most common species of Wood Borer?
The most common variety of Wood Borer beetle is the common Furniture beetle (Anobium punctatum), as the majority of the damage done to wood has been attributed to the Furniture Beetle. Though its natural habitat is in dry, dead branches which have been broken off trees, they will readily make their homes in any dry wood they can find.

What does a Wood Borer beetle look like?
The life span of a Wood Borer beetle consists of four stages. These are, Egg, Larva, Pupa, and Adult.

Adult beetles will lay their eggs anywhere they can. This may be in dry branches, wooden furniture, wooden structural beams (roof trusses, etc.), floorboards, pretty much anything made of dry wood.

When the larvae hatch, their first instinct will be to eat, and your woodwork will be be its only immediate food source. They will begin burrowing immediately, this way it will be highly unlikely they will be seen. These larvae will remain inside your wood work for years as they continue to tunnel through the wood work as they mature and grow in size.

Eventually when they reach maturity they will begin to burrow toward the surface of the woodwork where they will pupate, and later emerge as adult beetles.

Wood Borer Factoid
Different wood borer beetles prefer different types of wood, making it simpler to identify which type of beetle you are dealing with.

While some species prefer the softer woods like pine, spruce and cedar, other prefer the harder varieties such as eucalyptus, oak, ash and even mahogany. However, regardless of the species there will always be the same tell-tale signs of their presence.

Signs of Wood Borer Infestation

• Fresh exit holes in woodwork - round or oval shaped with sharp edges, the holes will appear clean and fresh.
• Bore dust - (commonly referred to as frass) created by emerging adult beetles, and is usually visible below the infested timber.
• Crumbling wood - around corners or edges to roof joists or trusses.
• Dead beetles - usually found near the infested timber or around nearby windowsills.
• Adult beetles - emerge from timbers between May and October.
• Eggs - these vary in size depending on the beetle, but all are difficult to spot with the naked eye.
• Wood Borer larvae - usually a creamy-white colour and curved in shape.

If you suspect a wood borer infestation, don’t hesitate to contact Pest Control Services. The damage caused by these beetles can be life threatening if the damage is in any of the structural timber of your home. Be safe, and call us.