Woodworm treatment in Breda: which beetle is it?
Woodworm is the collective name for the larvae of several beetles that live in timber. What you see is the result of years of feeding inside the wood. The three best known in Dutch homes are:
- common furniture beetle: small round exit holes of roughly 1 to 2 mm, in furniture, floors and beams
- death-watch beetle: slightly larger holes, mainly in old oak that has been damp at some point; the beetles tap in spring
- house longhorn beetle: larger oval holes in softwood, often in roof structures, and the most dangerous for the building
Fine, pale bore dust beneath the holes and holes with fresh, light edges point to an active infestation.
Old holes or active woodworm?
Many old buildings have beams full of holes that appeared decades ago and need no treatment at all. So the question is not whether there are holes, but whether larvae are still active. To find out, we look for fresh bore dust, the colour of the hole edges and the moisture content of the timber. Sometimes we lay paper beneath a suspect beam and check later for new dust.
Woodworm thrives in wood that holds a little moisture. A damp crawl space or a leaking roof therefore makes a small infestation grow faster, while dry timber in a heated home is far less attractive.
Our approach to woodworm
After the inspection we draw up a plan for each part of the property. Affected timber that is still sound is treated with a professional product that penetrates deep into the wood, either sprayed on or injected into the tunnels. Loose furniture or smaller pieces can sometimes be treated with heat. If a beam or rafter is so badly affected that its strength is in doubt, we advise having a structural engineer or carpenter assess whether it needs replacing.
We also tackle the cause by pointing out damp, poor ventilation and leaks, because woodworm treatment without dry timber is fighting a losing battle.
What you can do yourself
You can keep an eye on a small, loose piece of furniture with a few active holes yourself: stand it on a sheet of dark paper and see whether fresh dust appears. Do not move affected furniture to the loft or another room before it has been assessed, as emerging beetles can fly to other timber.
Avoid treating beams yourself with shop-bought products or painting over them; paint or varnish only seals the holes on the surface while the larvae carry on feeding inside. Seeing droppings or gnaw marks in the loft as well? Then you may have mice alongside the woodworm; read about mouse control. Our overview of pest control in Breda covers all other pests.
Preventing woodworm in an older home
If you own or are buying an older property, it pays to check the timber now and then. Woodworm is much easier to deal with when it is caught early.
- Keep the crawl space, loft and cellar dry and well ventilated.
- Have leaks in the roof and gutters repaired promptly.
- Check antique and second-hand furniture before it comes indoors.
- Look for new bore dust in spring and summer, when the beetles emerge.
Buying a home with a lot of old timber? Ask for wood-boring insects to be included in the building survey.
