Woodworm is a generic description given to the infestation of a wooden item (normally part of a dwelling or the furniture in it) by the wood-eating larvae of any of many species of beetle. The most common of which is the Common Furniture Beetle
Other woodborers include: Death Watch Beetle, which infests only large old hardwood beams; the House Longhorn, confined - at least for the moment - to North West Surrey; Powder Post Beetle which needs a diet of starch in certain hardwoods, and woodboring weevils, which are associated with wet rot and die out when it is treated.
Signs of woodworm usually consist of holes in the wooden item, with live infestations showing powder (faeces) around the holes.
The size of the holes varies, but are typically 1mm to 1.5mm in diameter for the most common household species. Adult beetles which emerged from the wood may also be found in the summer months.
Typically the adult beetles lay eggs on, or just under the surface of, a wooden item. The resulting grubs then feed on the wooden item causing both structural and cosmetic damage, before pupating and hatching as beetles which then breed, lay eggs, and repeat the process causing further damage.
Treatment
Woodworm infestation is generally controlled with chemical insecticides listed in this section. However, it is also advisable to investigate and solve possible damp issues, as dry wood is not usually affected, and wood that remains damp may be re-infected at a later date.
