The Common Furniture Beetle


The term 'woodworm' is a generic term which covers attack by any wood boring insect. In the UK there are a number of wood boring insects which can infest timbers in properties. However, others which attack trees and logs in forests and woodlands cannot infest or survive in seasoned timber but in such cases the ‘pre-attacked’ timber can be incorporated into buildings where it will present no problem as the infestation is no longer present.


Common Furniture beetle (Anobium punctatum): Adult:


Small dark reddish brown beetle between 3mm – 5mm in length. Looking at the insect the head appears to be hidden as it is held low, and there is a ‘hump’ on the thorax. There are rows of regular pits running down its wing covers


Damage:


This insect is by far the most common cause of damage encountered. It attacks sapwood of softwood and European hardwoods. The attack is most severe in damp and fast grown timbers.


Round holes approximately 1.5 - 2mm in diameter. Tendency for tunnels to run with grain. A pin will only pass down tunnel a short length.


Short dust (frass) filled tunnels with lemon shaped frass pellets. Frass feels ‘gritty’ between fingers.


Active attack can be seen by small piles of frass on up per surfaces and frass running down side of timber on vertical surfaces.


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