Wood Borers

Wood borer are insects which damage wood by tunnelling at the larval (grub) stage for food or leaving an emergence hole on the surface of the wood after becoming an adult (beetle). These emergence holes ('pin holes') are quite visible and are usually the first signs of an active infestation of wood borer.

Do I need professional wood borer control assistance?

The wood borer beetles live most of their lives inside the timber so you may not realise that you have a problem until the adults emerge from the timber. It is vital that an infestation is detected as soon as possible and the timber is treated to prevent further damage.

How do I find out if I have wood borers?

There are multiple signs that can indicated if wood borers have infested timber or wooden products.

Fresh exit holes in timber
The holes are created by the adult beetles emerging from the timber. They can be found all year round, but mainly form during summer months in temperate climate areas.
Bore dust
Bore dust is caused by emerging adult wood boring beetles. It is composed of faeces and wood fibre.
Tunnels in wood
Tunnels in wood are the result of the larvae of wood borer larvae boring through timber. These are usually hard to see as they are inside the wood, but can also become visible when timber is sawn.
Damaged floor boards
Floor boards start to bend or give way when pressure is applied. In extreme cases, a foot or chair leg going through the floorboard can indicate a more serious infestation.
Crumbling wood
Crumbling wood is caused by multiple tunnels and rotting wood. It can often first be found around corners or edges of roof joists or floorboards.
Live adult beetles
Adult beetles emerge from timbers in summer to mate and lay more eggs in timber nearby.

Common Furniture Beetle

Adult beetle is 3 – 4mm in length. Larva will live for 3 - 5 years boring through timber before emerging to breed.
They actively fly in warm sunny weather. Within homes and other buildings the furniture beetle is an exceedingly common pest. Despite its name this beetle can invade more than just furniture. Infestations can damage decorative woodwork, musical instruments, wooden tools and on a more serious scale wood flooring, joinery and structural timbers. These wood boring beetles consume hardwoods and softwoods.

House Longhorn Beetle

Adult beetle is 8 – 25mm in length. Black/brown colour with greyish hairs and 2 black spots on thorax which resemble eyes. Larvae tunnel between 3 to 11 years before emerging.
Longhorn beetles will fly freely in hot, sunny weather which enables them to spread an infestation from one building to the next. Infests seasoned and partly seasoned softwoods; pine, spruce and fir most susceptible. Flight holes between 3mm and 7mm.

Powder Post Beetle

Adult beetle 4 – 7mm in length. Red/brown in colour. Adult beetles usually appear in the summer months, but in heated premises they can be found throughout the year. The larvae gradually reduce the infested timber, just leaving a thin veneer of wood on the surface.
Whole lifecycle is completed in about one year. Primary pest of timber yards.