There are many kinds of wood boring insects, but the one most frequently found in this country is the common furniture beetle (Anobium Punctataum). The adult beetle will lay its eggs in cracks and crevices and old flight holes in almost any timber, furniture, flooring, fencing, dead trees etc.

It does seem to have a preference for softwood particularly the sap wood from which floorboards are usually cut. The eggs hatch after several weeks and bore into the timber. This is the larval stage during which most of the damage to the timber will be done, working unseen, inside the timber. The larval period varies according to conditions, and is generally in excess of three years in domestic situations.

The larva turn to pupa near the surface of the timber where it remains for six to eight weeks. The adult emerges as a beetle from a flight hole 1.5 - 2.0mm Ø in the late spring and through the summer. It can grow to around 2.5mm and 5mm and lives for around three to four weeks, during which time it mates and the female lays eggs.

Treatment

Eradication of the infestation is a affected by low pressure spraying to refusal all accessible, exposed, painted timber surfaces with an inscticidal timber preservative. This treatment destroys both infestation present in the timber prior to the application of the treatment any prevents any future attempt to re-infest the timber.

When floor timbers are to be treated, floor coverings must be lifted and rooms left essentially clear of furniture. The client is to be responsible for this prior to the arrival of our operatives. For treatment to be effective, it is essential to spray a minimum of two of the widest sides of the timber, and this accomplished on the timber floors by lifting a proportion of floor boards to treat their undersides and joists.
Whilst we take all reasonable care in lifting boards it is not always possible to do so without some damage particularly where tongued and grooved boarding is used or where normal boards have been nailed very tightly or without gaps.

When treatment is to be carried out in roof voids, any dust and debris on the accessible timber must be cleared away prior to treatment. Where insulation is present in areas to be treated, this must be taken up to allow full access to the timbers. Worthwhile savings can be made by the client carrying this out prior to the arrival of our operatives. the client is held responsible of all obstruction from the roof void where this area has been used for storage.

NOTE:- All structurally weakened timbers must be removed, and sound timbers installed. Where the client undertakes to carry out the timber replacement independently, this must be carried out prior to the arrival of our operatives so that these timbers can be treated.

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