Professional Woodworm Treatment
Don’t let Woodworms Terrorise Your Property. Get the help you need to get rid of them. FAST.
Very few things are as frustrating or irritating as finding out that your home or business has an active woodworm infestation. Yet pests such as woodworms often find their way into our buildings no matter how well protected they are.
Woodworms can stealthily infiltrate your home timber and often go mostly unnoticed until the problem is well out of hand. So, what should you do if you notice beetle burrows in your wood?
Although there are a few D.I.Y. options to treat the property, the best course of action is often paying for professional woodworm treatment. Woodworm treatment performed by a professional is a surefire way to give these pests the eviction notice for good.
Eliminate woodworms with safe and effective treatment from APEX Pest Control. For over 30 years, we’ve been providing exceptional pest control services for home and business owners alike.
Call or message today and find out why we’re one of the most trusted pest control companies in the area. We’d love to learn more about how we can help eradicate woodworms or other pests on your property.
What Are Woodworms?
We use the term woodworm to describe the larvae stage of all wood-boring beetles. There are several species of woodworm found in the U.K., with one of the most common types of woodworms coming from the Furniture Beetle.
These pests are usually active from April through October each year when the weather is milder. They generally target structures that have exposed, untreated or weak timber. Given that the average home gets made up of about 70% wood, your residence makes for a great place to invade and multiply.
The Woodworm Invader Responsible for All of Your Woes
The Anobium Punctatum, also known as the “common furniture beetle,” is the most widely recognised culprit when it comes to home infestations. Often this pest goes unnoticed until it has reached its adult beetle phase. By this time, there can be much damage that may lead to some costly repairs.
The odds are that you won’t ever see woodworm larvae; they tend to stay burrowed into the wood and feed off it until they are fully grown.
If you do happen to spot the little wood-boring insects, the larvae are creamy-white and have a curved body. Once they morph into their adult form, the beetle transforms into a tiny brown winged insect that can grow up to 7 mm in length.
If you see either the beetles or the larvae, there is no time to waste. Call us ASAP for professional woodworm treatment that is safe, effective and will have your home or business pest-free in no time.
There are four main types of wood burrowing adult beetles in the U.K.:
● Common Furniture Beetle
● House Longhorn Beetle
● Deathwatch Beetle
● Powder Post Beetle
The adult female will lay her eggs in pores, cracks or any crevices it can find. Once the woodworm hatch, the larvae will feed on the wood, causing timber damage for several years until they pupate into adult beetles. When they make it to adulthood, they will leave the wood via exit holes to breed.
It is not uncommon for them to return to where they developed to start the life-cycle over. It’s essential to call Apex at the first sign of these beetles and treat the woodworm infestation. Our safe, efficient, and affordable woodworm treatment options will eradicate this pest quickly and reliably.
What are the Signs of a Woodworm Infestation?
Although you may never actually see the woodworm larva, there are many telltale signs you can watch out for that indicate an active infestation:
- Unexplained holes in wood surfaces
- Clustering of holes ranging around 1-2mm in width
- Droppings or “frass” – appearing as fine sawdust
How Do You Get Woodworm?
Anything made (at least in part) of wood is vulnerable. Woods at risk include not only home timber and building structures, but furniture, decking, and more. Untreated, unsealed, unstained and old, weak or rotting wood is especially susceptible to a woodworm infestation.
Woodworms are usually a result of soft untreated exposed wood. Most species of wood-boring beetles prefer pine, spruce, and cedar because they are softwoods and some beetles like the hardwoods like oak, ash, and mahogany.
You will find the common furniture beetles in both soft and hardwood. Your odds of dealing with this pest go up when the wood is damp. Wood-boring beetles like moist wood because it is easier to chew.
What Wood Boring Insects and Beetles Love
Untreated woods are usually the target of a wood-boring beetle due to having more natural cracks and pits for them to lay their eggs. They also tend to gravitate toward timber and woods that have a moisture content of 28% or higher. The dryer a wood, the harder it is for them to feed on it.
Wood-boring beetles tend to only eat the outer parts of a “sapwood” tree (like pine and oak). The deeper they move into these types of wood, the more toxic it becomes. If your furniture or building materials are made from quality “heartwood,” there is a lower chance of you having to deal with a woodworm infestation.
Woodworm also thrives in damp conditions. Therefore, any areas such as flooring or lofts that are moisture prone make for especially inviting habitats for these woodworm invaders. Polish, stain, and clearcoat tend to fend off these pests. But if your furniture, flooring or other wood items have areas where the polish has worn off it may also be susceptible.
What is the Best Treatment for Woodworms?
How Apex Pest Control Treat Woodworm
Finding the best treatment for woodworm starts with a surveyor identifying what kind of boring-beetle you have. Once Apex knows the species of beetle, we can prescribe the best method of woodworm treatment that will eradicate these pests for good.
The structure will also be assessed at this time to determine if the wood needs replacing or cutting back.
Our method of wood worms treatment is to spray Permethrin onto the wood using a low-pressure sprayer. Permethrin is an active chemical used to kill woodworm boring-beetles in all life stages, unlike other treatments that only target one step.
Once applied, the coating will penetrate the wood and kill off the woodworm beetles, and whatever larvae are close to the surface. If new wood is needed, it will be pre-treated for woodworm before putting it back in place.
There is also another method to use. It involves a paste or gel that is distributed onto the surface of the wood to render similar results. As the woodworm beetles emerge from the timber exit holes, they will come into contact with the chemicals, killing the beetle and preventing re-infestation.
How Long Does Woodworm Treatment Last?
It can be hard to say how long woodworm treatments will last. It comes down to where you live and property care if you regularly treat your timber. If the timber is left exposed to the elements, you chance an infestation sooner than later. It’s a good idea for property care to have someone check your home annually, depending on where you live.
If the property’s located in an area that doesn’t see a lot of woodworm beetle activity, one treatment might be all that’s needed.
Specialist Woodworm Advice to Stop Pests Emerging
You can help prevent woodworm infestations by taking a few simple steps. It may be challenging to keep these woodworm pests away completely, but you can better protect your home by:
● Keeping all exposed wood dry
● Seal exposed wood with varnish
● Buy good quality wood furniture
● Remove any infected wood from your property
● Replace any infected timbers
● Keep your home well heated and ventilated
Call or email us today and get a free quote to get rid of woodworm quickly and reliably. We will survey your home and act as your qualified woodworm killer.
Contact Us
- Apex Pest Control
- 54 Baxter Dr, Sheffield, S6 1GH
- Local Branch
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