Woodworm treatment in Arnhem: diagnose first, then treat
Woodworm is the larva of a small beetle. The larvae live inside the timber for years, eating their way through tunnels; only as adult beetles do they chew an exit hole to the outside, usually in late spring or summer. What you see is therefore the end of a process that has been going on for a long time.
During the inspection we look at the shape and colour of the holes, at fresh bore dust and at how sound the timber is, partly by probing it with an awl. We also pay attention to damp in the wood and its surroundings. Only if the infestation turns out to be active do we treat, using a professional product that penetrates deep into beams, floors or furniture. Varnish or paint sometimes has to come off first.
Woodworm or house longhorn beetle?
Not every hole in timber is made by the same beetle, and the difference decides how serious things are.
- Woodworm: small, round holes about the size of a pinhead, with fine, gritty bore dust. Found in furniture, floors, stairs and beams, in both hardwood and softwood.
- House longhorn beetle: larger, oval holes and coarser dust. Mainly attacks softwood, such as the roof structure in the loft.
- With longhorn beetle, the timber can be badly hollowed out inside while the surface still looks intact.
- On warm days you can sometimes hear longhorn larvae gnawing in the roof timbers.
Active or old? A simple test
Many older homes have holes in their beams that are generations old, with nothing living in them for a long time. Old holes are dark and dirty inside; fresh ones have sharp edges and are light-coloured inside. Fresh dust is pale and collects in small heaps beneath the hole or on the floor below.
You can test this yourself. Vacuum up the dust, perhaps tape a strip of paper beneath the holes, and look again at the end of the summer. If there are new heaps of dust or new holes, the woodworm is active and treatment is sensible.
Causes: damp, poor ventilation and antiques
Woodworm likes damp timber. A poorly ventilated crawl space, a loft with a leak or a cellar with little airflow makes beams especially vulnerable. Dry wood in a heated living room is far less likely to be attacked.
Furniture is another well-known source. An antique cupboard, chair or chest from a flea market can contain larvae that only emerge as beetles months later and then settle in other timber in the house. A damp crawl space, incidentally, often shows signs of rodents as well as woodworm; you can read more about that under mouse control.
What you can do – and when to call a professional
Keep timber dry: leave the crawl space vents open, have leaks repaired and air the loft. Keep a newly bought antique apart at first and check it for fresh holes and dust. Small, loose items can be assessed before they join the rest of your furniture.
Filling or painting over the holes solves nothing; the larvae simply carry on underneath. If a beam feels soft, the wood crumbles or a floor sags, have a builder or structural engineer check its load-bearing capacity. We treat the infestation; the structural side belongs with a building specialist. For other pests in and around the house, our pest control in Arnhem can help.
