Homes and buildings
Woodworm: identification and control
- A local company from Ruse.
- Free inspection in the city of Ruse, by appointment only.
- We treat all timber: beams, roof structures, floors and furniture. We identify the species and whether the infestation is active, then choose the method.
- After each treatment we issue a protocol.
Physical characteristics
Woodworm is the common name for the larvae of several wood-boring beetles, for example the common furniture beetle (Anobium punctatum) and the house longhorn beetle (Hylotrupes bajulus). The larvae are pale, fleshy and live inside the wood, so they are rarely seen. What shows is their trace: small round exit holes on the surface, from about 1-2 mm for the furniture beetle to about 1 cm for the house longhorn beetle, and fine pale dust around them. Adult beetles are brown to black and range from a few millimetres to about 2 cm.
Biology and behavior
The female lays eggs in cracks and rough spots in the wood. The hatched larvae bore inwards and feed on the timber, often for years, before they turn into beetles. Adults leave the wood in the warm months, mate and leave the typical exit holes. Development depends on the temperature and moisture of the wood: damp, poorly ventilated timber is attacked more easily, and the house longhorn beetle prefers softwood beams, most often in the roof structure.
Harm
The larvae eat the wood from the inside: it looks intact from outside while only a thin outer layer remains. They weaken beams and roof structures, floors, doors, frames and furniture. When load-bearing parts are affected, their strength drops, and judging whether the structure is safe is a job for a structural engineer. The damage grows as long as the larvae are alive, so woodworm control is needed at the first sign of holes.
What you can do
Check the wood for holes and for fresh, pale dust below them: dust means the larvae are still feeding. Lay a sheet of paper under the beam for a few days and see whether new dust collects. Reduce moisture: fix leaks and ventilate the attic and basement. Do not paint or varnish over the holes until you are sure the infestation has stopped, and do not bring old timber or furniture into the home without checking it.
How we treat it
Professional control
For woodworm control we first inspect the timber: we identify the species, whether the infestation is active and how deep it goes. We treat all timber, including beams, roof structures, floors and furniture. We choose the method after the inspection, based on the type of wood, access to it and how far the damage has spread. We work in Ruse and the surrounding villages, as well as in the Razgrad, Silistra and Targovishte areas. The inspection is free only in the city of Ruse, by appointment.
We set the exact price after an on-site inspection. In the city of Ruse the inspection is free.
How the price is setBook an inspection
Dealing with woodworm?
The quote is free, and in the city of Ruse so is the inspection. We come to the property, identify the species and the extent of the infestation, and propose a treatment plan.