TIMBER DAMAGED BY COMMON FURNITURE BEETLE LARVAE AND BEETLE EXIT HOLES

The Common Furniture Beetle attacks both softwoods and European hardwoods, though predominately the sapwood of softwoods. Heartwood will usually be unaffected unless timber decay is present. The larvae of this beetle bore through the wood digesting the cellulose as they travel. Upon reaching maturity they pupate near the surface of the timber before emerging as adults.

The beetles will usually emerge between late March and early August, particularly in warm weather, leaving their characteristic circular flight holes of 1 to 2 mm in diameter. After mating, the females lay their eggs on surfaces or in crevices or old flight holes of surrounding timber. The eggs will hatch and a new generation begins a fresh life cycle.

This beetle is able to attack and infest timbers in dry, well ventilated situations, suspended ground floors and most roofing timbers, but the severity of attack will usually be quite low. If more active infestations are present these will usually be associated with a dampness problem, including high humidity due to poor ventilation.

It is quite rare for infestation by the Common Furniture Beetle to cause structural weakening of timber. When this does occur it is usually in relatively small section timbers e.g. floor-boards. It is quite common to have to replace sections due to severe tunnelling in the board edges. This beetle is found throughout Britain.