Woodworms – How To Recognize The First Signs

It is important to learn to spot the bark beetle, as these insects can do considerable damage. Unfortunately, this is not always easy, as the holes and tunnels created by the larvae are visible after damage is done.

Therefore, you should take action as soon as possible to prevent this and detect it in time. In today’s article we will tell you more about these pests and how to spot them.

The bark beetle – the first signs

The bark beetle is the name given to the larvae of various species of beetles, especially known for biting, drilling and destroying wood. These larvae are xylophages – they feed on wood.

When eating, insects bite the wood and create tunnels in it, seriously damaging its structure. Therefore, you must keep an eye out for these creatures to keep them from settling in your furniture.

Types of wood on which traces of bark beetles can be found

The bark beetle is generally associated with wood used by humans. This is not only because its temperature is much more pleasant, but also because its humidity is lower.

The bark beetles are worms that like to live among people. This means that it tends to appear in man-made wooden structures, so they don’t really have an extensive natural habitat.

The bark beetle prefers slightly damp wood, in places away from excessive cold and heat, and away from water. For this reason, finding it in living trees or forests is rather unusual.

Therefore, bark beetle damage is more likely to occur in:

• Wooden furniture and structures, mostly older.
• Where the temperature is around 22-25 degrees.
• More susceptible wood species such as beech, maple and chestnut.

Signals that indicate the presence of bark beetles

The bark beetle is not easily detectable in the early stages of destruction. This is because the holes and tunnels they create have a diameter of 5 mm. However, they gradually become larger and can reach up to 1 cm.

In addition, the characteristic sound that these insects make when chewing is almost inaudible to the human ear. This pest is therefore usually detectable by the presence of the dust that forms when worms make holes in the wood. Unfortunately, when you notice this, the bark beetles can already be quite firmly embedded in the wood.

Incredible as it may sound, the bark beetle actually colonizes the wood and destroys it while it is still in its larval stage. They feed on wood for years and then undergo a metamorphosis process to become flying beetles. Then they move outside and live there for several days.

They only live long enough to lay their eggs in other delicious pieces of wood. Then they die.

How to find out if a pest is still alive

If the wood is infected with bark beetles, holes and sawdust appear next to the furniture.

As explained above, in order to detect bark beetles, the presence of:

• Sawdust around furniture  or structure

• Small holes in the wood

However, their mere presence does not mean that the bark beetles are still inside. Indeed, these may be signs of a past infestation, but the worms may not exist anymore. The larvae can live and feed in wood for years. So if you see sawdust and holes in it, consider the following:

• When the sawdust is white, it means the infestation has happened recently and there may still be larvae inside. On the other hand, if the sawdust is brown, the pests may not be there anymore.
• Remember that the larva undergoes a metamorphosis process to become a flying beetle, which then goes outside. So if the holes are large, it may be that the worms are gone and are not in the furniture.
• Of course, being able to hear the characteristic sound these insects make when they gnaw at the wood means that they are still there.

How to deal with bark beetle infestation

There are several methods to get rid of the bark beetle:

• The larvae of these worms cannot stand the cold, so any infected objects can be stored in cool places for a while to get rid of the pests. However, this is a method that needs to be approached professionally as low temperature will have a negative effect on the wood.
• Some restaurateurs use cameras to locate worms and then dispose of them with gas. There are also professional measures to combat them, such as applying heat or depriving them of oxygen.
• Chemical treatments involve the use of gels and injections of specific chemical products that can eliminate blight in just a few days.

Likewise, there are home remedies for bark beetles that are sometimes effective :

• You can use a hair dryer or a hand dryer to prevent the furniture and small items from getting wet. After that, you can use an insecticide against bark beetles and wrap the furniture in foil to eradicate the pests.
• These insects don’t like heat, but as we said above, they don’t like cold either. So you can try to put the furniture outside for a few days (in winter) and wait for the temperature to kill it.

How to prevent bark beetle infestation

Varnishing of wood is one of the most commonly used techniques to prevent the appearance of bark beetles.

There are various points to consider in order to prevent the pest from appearing. The accumulation of moisture in the wood makes it softer and therefore tastier for the bark beetle.

So, while this measure will not completely stop the bark beetle from entering, a thick coat of varnish is definitely a protective barrier against worms. There are varnishes for this specific purpose on the market.

Finally, there is nothing better than regularly inspecting furniture and wooden structures to spot this pest as soon as possible. As we explained, it is certainly possible to detect traces of the presence of woodworms, but it may be too late as the piece of furniture in question may be seriously damaged. As you can imagine – it’s easier to prevent this.

Also, do not hesitate to seek the help of a specialist!