So, what does a woodworm look like? Is it a worm, like we find in the garden?
The answer is no, for the woodworm is actually a beetle!
The beetle will look for wood with a high moisture content. Boring its way in, it will lay eggs and then leave the area. Over time, the eggs hatch and growing, with the merging beetle eating wood on the way out, leaving the tell-tale dartboard holes in an item of furniture or anything else made from wood. It is rare but possible to visibly see the actual woodworm, normally we can only see the destruction of the wood.
Do they present a hazard or danger to human health?
No, woodworms carry no diseases or anything that can make humans ill. More than anything, like other pests such as moths, woodworms are a nuisance. The main risk is the weakening of timbers in the home, which could lead to serious injury of collapse if left untreated.
The problems with woodworm
They damage wooden items. Chewing their way through wood leaves unsightly tiny holes but, more often than not, by the time we have noticed these tell-tale signs, the woodworm could have made its way extensively into an item of furniture; this can be anything from a modern wooden chair to an antique piano.
But they do not reside in wooden items of furniture. They also find their way into wooden structures in a property, such as skirting boards and beams, as well as wooden floorboards. Clearly catching any woodworm infestation early will decrease the possibility of extensive and expensive damage but, in some cases, replacing some wooden structures can be unavoidable.
Get the right treatment, from the word go
With West Wales Pest Control Services, you can be sure that you will get the right treatment from the start – this is because we perform a comprehensive assessment of any infestation, determining exactly what the insect is.