Death watch beetle

Habitat:

Found in the sapwood and heartwood of partially decayed hardwoods, mainly oak. Frequently found in historic buildings where large quantities of oak or elm were used structurally. Softwoods are rarely attacked, except when in contact with infested hardwood. Dampness is essential for establishment and promotes rapid development, although attack can continue more slowly in drier timber. It is particularly found in areas prone to dampness such as wall plates, ends of floor joists, lintels and other built-in timbers. Damage may be extreme in concealed bearing ends of timbers inserted into damp walls. In conjunction with fungus it can hollow out the centre of large section beams.

Damage characteristics:

Emergence holes are circular, 3 mm in diameter.

Tunnels are circular, 3 mm in diameter and often extensive with random orientation, mainly in the direction of the grain.

Bore dust is cream coloured, disc-shaped pellets, gritty when rubbed between the fingers.

Insect characteristics and location:

Adults 6 - 9 mm long, chocolate brown with patches of yellow hairs. Found on or beneath timbers, March - June, particularly in warm weather when they can be heard tapping.

Larva up to 9 mm long, curved, pale cream, three pairs of small legs, covered in fine gold hairs. Found within timber all year round but may be located deep within larger timbers. Occasionally they fall from severely damaged wood and are found on the floor below.

bore dust x 10