Woodworm and More: Battling the Mini-Beasts this July
While we love the summer sun, so do common UK pests. All the warmest years on record in the UK are after 2002, and in 2022 temperatures reached 40 °C for the first time ever on record. Now that July is nearly here, insects of all kinds are hatching in droves.
But there is a silver lining! As pest activity is very visible during the summer, there’s no time like the present to stop the spread and prevent future infestations with a comprehensive pest control strategy. Woodworm and ants are both on our wanted list, so here’s what you need to know about these pests, why you don’t want them around and how to beat them for good.
Finding the Right Pest Control Strategy?
Woodworm, ants and other common UK pests are small and numerous. Squishing them one at a time might be satisfying, but it isn’t very efficient. In all cases, the only way to fully remove insects from your home is with a robust pest control strategy that breaks the insect lifecycle. The importance of this type of approach is obvious when dealing with eusocial insects like black garden ants, but it’s necessary for solitary insects like wood-boring beetles as well.?
No type of pest control works 100% of the time in all situations. With vigilance, persistence and the right combination of pest control methods, a pest-free home environment is never too far away.??
Watch out for Woodworm
Outside and indoors in timber-heavy environments, adult common furniture beetles (Anobium punctatum) emerge between May and August to mate.?
Woodworm is a general term for the larvae of wood-boring beetles. They feed on wood for 3 or more years before maturing, so can inflict severe damage over time and especially in large numbers. When summer arrives, they emerge from wood as adult common furniture beetles to mate and lay their eggs.
July is the prime time for woodworm emergence. Act fast if you see adult beetles flying or crawling around wooden furniture or structural timber, as they are usually signs of a much worse problem just out of sight.?
Adult common furniture beetles lay eggs in cracks in wood, end grain and even old exit holes from a previous or ongoing infestation. We’re talking tiny: larvae boreholes are around 2 mm in diameter. To help locate these spots where woodworms have been rooting inside timber, look out for lemon-shaped gritty pellets of sawdust. These little heaps of bore dust (also called frass) are woodworm droppings.
Stay alert for these signs of woodworm on any wooden surface. As well as garden furniture and decking, they could be hiding in roof voids, staircases or even floorboards.?
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How to Prevent Woodworm
Woodworm infestations are difficult to fully eradicate, especially as their lifecycle is always measured in years.
SoluGuard Woodworm Treatment is a full-strength, solvent-free woodworm treatment that targets all lifecycle stages and is fully tested to European Standards against the Common Furniture Beetle and the House Longhorn Beetle. It can be quickly and easily applied onto timber to envelop the whole surface and break the woodworm lifecycle. Brush or use a coarse low pressure spray and apply 2 to 3 coats to protect garden and structural timber from woodworm infestation. Available in 5L can or 500ml spray formats for big or small infestations.
Keep in mind, not all species of woodworm are equal?—?the above advice covers moderate infestations and preventative treatment for the Common Furniture Beetle. Always engage with a specialist contractor when dealing with severe infestations or other wood-boring beetle species. Get in touch at 01403 210204 for details of woodworm specialists in your area.
Always make sure the wood around your home is in dry and defect-free condition. To fully protect timber from warping, cracking and rot — Prepare with Roxil Wood Scrub Gel, Preserve with Roxil Coloured Wood Preserver and Protect with Roxil Wood Protection Cream.
Ant Control: The Bait and Wait Approach
Use the community food transfer system of Trophallaxis against invading ants by laying down delayed-action bait that circulates through the colony to reach the protected queen deep inside the nest.
If you don't deal with the queen, you'll never be rid of ants. One sprightly black garden ant queen survived for 28 years and 6 months in captivity, although around 15 years seems to be the norm in the wild.
Thanks for reading the latest edition of Built to Protect! As always, if you have any questions about common insect infestations in your home or workplace, give us a call on 01403 210204 or email us at [email protected].