furniture_beetle.htm
(Anobium punctatum)
Adults are
mid-brown not shiny colour. Larval are white-straw coloured. It attacks
furniture, wooden posts, window and door frames and other wooden goods. It is
typical to see the adults from April to June, when they emerge and take to the
wing for mating. furniture_beetle.htm overall body length is 3 - 5 mm. Soon after
mating, female lay about 30 eggs in cracks of wood. The eggs hatch period is 2 -
4 weeks, depending on temperature. The young larval stages burrow straight down
into the wood for protection and food. They often follow the line of the grain.
Development to adult depends on timber type and temperature, but takes at least
two years in buildings, and can often take much longer. The final larvae stage
is to construct a pupation chamber just below the surface. After pupation, the
new adult emerges by biting the cap off pupation chamber, leaving the typical
'woodworm hole' of about 2 - 3mm diameter.
furniture_beetle.htm
may attacks softwood but mainly hardwood is attacked. Oak, hickory and ash are
most susceptible, but walnut, pecan, poplar, sweetgum, wild cherry, and many
tropical hardwoods are also attacked. Therefore furniture_beetle.htm is an important
and serious pest of timbers, both structural and decorative. Varnished or
polished woods are not usually attacked, but the infestation may have arisen
before the item was made, and even the best furniture has joints and unfinished
areas such as drawer backs and bases. |