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Most of the insects responsible for damage to timber are beetles. The presence of damage caused by wood-boring insects does not always indicate a need for remedial treatment, correct identification is therefore essential if the right treatment is to be selected. Wood-boring insects commonly found in building timbers fall into three categories, according to the treatment required.
 

Insecticidal treatment usually required – Category A insects

A few insects are able to cause serious damage and require remedial treatment and with the exception of Death Watch Beetle, they all attack sound wood. Some can cause structural damage (eg death watch beetle and house longhorn beetle) and with these a structural survey may be necessary. Our surveyors will also need to establish whether the infestation is active and requires treatment.

Examples of Category A insects

• Common Furniture Beetle – Anobium punctatum
• Lyctus powderpost beetle – Lyctus brunneus
• House longhorn beetle – Hylotrupes bajulus
• Death watch beetle – Xestobium rufovillosum
• Ptilinus beetle - Ptilinus pectinicornis

Treatment necessary only to control associated wood rot – Category B insects

Some insects are only able to feed on damp wood, rotted by fungi since they cannot attack sound or dry wood. Therefore by following the control measures necessary for wood rot, further infestation is not possible.

Examples of Category B insects

• Wood-boring weevils – Pentarthrum huttoni, Euophryum confine
• Wharf borer beetle – Nacerdes melanura

No treatment needed- Category C insects

Inactive infestation. Timber damaged by insects which attack green or partially dry timber may be imported into buildings but the insects have usually been killed during drying. Insects which feed on other materials, only boring into wood to make short 'refuge' tunnels, are also included in thi9s category. Removal of the food source will prevent further damage (eg bark borers)

Examples of Category C insects

• Bark borer beetle – Ernobius mollis
• Forest Longhorn beetle – Cerambycidae
• Bostrychid powderpost beetle – Bostrychidae

Our primary function is to correctly identify an active category A infestation and provide safe preservation against further infestation.

Remedial treatment of an active infestation will involve the use of an insecticide, usually spray or brush applied. The recent introduction of low odour, aqueous preservatives have meant that treatment is now quicker (re-entry times to the property reduced to one hour) and far less harmful to the environment.

Craft Preservation are an approved contractor for Biokil Crown Ltd who manufacture and supply only the safest commercially available chemicals. The Control of Substances hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) means that by law we are required to not only protect the well-being of the environment, our clients and employees, but also to restrict and minimise our use of chemicals, by only providing treatment when absolutely necessary and not as a precaution.