Woodworm treatment in Rotterdam: what exactly is woodworm?
Woodworm is the larva of the common furniture beetle. The female lays her eggs in cracks and crevices in timber, and the larvae then spend a few years tunnelling through the wood. Only as adult beetles do they chew their way out, leaving the familiar round exit holes, mostly in late spring and summer. What to look for:
- round holes of a few millimetres, with sharp, pale edges when fresh
- fine, powdery bore dust (frass) beneath or beside the wood
- timber that feels crumbly or soft at the edges
- small brown beetles on the windowsill in spring or summer
Woodworm or longhorn beetle: the difference matters
Besides common woodworm, we also come across the house longhorn beetle. It mainly attacks softwood, such as the roof structure, and leaves larger, oval holes. A longhorn infestation can weaken a beam from the inside while the surface still looks fairly sound, which is why we always examine the structure, not just the surface, when in doubt.
Woodworm likes slightly damp timber. It is less common in a dry, heated living room than in a cold loft, a damp crawl space or a shed. Old furniture and second-hand finds can also already contain larvae when they come into your home.
How our woodworm treatment works
We start by asking whether the infestation is still alive. Old holes with dark edges and no fresh dust may have been inactive for years. Fresh, pale dust or new holes mean the woodworm is active. If in doubt, we suggest taping over the holes or laying dark paper beneath the wood, so new activity shows up during the flight season.
Active infestations are treated in a targeted way: the affected timber receives a professional product that penetrates the tunnels. Where beams have been weakened, we advise having a builder or carpenter assess whether they need replacing. Because woodworm is part of our wider pest control in Rotterdam, we also keep an eye out for other pests during the inspection.
Checks and prevention you can do yourself
You can spot a lot on your own. Use a torch to look along loft beams, the underside of wooden floors in the crawl space and the backs and legs of old furniture. A few holes in an antique chair do not mean the whole house is infested, but they are a reason to look further.
- Keep the crawl space dry and make sure the air vents are clear.
- Set second-hand furniture aside at first and check it for fresh bore dust.
- Do not treat woodworm yourself with paint or varnish; it seals the holes but does not stop the larvae.
- Have leaks in the roof or walls repaired before the timber underneath suffers.
Lofts and crawl spaces often hide more than one problem. If something rustles under the floor, read about mouse control; if there is buzzing under the roof tiles, our page on wasp nest removal will help.
