Appearance
The beetles are brown-black and have a couple of light dots on their elytra (at the top). The females are 1-2,5 cm and the males are 8-16 mm long. The antennas (feelers) are thin and fairly long. The larvae can get about 2 cm long and are whitish.
Development
House borers have a complete transformation, meaning that they go through 4 stages: egg, larvae, pupate and imago (beetle). Duration from egg to imago: 3-10 years, usually 4-5 years.
Lifestyle
The house borer only affects soft wood, such as spruce, pine and fir trees in. In the months June through September, the beetles crawl from the wood via oval exits of about 4 – 7 mm. The males and the females then mate, after which the females lay eggs on the wood. The eggs produce larvae that bore into the wood 3-10 years, often 4-5 years , causing great damage. The pupation occurs and the adult beetles quickly come crawling from the wood.
Control
Chop bore tunnels open where possible, and inject them where necessary. Replace weak would with sustainable wood Remove wood dye, paint or wax layers where possible, remove bore meal with steel brush and make the woodwork dust-free. The wood must be treated with a permitted agent twice.
Instruction for control of common furniture beetle / house borer.
For the control action:
Free woodwork from paint, wood-dye etc.
Make woodwork dust-free
Replace weak would with sustainable wood
All objects that can come into contact with the agent must be properly covered
Any loose objects that can hinder the exterminator during the control action, such as construction debris, must be removed.
In case of flooding in the crawling space / basement, resolve this before the control action.
During the control action:
The resident must leave the building with fellow-residents and pets.
After the control action:
After the control action, the treated area(s) must be properly ventilated and the resident, his fellow residents and pets cannot enter the treated area(s) for long periods of time.