The lifespan of an adult woodworm beetle may only be short but the whole life cycle of the woodworm is a pretty lengthy process.
Adult
The cycle begins with the mating of two beetles. Woodworm beetles only have a short lifespan as a mature adult between 10-14 days.
Eggs
The female beetle will then lay her eggs into the cracks of the timber so that the eggs are protected and don’t become dislodged.
Larva
After a few days, the eggs then begin to hatch and the new born larva burrow downwards into the timber producing frass – bore dust as they tunnel into the timber. This is the worm stage of an infestation.
This is the lengthy part of the cycle, as larvae can live from anywhere between two to five years.
During this time, the larvae will feed its way up and down through the timber (which can lead to structural damage).
This is also the part of the cycle when woodworm can be detected through the frass being produced. The frass can help us identify the species of woodworm and confirm the woodworm infestation is active.
Pupa
The woodworm’s lifecycle is almost at an end now. The larvae form a pupal chamber where it ‘pupates’ and changes from the larva into an adult beetle just below the surface of the wood.
Adult Beetle emerges
These now adult beetles will eat their way through the timber to create exit holes which can be seen on the surface of the timber. From here the beetles will ‘flee the nest’ and start the whole process again.
Visit our woodworm page to find out more about these tiny creatures and how we can treat the damage they cause to your home if left untreated.
