By far the most common of all insects that attack seasoned timber. The adult beetle lays its eggs, between 20-80, in crevices in the timber. Hatching occurs in 3-4 weeks, the larva burrowing through the timber for between 2-4 years. Normally in April or May the adult beetle emerges through the characteristic flight hole. More Information

Originating on the continent this insect has now become endemic in certain parts of Southern England, centering on Camberley and Walton-on-Thames, recently found in Richmond (Surrey) and Reading (Berks). The danger in infestation by this insect lies in its relatively large size, the grub growing to almost an inch in length. As the life cycle can be as long as eight years, it is not long before structural weakness occurs. More Information

Death Watch Beetle normally attacks hard wood only, being found principally in old oak beams. The name is said to derive from the insects’ partiality for those beams which are often found in churches and its characteristic "tapping" mating call. More Information

The common prerequisite for an infestation by these insects is that the timber must to some extent be pre-digested by wood rotting fungi. More Information