It’s time to put an end to woodworm eggs once and for all. This is everything you need to know about woodworm eggs.
From the color, size, location and prevention of woodworm infestations, you have come to the right place. Woodworm eggs are just the start of your problem.
An infestation leads to damage in the structure of the wood. Identifying and preventing woodworm eggs in the first place would be able to save you plenty of headaches and repair work.
In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about woodworm eggs
Everything You Need to Know About Woodworm Eggs
Woodworm eggs are white and shaped like lemons or miniature little footballs. They are 0.5mm x 0.3mm in size and are in the first stage in the life cycle of a wood-boring beetle.
It is the larvae of the woodworm eggs that creates most of the damage as they tunnel through the wood structures in and around your home.
Woodworm eggs are laid in locations where the wood is already:
- softened
- moist
- damp
- rotting
- decaying
Eggs hatch in 2 to 8 weeks. Females can lay between 40-60 eggs. The maximum number of eggs a female beetle can lay is about 200.
What Color Are Woodworm Eggs?
Woodworm eggs are generally white or cream in color. These white eggs are usually shaped like little lemons. They are visible with the naked eye, but you would have to look closely.
The fact is that female beetles wish to lay woodworm eggs inside tiny cracks and crevices. They need to create flight holes to escape once they have laid their eggs.
The eggs will remain there for a period of several years where the larvae will create most of the damage when they are commonly known as woodworms.
A female can lay up to 40-60 eggs and sometimes all the way up to 200. It takes two to 8 weeks for the eggs to hatch.
What Do Woodworms Turn Into?
Woodworms begin as eggs. Once they hatch from the egg, they turn into larvae, which we come to know as woodworms.
They will be in this stage for up to several years boring through wood until they can find a way out and turn into wood-boring beetles.
Towards the end of their cycle, pupil chambers form into a tunnel large enough for the pupae to escape as an adult beetle.
Where Do Woodworm Lay Their Eggs?
Woodworm lay their eggs inside timber. The female adults woodworm or beetle is looking to penetrate through the timber and find small cracks, holes or crevices. This is where she will lay her eggs.
She will be able to lay usually between 40 or 60 eggs. In some cases she can lay up to 200. The eggs inside the wood are protected by the depth of these tunnels.
The wood itself should be moist, damp or rotting to make it easier for the female to lay her eggs inside them. Once they eventually hatch within two to eight weeks, they will turn into larvae that will create a lot of damage inside the wood.
Can You See Woodworm Eggs?
Woodworm eggs are tiny in size. They measure at about 0.5mm x 0.3mm which makes them hard to spot with your naked eye, but not impossible.
You are looking for tiny lemon shaped white or cream colored eggs inside the cracks and crevices of timber. There could be old bore holes left by the adult females over the summer.
Finally, they may emerge as beetles once they have created a significant amount damage and tunnels throughout the structure of the timber in their larval stage.
What Time of Year Do Woodworm Lay Eggs?
Woodworms or their adult version known as wood-boring beetles usually emerge out of wooden structures between April to October. This is when they have already laid their eggs.
Woodworms are able to move from one wooden structure to another and spread their infestation. It is important to recognize that woodworms are present in the wood by identifying these holes that they have drilled through the wood.
They are dropping underneath frass under the wood and it’s up to notice before it’s too late. October to the following April is when you will not notice woodworms laying their eggs. It is the early spring until early fall where woodworms create most of their damage.
How Long Do Woodworm Larvae Live?
The larvae of woodworm create most of their damage by tunneling through timber and producing frass along the way which resembles wood dust. This will last up to 2 to 5 years.
This is how long a woodworm larvae lives. This is the worst stage of the wood-boring beetle’s life cycle in terms of creating damage to wooden structures.
Two to five years is a very long time for larvae to live inside the wood without being noticed. This is why it’s essential to look for wood dust which is actually their droppings known as frass.
How Does a Woodworm Infestation Start?
A wood worm infestation starts with timber that is high in moisture. If the wood itself is damp or even decaying, it will attract an adult female beetles during the summer months to lay her eggs.
She will be able to burrow or find softened wood that is easy enough for her to drop her eggs. The woodworm is now living inside this infected wood for up to 2-5 years creating an expansive tunnels.
After this point, there will be an exit hole where a wood-boring beetle will emerge in the final stage of their life cycle.
How Can I Kill Woodworm Eggs?
Killing woodworm eggs would be easy to do if you have chemicals or insecticides lying around. You can also heat the wood over 52 degrees Celsius for 45 minutes.
You may also freeze the wood at -18 degrees Celsius for up a day or two. The eggs themselves will be easier to kill than their larvae stage.
Either way, if the wood is treated you will be able to prevent woodworm eggs. If the wood is moist or damp, then it is more likely to contain woodworm eggs. You can use any type of insecticide spray or Permethrin based treatment that you can brush, dip or spray to kill them.
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