Are you looking for multiple methods to kill woodworms? Can you heat them up? Can you kill them with insecticide? Will freezing kill woodworm?
How do you kill a woodworm in a freezer? What temperature kills woodworms? Do woodworms prefer hot or cold weather?
In this article we will find out, “Will freezing kill woodworm?”
Will Freezing Kill Woodworm?
Yes. You can kill woodworms by freezing them. Freezing them in a low enough temperature environment will be able to eliminate all stages of woodworms.
A woodworm’s eggs can be killed at a temperature of -18 degrees Celsius.
If you can reduce the temperature down to -30 degrees Celsius you will be able to kill woodworms at any stage of their life cycle.
You will need a large enough freezer if you are intending to place pieces of wood furniture in there to kill off woodworms. This is an effective treatment method that is less invasive and easy to do.
How Do I Kill Wood Worms in the Freezer?
If you have a contaminated piece of wood that is infested with one or more woodworms, you can fit them into a large enough zip lock bag and seal it. You would like to have a minimal amount of moisture and condensation.
- Place the sealed bag inside the freezer at a temperature of -26 to -30 degrees Celsius for 3 to 7 days.
- If your freezer can only make it to -20 degrees Celsius, you will need to freeze it for a week or longer.
- Take out the bag with the wood inside and allow it to thaw for up to a week. This will kill all eggs, larvae and adults.
- After allowing the objects in the bag to defrost for several days you can now open it. Open it in and clean all areas while gently examining it to make sure that you can pick off any insects or dead woodworms with tweezers.
Can I Kill Woodworm in the Freezer?
Instead of using chemical pesticides, you can try another method to kill woodworms by using a freezer. It is possible to kill woodworms in the freezer, but you will need some patience and of course, a large enough freezer or freezer room.
- Seal or wrap the infested wood and throw it in there.
- Leave it in there for at least a week.
- Then let it thaw out for a week.
- Put it back in the freezer for another week if you notice any movement inside there with woodworms still alive.
- Take it out again and let it thaw for another week.
At this point, they should all be dead. Remove all woodworms that are dead with tweezers and dispose of them outside.
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Does the Cold Kill Woodworm?
Cold temperatures are not enough to kill woodworms. You would have to freeze them in temperatures at below -20 degrees Celsius for over a week.
Adult woodworms can survive winters. This is why we would have to use commercial freezers. They cannot breed in the cold weather, but will still continue to eat.
What Temperature Kills Woodworm?
Woodworms will definitely die at a temperature of +52 degrees Celsius. They will also die if temperatures are reduced underneath -18 degrees Celsius.
If you can set the temperature you even colder, you will be able to kill woodworms faster.
We recommend -32 degrees or below to be able to kill woodworms in just a matter of a few days. If your freezer can only go to -20 degrees Celsius, it might take as long as a week to kill the wood worms.
Does Woodworm Like Cold Weather?
Woodworms do not like cold weather. but they can survive a typical British winter. They will reduced their activity, but continue eating. They can bury themselves deeper inside wood and make themselves more difficult to find.
This is a dormant stage for the woodworm, but they will probably stay alive during this time. They will need harsher weather they be killed. This is why you can freeze any woodworm infested item in temperatures under -20 degrees Celsius in order to kill them.
How Long Can Woodworm Live in a Freezer?
Woodworms can live in the freezer for up to a week without dying. It is suggested to remove an item that is left in a freezer sealed bag by inspecting it carefully before the bag is opened.
In many cases, the bag needs to be returned back into the freezer for another week because most freezers do not get cold enough to kill a wood worm within a couple of days.
You will need temperatures below -30 degrees to be able to kill woodworms in their larval stage. They are most resilient during this time.
After a second week of placing a woodworm infested wood that is sealed in a bag in the freezer at a temperature of -20 degrees Celsius, they will finally freeze and die.
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