There are many types of wood boring beetles, the most common being the Common Furniture Beetle, Death Watch Beetle, House Longhorn Beetle and Wood Boring Weevil. Wood boring beetles generally prefer timber with a higher than normal moisture content.
There are four stages in the life cycle of a wood boring beetle. The female
beetle lays eggs on the surface of the timber. The eggs hatch and the larva tunnels
in to the timber where it remains for a number of years creating tunnels by eating
the timber away. This can lead to the structural collapse of the timber.
Towards the end of the life cycle the larva creates a chamber just below the surface of the timber where pupation takes place (the transition from larva to chrysalis to adult beetle).
The adult beetle bites through the surface of the timber leaving behind a noticeable exit or flight hole. Mating then takes place and the cycle is repeated. The adult beetle lives for only a few weeks and causes very little damage. It has no digestive system and its teeth are used only for exiting the timber.
