There are two species of borers commonly found in Sydney, these being Lyctus brunneus (powder post beetles) and the Anobium punctatum (furniture beetle). Both are damaging to your home and your furniture.
Identification of the species is essential to determine if treatment is required and to determine the extent of the infestation. Borers will attack all susceptible timbers whether they are part of furniture or a building. Older homes are more likely to be attacked since timbers such as Baltic pine are often used for floorboards.
Powder post beetles are not usually considered a major timber pest as damage is confined to sapwood of hardwoods. Therefore, treatment or the replacement of timber is not usually essential, however, we recommend consulting a building inspector regarding damage.
Furniture beetles require treatment and are considered active unless proof of treatment is available. Damaged timbers may require replacement and treatment is usually carried out annually for a 3-year period.
Borers do the most damage to timbers when they are in the larvae stage. Borers pupate in the timber when they are fully fed, just below the surface of the timbers, and then penetrate through emergence holes and chew through the outer timber layer. The size of the hole will vary between species but will be 1-2mm big (and pinhead-like in appearance) and frass (sawdust) is usually found in the area.
The female inserts her ovipositor back into a susceptible piece of timber, which can be the same piece of timber, or she may fly away in search of another where she lays her eggs and the life cycle recommences.
European house borers are extremely rare in Sydney. There have only been about six cases but, if the borers are discovered, it becomes a quarantine issue and must be treated by wrapping the house in a plastic membrane and fumigating with a gas.