House Longhorn Beetle: (Hylotrupes bajulus)

Habitat:
General sapwood of most softwoods, particularly roofing timbers. At present these are found only in one area of England SW of London (mainly Surrey) where special building regulations exist to protect structural timbers and prevent their further spread. Small inactive infestations are common in buildings over 100 years old in London. Isolated infestations in other parts of country usually stem from imported infested packing cases and very occasionally found in plywood.

Damage characteristics:
With large infestations, larval feeding may be audible on warm days as a scraping noise.
Emergence holes: Few, large, oval, often ragged, 6 - 10 mm diameter.
Tunnels: Oval, 6 - 10 mm diameter. Extensive and join up to cause almost complete disintegration of sapwood but leaving thin, intact, surface skin. Dust-filled tunnels may cause blisters or corrugations on surface of wood which may be observed with oblique lighting from a torch.

Bore dust: Cream-coloured, sausage-shaped pellets. Gritty when rubbed between fingers. Small chips and wood fibres may be present.

Remedial treatment:
Organic-solvent or paste. Inspect thoroughly and remove powdered material to determine extent of infestation and any signs of structural weakening. Remove and burn all badly damaged timber.

Insect characteristics and location:
Adult: 10-10 mm long, black or dull brown; smooth central line on thorax flanked by two shiny black bumps; two grey patches of hairs on wing covers. Found on or around infested timber, July-Oct, particularly on warm days.

Larva: Up to 30 mm long, straight, pale cream, three pairs very small lets; three small black dots on either side of mouth. Found all year round in infested wood.