Termites and borers both damage structural timber and wood items in homes, but they are very different beasts. It takes some skill to detect their presence and identify which pest is causing the problem.

There are a range of borers that attack timber. Borers are beetles and it’s their larval stage, the grub, which causes all the damage.Some of these beetles are pests of trees or freshly milled timber. They lay their eggs in the timber and the larvae that hatch stay within the timber, feeding and causing damage until they are ready to pupate and emerge as adults. Some of these  jewel beetles can take many years to develop into an adult, so the infested timber can be used for construction, only for the adults to emerge several years after the house has been built.

However, it is the pests of seasoned timber – existing wood in the home – that should be of most concern to homeowners.These pests can attack structural timber and wood items in the home at any time and can literally turn the item to dust! So it’s important to be vigilant and it’s a key reason why it’s a good idea for regular inspections by a professional. Unlike termites, there is no preventative treatment that protects existing structural timber or furniture items, so inspections are vital. However, if borers are detected, a treatment should be carried out