Woodworm

Woodworm is the common name of the larvae of a variety of wood boring insects but is most commonly used for larvae of the furniture beetle. (Anobium punctatum). The feeding activity of the larvae can cause considerable damage to timber.

Adult female furniture beetles lay eggs in crevices within the surface of the wood. The resulting larvae burrow into the wood and can spend up to four years feeding within the wood. They pupate near the surface of the wood and the adults break through the wood when they emerge from the pupae. The adults do not feed.

A photograph of the woodworm beetle (Anobium punctatum).
Photograph by Siga licensed under Creative Commons.

Related terms

• Coleoptera
• Saproxylic
• Wood borer
• Xylophagous

Related pages on this web site

• Beetles - Order Coleoptera

See other words beginning with W