Has my woodworm treatment worked?

fosterprops

Hi,

I recently bought an antique wooden filing cabinet, after I got it home I realised it had woodworm, I treated it straight away with a spray on solution of Boron Ultra 12, that was a few weeks ago, today I found what I believe to be a dead woodworm beetle in the same room as the filing cabinet. Does the fact it's dead mean the treatment is working, or should I just get rid of the filing cabinet?

Any advice gratefully received.

Thanks

Mary-Ann.

Grenage

I was under the impression that woodworm liked young wood - not antique furniture. Are you sure those holes aren't historic, and the beetle unrelated?

fosterprops

That could be the case, though when I got the cabinet home I saw little mounds of sawdust in a few of the drawers, which lead me to believe they were recent.

Grenage

Have you got a shed or other outbuilding you can store the furniture in, for treating and waiting to see if any more mounds appear?

fosterprops

No, unfortunately not. Kinda regret buying the cabinet now!

Grenage

Well if I liked the furniture, I'd probably just treat it all again, and cover it completely with some plastic for a few weeks.

cyclonebri1

Any decent woodworm treatment will kill eggs and larvae.

So, to thrive woodworm need damp conditions, keep it dry, in the house not the garage and you should have no further issues.
I think the bug was a dead moth larvae or similar,

SG27

Was the cabinet stored in a damp location prior to you buying it? Keep the cabinet wait until next spring to see if any more beetles emerge. If so treat it again. If its dry now the colony will eventually die out on its own anyway.

fosterprops

I'm not sure where the cabinet was before I bought it, but quite possibly was somewhere damp. What are the chances of any bugs infesting other wooden furniture I have? All my other furniture has been is a centrally heated flat for a long time so should be quite dry, I'm just so nervous that the woodworm will spread to other furniture.