If you’ve spent a lot of time and energy making sure your garden fence panels stay looking pristine, then it can be incredibly frustrating in the spring and summer to find that they’ve been ruined by woodworm (basically the collective term for wood-boring insects). Early detection and prevention can make all the difference to minimising the damage to your garden fence panels. We’ll start with some of the most obvious signs you can look out for!
Signs that your fence might be infested with woodworm
Wood-boring insects can be notoriously difficult to see, and that’s mainly due to the fact that they’re only visible at certain times of the year. The best time to spot woodworms is between the months of March and September. This is known as ‘flight season’, and is essentially the time of year when the insects are most likely to tunnel out of the timber in an attempt to find a mate.
So if you suspect you might have a woodworm problem, here’s what to watch out for:
- Entry/ exit holes – these are a very visual sign. Holes typically range form between 2mm and 5mm in diameter, which makes them they’re pretty difficult to spot – so keep a sharp eye out! If it’s an active infestation, the holes will appear fresher, and if it’s a large infestation, the holes will be various and clumped together
- Bore dust (Frass) present – frass is basically the dust that’s left behind by woodworm as they burrow through the timber. The frass is usually light in colour, and looks a lot like very fine wood shavings
- Tunnels in the wood – this is an obvious sign that you have a woodworm problem, but annoyingly it’s also one of the hardest to spot
- Damaged wood – weakened or crumbling panels are a sure fire way of determining that you have a woodworm infestation. However, it’s important not to confuse woodworm damage with damage caused by rot. If you’re unsure of the distinction, contact a timber specialist to inspect your fence panels
- Actual woodworms – dead woodworms are sometimes visible near infected timber
Dealing with woodworms
It’s common for a lot of people to seek out a chemical spray treatment that’s specifically formulated to deal with woodworms, but if you’ve got an active infestation, it’s very doubtful that a chemical spray will have any real effect. Why is that? Well, generally speaking, most chemical sprays cannot soak into the timber to any significant depth. The usual level of penetration is less than 1mm, and frankly that’s not sufficient for dealing with a deeply set woodworm infestation.
If you’re dealing with a late-stage woodworm infestation, honestly the best thing to do is simply replace the affected panels. It might not seem like the easiest or most convenient solution, but trust us – it’s by far the most effective.
Thankfully, that’s exactly where we can help here at Welch Fencing. We provide a range of dip treated garden fence panels, and pressure treated fence panels, which are exceptionally well-designed to protect against rot and infestation. They’re durable and reliable, and our pressure-treated fence panels come with a 10 year anti-rot guarantee, saving you time, money and effort from having to reapply treatment on an annual basis.
Our fencing, concrete posts, timber gates and more, provide you with everything you need to start building your dream outdoor space. If you’ve got any questions, feel free to contact our friendly staff by dropping us an email or calling us on 01772 336 476. We’re always happy to help!
