SaratonyT

I noticed the door frames looked a bit funny, in fact the frame was being held together by the varnish only and the wood had disappeared. On closer inspection I noticed very small grubs (no adults seen). Went straight to the ferreteria and purchased some woodworm insecticide type spray, ripped off all of the damaged wood and sprayed. Several weeks later they don't seem to have reappeared . The frames were not solid wood - the solid wooden frames have not been affected. They are only in our underbuild where it tends to be more damp.

I have been trying to find what we have got, they did not look like termites.

Has anyone experienced anything similar?? Would love to know what they were!

bil

There's a lot of beetles like snacking on wood. As you say, were they termites, I'd expect to see adults.

fionamw

To the letter. In crappy modern-ish, probably not brilliant quality softwood frames done when previous owner had reform done. Never seen anything similar in the original beams. I've seen them a couple of times & taken similar action. Don't know what they are, either

Jur

Post a picture.

We have had the house treated against termites as well, 1000 € setback!

Rotor

Little white things around 4 to 6 mm long? If so termites , they will eat your house unless treated!

Rotor

What is the guarantee?

SaratonyT

Thanks for the replies - haven't got any photos of the little critters although we did have the neighbours in to have a look and nobody knew what they were. They were tiny grubs, the largest was about the size of an ant! We ripped off the door frames and sprayed them and so far they haven't returned.

I have seen termites before and there were definately no legged or flying bugs, the larvae looked too small to be termites and there was no exterier sign anything was going on inside the frames, no dust, holes etc.

We bought a plug in termite/woodworm unit which is supposed to protect the whole house - not sure if it does any good though!?!?!

Rotor

Termites do not always have wings, see photo of termites.

Jur

That they´re dead.

Dick Dasterdly

Best guarantee is to by a house with virtually timber free constuction as many of them are for good reasons.

Also as I have seen myself on 3 occasions, the basic structures can survive a fire reasonably well.

bil

As the man said, none of them possessed legs. I suspect he uses the term grub accurately, and they will turn out to be beetle larvae.

As I say, there's a fair few types of beetle whose larvae eat wood.

fionamw

From memory, mine (last seen approx a year ago) looked remarkably like anorexic maggots - not a leg to stand on!!

bil

There's a huge difference between maggots, grubs and caterpillars, (but only if you look closely.)

Maggots have no legs. Caterpillars have 6 true legs at the front and two or more pseudo legs at the rear. Grubs have only the 6 true legs.

fionamw

Mention of the word termite put the fear of bejaysus in me, hence trying to describe the beasties I saw at home.... they struck me as being crawly things rather than walking, which is why I described as reminiscent of maggots. Is there any termite stage like that?

bil

No. Termites do not have a grub/maggot/caterpillar stage.

Their young that hatch from the egg are similar to the adults in that they eat the same food.

Crudely you can divide insects into two groups, those whose young compete with the adults for food and those that don't.

The second group has young that look completely different. (think maggot/fly, caterpillar/butterfly, beetle/grub)

Termites like grasshoppers have to compete with their young for food.