"SadKate***" wrote in message
...
snip
Now, the good thing is, whether you're infested or not it'll be quite
easy to treat your planks at least. You can buy aerosol tins of stuff
made by Rentokil (I think Cuprinol make some too) which you spray on
and which will kill the eggs, larvae or adult beetles and stop the
wood from being reinfested. Now, it soaks right into untreated wood,
but if your wood is varnished or painted it comes with a wee injector
nozzle which you poke into the flight holes and it scoots in right
into the wood by way of the tunnels the little *******s have made when
they were chewing their way through. The tins come in at about a
fiver each and the injection part is really quite good fun.

How did it get there? Can't be sure, but as far as I know, these
things naturally live outdoors and just tend to fly into houses in
their adult stage. Apparently they like certain conditions and if the
temperature or moisture level is't right the infestation can die off
naturally. Mine have been thriving in a seriously damp part in the
back porch of my house.

Lastly, they work quite slowly, so your wood is probably safe enough
to use. Check your loft though!

Oops. I've written an essay. Anyway, hope this helps a bit.

K***

Thanks, Kate - very useful.

I am not worried about the frame of the outdoor tenty thing - I have some
Cuprinol 5* which should nadger anything still in the wooden frame.

I am more concerned about having to treat my entire loft space because
(a) It is huge
(b) It is full to the brim with assorted crap which would have to be moved
elsewhere during treatment.

I guess I will have to wait till next year and see if any holes appear.

Cheers
Dave R