Wharfborer

Nacerdes malamura

Appearance

•  7–14mm in length.
•  Yellow brown with tips of elytra (wing case) black.
•  3 ridges along the length of the elytra.

Lifecycle

•  Eggs are laid on damp, decaying timber.
•  Larvae bore through wood for about 9 months then emerge in Summer.

Habits

• Larvae require wet wood so that fungi break down the wood fibres.
•  Two main sources of infestation in buildings — structural timbers where rainwater leakage occurs, and pieces of timber buried below concrete foundations, paths and pedestrian precincts.