This by far the most serious of wood boring insects, as it can very quickly render timber to a pile of dust, and often infest roof timbers where it can remain undetected and make the roof structure dangerous. Fortunately their occurrence in this country in confined to the northern part of Surrey, although odd scattered infestations have been found elsewhere.

It can easily be recognised by the elongated blisters it makes when the larva tunnel close to the surface of the timber. the life cycle if this beetle is very similar to the Common Furniture beetle, although the damage caused is very much greater, and occurs more quickly.