Just discovered this site so this is my first post.
We have owned a house in the north of Dordogne since 2007. We’re right on the border with Charente and Haute Vienne (24, 16, 87). The property was a barn which we converted to a house. It has many substantial oak beams. Over the years we’ve noticed the occasional tapping at night and in our ignorance assumed it was woodworm as there was the odd small pile of dust. When we arrived here at the end of April (2019) after a 6 months absence our friend who cleans the house for us before we arrive showed us a picture she took of a pile of beetles that she had swept up on the landing underneath one of the main A beams that support the roof. There were about 20 beetles. In the last 10 days I’ve found around 20 more, never having seen them before.
I’ve done a lot of Googling and I’m certain these are Death Watch Beetles. The flight holes are much larger than the woodworm holes that we’ve always had and the beetles look exactly like the pictures I’ve seen in Google searches.
I’ve spoken to a lot of people round here including two friends who are British builders and live here. Nobody seems to have any experience of DWB or how to eradicate them. But everyone has said it’s a very serious problem.
I spoke to a guy down at the Mairie who works for the commune. He said they had DWB in the church and that he treated it with a “bomb” which I know they sell at the local Coop.
I feel that I need a specialist to come and look at this but I can’t find one anywhere near here. Meanwhile I’m surface treating with Xylophene (the once that is washable in water) but I suspect I’m wasting my time.
Does anyone have any advice/first hand experience or able to point me in the direction of a specialist?
Hi Paul
We’ve been in contact, it seems that you have already treated the woodwork with Xylophene, so no need for me to make the 250Km trip!
Just note, the “guarantee” on the tin is under ideal conditions; correct humidity, air flow, temperature etc. So don’t expect a pay out from them if you find a beetle in a couple of years.
Welcome aboard SFN, there are a lot of people willing and able to help or advise.
It’s three years since we spoke and corresponded. In that time I’ve applied about 10 layers of Xylophene to our beams and having spoken to specialists in the UK I’ve discovered I’ve been wasting my time (and money)!
The DWB in our house are now more widespread than ever and we had to have a small beam replaced as they ate through the joint with an adjacent beam. We’ve just arrived in France (April ‘22) after a gap of 6 months and have found dead beetles in several rooms including those where we’ve not seen them before. I reckon I found about 30.
We were unable to come to France during lockdowns and the house was closed up for two years. We had a leaking roof and a blocked gutter so the house got very damp. That can’t have helped.
I appreciate you’re a long way from us in North Dordogne so I wondered if you were aware of any other specialists closer to us who might be able to help. I’ve done a Google search and nothing whatsoever comes up. I’m really concerned about the structure of the house now.
Hi Rob, i’m new to the forum and looking for advice, we moved into our new house in the Dordogne in December, the termite report was newly redone as it was over a year since it’d been done, and there was no problem reported, I now find some worrying large fresh looking new holes on one of the outside beams, with evidence of paper like shavings on the table below, along with freshly chewed looking wood on a set of old outside doors, the wood coming of it is brittle and crumbling, any insight would be welcome, I’ve little experience of termites and felt secure with the last report in December, may thanks in advance @ Rob le pest
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you can let me know if you didn’t get them and I’ll resend