Spiders Are Our Friends!

As these words are written ‘Specialist’ timber treatment firms are hard at work spraying toxic chemicals to treat woodworm in houses across the Southern Counties. Not long ago more than £100,000 was spent on such work at one building on the Isle of Wight! From Lime Regis to Lymington and in every direction beyond it is time for re-thinking woodworm control mechanisms, follow this link to read more

Fully effective treatment may be impossible without causing more damage than the beetles themselves. Spraying toxins into floor voids may cause more harm to household pets than the beetle colonies and will certainly destroy the biggest woodworm predator – the spider. Under floors and in lofts etc., webs are good! Test your surveyor: does he/she know that woodworm can’t thrive with central heating in well insulated buildings? Does your Homebuyer Valuation or Building Survey admit that Death Watch Beetles have probably been in your cottage for centuries and will continue long after you have gone! More than anything, spiders will speed the decline of a beetle population in a well maintained building: by all means keep their webs out of your habitable rooms, but don’t harm them in hidden voids and lofts.

Surface spray treatments are generally ineffective in the long term, so don’t let them happen! Instead, reduce dampness in timber by providing better ventilation and reducing condensation and isolating timber from dampness.

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