Introduction: About EHB
 European House Borer (EHB) Hylotrupes bajulus Linnaeus is a destructive pest of seasoned coniferous timber including pine, fir and spruce. If allowed to become established it can cause major structural damage to buildings.
The adult beetle (right) lays its eggs into cracks, holes and joints in dead pine trees, dead branches, or other dead parts of living trees and untreated pine timber.
 The damage is done by EHB larvae (left) that hatch from the eggs. European House Borer can live in its larval state for two to twelve years until it matures and emerges from the timber as an adult beetle to begin the cycle again.
The timber can be repeatedly infested until no sound wood remains and structural collapse may occur. Wood infected by EHB larvae is hard to identify and is often only detected after the mature beetle has emerged from the timber to take flight.
The main timbers in use in WA that are likely to be affected are:
- Pine (Pinus spp)
- Oregon (Douglas fir – Pseudotsugata spp)
These timbers are much less susceptible to damage when they have been treated by appropriate chemicals prior to installation.
The pest is able to live in a wide variety of climatic conditions however it prefers temperate habitats. |
