Lyctus brunneus
Appearance:
The sapwood beetle reaches a length of approx. 5 mm. It is reddish-brown and has a narrow, relatively flat body. The larvae of the sapwood beetle are whitish beige and grow up to 6 mm long
Reproduction:
The female sapwood beetle lays between 30 and 50 eggs in the fibers of hardwoods. However, the eggs are only laid where the starch content of the wood is high enough to ensure that the larvae can feed.
The larvae then hatch after approx. 1 to 2 weeks and pupate in 2 to 4 weeks. They live directly underneath the tree bark. Adult sapwood beetles bite through the wood bark and thus reach the outside between June and August.
The life cycle of the sapwood beetle is between 4 and 10 years.
Way of life:
Of the four life stages that the sapwood beetle goes through, it causes the most damage in the larval stage. It bores through imported and hardwoods for about 1 to 2 years, leaving tunnels in the wood.
The sapwood beetle is often found at timber merchants or importers. It is also responsible for damage to wood used by humans, such as furniture, sports equipment, wooden floors or facades.
