Criocephalus rusticus

This is another pest of conifers, particularly pine, and it is more common in the north of England and in Scotland than further south.

It requires the timber to be damp if it is to thrive. The larvae normally live in pine stumps, but may also attack dead or felled trees, or damp planking at the base of a stack.

When the beetles are seen indoors they may have come from pine logs or from timber damaged by damp. In many cases worked timber may show signs of an old attack in the form of larval tunnels exposed by the plane. This would mean that the timber had been damp but had since dried out, and would be quite suitable for use provided it was kept dry with good ventilation.

If a building suffers a serious attack by this species the structural timber must be too damp and this should be rectified.