Photographic and descriptive presentation showing the extent of fungal and insect attack.

1. LIVE ATTACK
WOOD ROT
AND
INSECT DAMAGE IN
BUILDINGS

2. DRY ROT
• Latin Name: Serpula lacrymans
• Common Name: Dry Rot Fungus
• Habitat Mostly softwood
• Damage Characteristics:

3. DRY ROT
TYPICAL DAMAGE

4. FUNGAL
CHARACTERISTICS
–Mycelium
–Strands
–Fruit Body - See Slide
–Spores

5. DRY ROT-
FRUIT BODY IN CORNER OF
CEILING

6. DRY ROT
SHEETS OF MYCELIUM EXPOSED BY REMOVAL OF TIMBER
WALL PANNELLING

7. TYPICAL WHITE ROT
DAMAGE TO TIMBER

8. TYPICAL BROWN ROT
DAMAGE TO TIMBER

9. TYPICAL SOFT ROT
DAMAGE TO TIMBER

10. WET ROT (BROWN ROT)
FRESHLY COLONISED WOOD

11. WET ROT (BROWN ROT)
LONGER TERM DAMAGE

12. WET ROT (BROWN ROT)
STRANDS

13. WET ROT (BROWN ROT)
FRUIT BODIES

14. WET ROT (BROWN ROT)
MYCELIUM ON THE WOOD

15. WET ROT (BROWN ROT)
FRUIT BODY (FIBROPORIA VAILLANTII)

16. WET ROT (BROWN ROT)
FRUIT BODY (PORIA PLACENTA)

17. WET ROT (BROWN ROT)
FRUIT BODY (AMYLOPORIA XANTHA)

18. WET ROT (WHITE ROT)
FRUIT BODY AND DAMAGED WOOD

19. WET ROT (WHITE ROT)
DAMAGED WOOD WITH BROWN MYCELIUM

20. WET ROT (WHITE ROT)
FRUIT BODY (SEPARATED
FROM WOOD)

21. WET ROT (WHITE ROT)
FRUIT BODIES (PLEUROTUS OSTREATUS)

22. WET ROT (WHITE ROT)
STRANDS ON DAMAGED WOOD

23. WET ROT (WHITE ROT)
FRUIT BODY (ASTEROSTROMA SP)

24. WET ROT (BROWN ROT)
MYCELIUM AND STRANDS ON DAMAGED WOOD
FRUIT BODIES SHOWN DETACHED

25. REMEDIAL TREATMENT OF
WET ROT:
• Establish size and significance of attack:
• Locate and eliminate sources of moisture:
• Promote rapid drying of the structure:
• Remove rotted wood:
• Apply localised preservative treatment:
• Replacement work use preservative treated
timbers:
• Introduce support measures:

26. NON WOOD ROTTING FUNGI
• Moulds
• Blue stain in service
• Plaster Fungi (Coprinus spp. Peziza spp)
• Slime Moulds

27. MOULDS
• Habitat - Surface of damp wood, plaster,
wallpaper or paint.
• Characteristics: Surface growths usually
downy and produce masses of powdery
spores.
• Remedial Treatment: Ventilation, Removal
of surface spores, heating, cleaning

28. MOULD GROWTH

29. BLUE STAIN IN SERVICE
• Habitat - Sapwood cells of moist wood but
mainly ray cells. Cannot grow below 20%
moisture content.
• Characteristics: Disfigurement of the wood
Black blue or grey streaks and patches on
the wood
• Remedial Treatment Exterior timbers only.

30. BLUE STAIN IN SERVICE
CAUSING DAMAGE TO PAINT

31. BLUE STAIN IN SERVICE
CAUSING DAMAGE TO NATURAL FINISH

32. PLASTER FUNGI
• Habitat: Damp brickwork or plaster. Feeds
on surface detritus or on organic material
included in walls
• Characteristics: Produce large fruit-bodies
or mycelial growths which may be mistaken
for those of wood-rotting fungi.
• Remedial treatment: Locate and remove
source of dampness.

33. PLASTER FUNGI
FRUIT BODIES (COPRINUS SP)

34. PLASTER FUNGI
FRUIT BODIES (PEZIZA SP)

35. PLASTER FUNGI
FRUIT BODY(C4 TIMES NATURAL SIZE)
GROWING ON FLAKES OF WHITE PAINT

36. SLIME MOULDS
SPORE DUST FROM RUPTURED FRUIT BODIES
ON WOOD

37. ALGAL GROWTH
RESULTING FROM OVERFLOWING HOPPER

38. CHEMICAL DAMAGE TO WOOD

39. COMMON FURNITURE BEETLE

40. COMMON FURNITURE BEETLE
DAMAGE TO WOOD

41. COMMON FURNITURE BEETLE
BORE DUST (x 10)

42. LYCTUS POWDERPOST BEETLE

43. LYCTUS POWDERPOST BEETLE
DAMAGED WOOD

44. LYCTUS POWDERPOST BEETLE
BORE DUST (x 10)

45. HOUSE LONGHORN BEETLE

46. HOUSE LONGHORN BEETLE
BORE DUST (x10)

47. HOUSE LONGHORN BEETLE DAMAGE
EMERGENCE HOLES

48. HOUSE LONGHORN BEETLE DAMAGE
CROSS-SECTION SHOWING EXTENT OF DAMAGE TO
SAPWOOD AND SURFACE SKIN OF SOUND WOOD

49. DEATHWATCH BEETLE

50. DEATHWATCH BEETLE
DAMAGED WOOD

51. DEATHWATCH BEE3TLE
BORE DUST (x10)

52. PTILINUS BEETLE

53. PTILINUS BEETLE
DAMAGED WOOD

55. WOOD-BORING BEETLE

56. WOOD-BORING WEEVIL
DAMAGED WOOD

57. WHARF BORER BEETLE

58. WHARF BORER BEETLE
DAMAGED WOOD

59. BARK BORER BEETLE

60. BARK BORER BEETLE
DAMAGED WOOD

61. BARK BORER BEETLE
BORE DUST (x10)

62. MOTH
DAMAGED WOOD

63. SAWFLY
DAMAGED WOOD

64. FOREST LONGHORN BEETLE

65. FOREST LONGHORN BEETLE
DAMAGED WOOD

66. DERMESTID BEETLE

67. DERMESTID BEETLE
DAMAGED WOOD

68. WOOD WASP
DAMAGED WOOD

69. BOSTRYCHID POWDERPOST BEETLE

70. BOSTRYCHID
POWDERPOST BEETLE
DAMAGED WOOD

71. JEWEL BEETLE

72. JEWEL BEETLE
DAMAGED WOOD

73. PINHOLE BORER
BEETLE
DAMAGED WOOD

74. MARINE BORER
DAMAGED WOOD

75. FINALLY
• Know the preservatives and methods of
application for pretreatment of wood.
• Know remedial treatments for eradicating
fungi and insects
• ALWAYS be aware of Health & Safety
aspects of remedial treatments.