Bugs/Something in the loft making a noise

[RyanM]

Hi Guys,

Hoping someone can offer some advice.

I live in a top floor flat, which incorporates some sloped ceilings as it is in the roof, and on a night in bed, for the past couple of nights I have notice a tapping sound coming from a specific area in the bedroom, which is near a sloping wooden beam, but on the other side of the plasterboard in the roof space.

I've had a look in the roof space, but where the noise is, and due to the shape, you cannot see anything.

I've searched, and the noise seems to be that of a Death Watch Beetle tapping away on the wooden beam. Although it could be something else, videos on youtube seem to give the same tapping noise.

Is there anything I can buy to try to eliminate the bugs from B&Q etc, or is it best getting a company in (like Rentokill)? Bearing in mind you cannot really access the area the noise is coming from?



Thanks for any advice, as the tapping is keeping me awake at night.

 

[joe-90]

It's probably expansion/contraction. If not then probably a bird nest.

 

[RyanM]

Hi Joe,

I don't think it is expansion/contraction, as it started at 8pm last night, and is still doing it now at nearly 7am.

Could possibly be birds, but there is no light up there? Plus would birds be making the noise all night tapping away?




Cheers

 

[bernardgreen]

Water dripping can make a tapping sound, weeping pipe, rain through the roof etc etc. drips tend to be regular and not randomly spaced

Cables attached to the roof ( telephone, over head power lines etc ) can start tapping against the roof. Worth checking as it could be a sign they have loosened.

You live in a flat, is it a leased flat and then is the roof space yours or does it belong to the freeholder. If it is not your then the free holder should be the person to find what ids cuaing the tapping noise.

 

[RyanM]

Hi Bernard, thanks for the reply.

There are no water pipes at all in the roof space, and it hasn't rained for a good few days. It doesn't seem to make a noise during the day, but I will need to confirm this.

The only cables which are in the roof space is for the lighting circuit, but again, where the noise is, there isn't any, and I have checked the cabling to the bedroom light, and it visually looks ok.

There are no cables over the roof either.

I own the flat, on a leasehold.

Any more suggestions would be great




Thanks a lot

 

[securespark]

Sorry?

Hasn't rained for a few days in Scotland?

Don't believe you!!

 

[Nige F]

You say a flat but is it an ancient tenement ? could be DW beetle unless it's something like "several species of small furry animals grooving with a Pict " Pink Floyd

 

[RyanM]

It doesn't always rain

Nige, Yes it is an old building, about 150 years old, converted in to apartments (flats really).

Do you think it is likely DW Beetle? Does this indicate rotting wood?

What is the best method of removal? An insect smoke bomb thing?




Thanks

 

[Burnerman]

I think the only way you can be really sure is to expose the area of concern......you'll need to look for exit holes that are much bigger than the furniture beetle, and evidence of dust.
This creature prefers old, damp hardwoods really - hence the popularity of old barn infestation and so on.
Nothing the matter with your hearing, is there!
John

 

[EFLImpudence]

Is there anything I can buy to try to eliminate the bugs from B&Q etc,

I'd let B&Q worry about their own bugs.

 

[handyjack]

Don't touch Rentokil, they will probably tell you it's rising damp (no such thing) and then charge you a small fortune to put it right.

The adult beetle is not a problem, it's the larvae that do the damage.

If you really do have them , then the most effective treatment, apart from making sure your timbers are dry (by heating, ventilation and fixing any sources of moisture ingress), appears to be catching the emerging adults in spring with ultraviolet “insectocutors”.

 

[conny]

You need to kill the larvae as well as the adults.
Escaping adults can lay more eggs thereby replicating the cycle.
The larvae eat the wood from the inside and can cause structural damage.
The whole area needs to be exposed and all surfaces of the timbers need to be treated thoroughly. This wil kill any remaining beetles and larvae. There is no short cut to eradicating ANY kind of wood boring insects. After treatment all timbers should be thoroughly inspected for damage extent and replaced if necessary. All removed timbers must e burnt not disposed of in any other way.

If in doubt then call in the experts. They will decide best course of treatment, carry out the work and give you a written guarantee for future use if you come to sell the property.

As I said, there are no shortcuts.

 

[anobium]

Don't touch Rentokil, they will probably tell you it's rising damp (no such thing) and then charge you a small fortune to put it right.

The adult beetle is not a problem, it's the larvae that do the damage.

If you really do have them , then the most effective treatment, apart from making sure your timbers are dry (by heating, ventilation and fixing any sources of moisture ingress), appears to be catching the emerging adults in spring with ultraviolet “insectocutors”.

Talk about a contradiction in terms, how do you propose to catch the larvae which actually do the damage when they are deep down in the wood causing the damage.?
The sole function of the adults is to find a suitable mate to reproduce.
Incidentally death watch only attack hardwoods usually oak which are already under attack by fungal decay. Oh and they cannot fly very far so the "insectocuters " are not effective.

 

[gregers]

and also bear in mind even after treatment YOU may still hear them munching away,as the treatment will only start to take affect once they have eaten the last few mm of timber,also doesnt mean THEY die but may well manage to reproduce so it could be a couple of life cycles before that strain are actually dead.

this is all hearsay anyway as you havnt actually identified whether you have an infestation or not.

 

[tony1851]

Rat.