The “Termites of the Sea”

Referred to as the “termites of the sea,” ship worms live in any submerged wood habitat and consume wood as their primary source of food. These bivalve mollusks drill passages in wood using small shells on the end of their body and will continue to burrow as long as conditions are favorable.

A ship worm infestation begins when the larvae settle on wood and begin to burrow. The larvae can survive for up to a month before finding a suitable place to attack. So, like termites, they can spread from structure to structure. The larvae attach and burrow completely into the wood within hours, continuously consuming and growing in size as it consumes the host structure. Some species of this marine wood borer can grow up to 47 inches long and just shy of an inch in diameter in just one year.

Ship worms prefer water with higher salinity, but have been found thriving in brackish water and estuaries. They attack from the inter-tidal zone to the mud line and are undeterred by pressure treated wood. Though the burrow may appear small, there can be significant damage to the structure before there is outward signs of a ship worm infestation.

This is why it’s important to have your dock inspected on an annual basis. By catching an infestation early, proactive measures can be taken to protect your dock. Wrapping pilings kills off existing borers and prevents new ones from attacking the structure.

Ship worms are bi-valve mollusks that drill holes into wood structures using small shells at one end of their body.

Ship worms will continue to feed, creating an ever growing tunnel, as long as conditions remain favorable.

The entrance burrows are very hard to detect and often go unnoticed until the structure fails.

Ship worms are undeterred by pressure treated wood. The best way to prevent the kind of damage seen here is to wrap and regularly inspect pilings.