Limnoria quadripunctata Holthius — a threat to copper-treated wood

This paper presents the first reported attack by the crustacean marine wood-borer Limnoria quadripunctata Holthuis of CCA treated eucalypt piles. The attack occurred after 12 years service of the piles in the River Derwent at Hobart, Tasmania. Attack by both this borer and Limnoria tripunctata Menzies is also reported in CCA treated softwoods and hardwoods over periods ranging from 5 to 22.9 years in Sydney Harbour. No estimate of the relative importance of the two borers in CCA treated wood at the Sydney site could be made. Chemical analyses of some of the attacked wood specimens is provided.