![Deathwatch beetle](/sites/default/files/styles/node_hero_default/public/2018-05/Deathwatch%20Beetle.jpg?h=588a1ae8&itok=UeqoXdTC)
Deathwatch beetle ©Dr Malcolm Storey
Deathwatch beetle
Scientific name: Xestobium rufovillosum
Famed for its tapping in the middle of the night, supposedly heralding tragedy, the Deathwatch beetle is a serious wood-boring pest. In houses, their tunnelling can cause major damage.