Could my candle have woodworm? Pics attached

[TheOwlChronicles]

My friend bought me a candle last week from an online boutique type shop. It's a gingerbread scented 'dough bowl' candle and comes - you guessed it - in a dough bowl.

I popped it on the shelf in my kitchen and every day since then, I've noticed tiny piles of very fine dust underneath it / surrounding it. Not many piles - maybe 4 or 5 and they're super small.

I say 'dust,' but it's like a fine sand.

When I pick up the candle and rub it etc, nothing comes away. It's not dusty at all. But I know that, coke the morning, I'll see these teeny dust piles again.

I attached some pics. Any ideas? If it's woodworm (ewww!) I'll bin it but I can't see any holes or anything - although it's a very rustic wooden container!

Thanks in advance and sorry photos aren't great but best I can do

Pic 1 - candle as is

Pic 2 - the dust pile

Pic 3 - the dust pile when I smudge it with my finger

Yes that looks like active woodworm.
Has it been placed on a wooden shelf? On any wooden furniture? If so you should treat that.
Either bin the candleholder in a plastic bag or treat it with woodworm killer. You can buy in a diy store or online.

Don’t return it. Report as advised and take advice from the forestry commission. You have no idea whether the seller is actually going to take it seriously.

No advice, but I'm reminded of staying in a friend's student flat in the 80s, with a huge chunky old table. If you sat with your ear to it, you could hear the woodworm larvae chomping!!

SHUDDER!! 😲

Reminds me of the time I brought an ornament back from Africa. When I opened it, it was already half destroyed. Went straight in the fire.

The beetles I think are seasonal- they tend to hatch late summer and they fly towards the windows and are quite obvious. Hopefully because of the time of year, you're at low risk of them having colonised anything in your house! I hadn't heard of reporting but if you need to dispose of it, I'd def burn it

I've emailed her again and queried whether it should be returned

Returning means sending it via Royal Mail and then he returning it to her original supplier and I'm just not sure if that's a good idea based on reading this thread

I don't think it's infested with anything life threatening and it'll probably be plain old woodworm but as it came from the states initially, we just don't know so best to be cautious

It was stood on an oak unit but that's absolutely fine - we are not suddenly infested with a pest of that I'm sure!

So it's just about hoping she will agree to refund back to my friend (who initially bought it!) without having it returned.

I've sent her photos and clearly not pulling a fast one here!

@PearlClutzsche shriek!!!

It was stood on an oak unit but that's absolutely fine
Have you got the oak unit out and checked behind? Not trying to scare you but my parents had a massive infestation which eventually they tracked down to an oak sideboard. The woodworm were all up the back and it was so heavy they didn't move it normally. There was no sign at the front.

@MargaretThursday it's honestly absolutely fine. It's an oak and steel ladder unit and is as smooth surfaces as it ever was

I've heard back from her and she's happy to not receive it back as she's had photos of it - which I think is the best decision as I'm not comfortable sending it really

wow!! needs to be out of the house now! all your furniture is at risk including your home eg skirtings, wooden doors and floors and even the timber frame if it is a modern house!!

Agree that you need to report it. Used to live in Canada and there were often cases of imported pests such as the Japanese Beetle. They can cause havoc on local flora and fauna,and ultimately farming and forestry. They are called invasive species; they can adapt to the local climate and it can be detrimental to the environment in the long run.

@2jacqi it was a few mm teeny piles. I'm as certain as I can be that my house (incidentally not made of wood) won't fall down

Maybe I should go to A & E as well? Just in case I'm riddled too.

Anyway, thanks all. All sorted now and appreciate the advice. I'll hide the thread now because I just can't with the more outlandish posts