Wood pests – what should we all be aware of when building or renovating houses? 

How did the story of termites in Brda begin – and why does this case still raise eyebrows among experts today? How serious a threat are termites actually to our homes, cultural heritage, and buildings that we consider safe? And how do owners react when they find out that their wood has not been damaged by the weather, but by organisms that have literally started to "eat away" at their house from the inside? Are wood pests appearing in new areas due to climate change? How does a researcher feel when he sees a structure that nature has hollowed out to such an extent that it has become dangerous? 

In a documentary video, researchers from the Department of Wood Science and Technology at the University of Ljubljana, Prof. Dr. Miha Humar and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Boštjan Lesar, explain how the condition of wood is assessed: why the resistograph is an indispensable tool, how advanced methods – from microwave destruction to measuring the speed of sound in wood – are changing the approach to material preservation, and how much the work in historic buildings differs from that in new buildings. 

Which discoveries surprised them the most? And above all: What can homeowners do to prevent wood pest infestations? What is the role of awareness raising, preventive inspections, and networking with restorers and companies that work with wood? Why is it important to report such cases publicly—and what message do researchers want viewers to take away? 

Watch the documentary and discover how delicate the balance between the stability of a home and the natural processes working hidden beneath the surface can sometimes be.