Old-house borers prefer new softwoods, and particularly pine.

Originating in Europe, the old-house borer now has a worldwide distribution, including the Mediterranean, South Africa, Asia, USA and Canada.

The larvae, called roundheaded borers, bore into wood, where they can cause extensive damage to either living trees or untreated lumber (or, occasionally, to wood in buildings; the old-house borer, Hylotrupes bajulus, being a particular problem indoors).

The old-house borer, or house longhorn beetle (Hylotrupes bajulus) is a species of wood-boring beetle in the family Cerambycidae (longhorn beetles) and is the only Cerambycidae beetle that re-infests the same wood that it emerged from.

Several are serious pest (animal), with the larvae boring into wood, where they can cause extensive damage to either living trees or untreated lumber (or, occasionally, to wood in buildings; the old-house borer, 'Hylotrupes bajulus', being a particular problem indoors).

The old-house borer, or house longhorn beetle (Hylotrupes bajulus) is a species of wood-boring beetle in the family Cerambycidae (longhorn beetles) and is the only Cerambycidae beetle that re-infests the same wood that it emerged from.

Occasionally other wood borers may be found, for example, Deathwatch beetle in historic timbers, Powder Post beetles in newly laid oak floors and around south-east London, the House Longhorn beetle.