• Several hundred species (the list is growing due to continuing introduction of foreign wood into the U.S.)
• Three species are most common in the U.S. (Lyctid, Anobiid, Bostrichid)

Powderpost Beetle Quick Facts – Identification

• Size: 1/32nd – 1/4th inch
• Color: Reddish Brown
• Lifespan: 1-2 years

Adult Lyctid Powderpost Beetle: Image Credits: Powderpost Beetles – PCS Pest Control Services Gulf Islands

Powderpost Beetle Quick Facts – Habits

• Found mostly in softwoods (pine, spruce, fir) and hardwoods (oak, maple)
• Can lie dormant or hidden in wood for 10 years before emerging
• Emerge from wood in Spring
• Attracted to lights and windows, but most active at night (like moths).

Powderpost Beetle Quick Facts – Life-cycle

• Larvae does the damage, boring channels in wood, eventually totally disintegrate the wood.
• Larvae transforms to pupae for up to a year, then to an adult which exits the wood by boring a small pin hole (see image below).
• Fine dust or “frass” can be seen at or below the exit hole.
• Adult finds a mate, then lays eggs in exposed wood pores, cracks or crevices
• Eggs hatch, cycle continues.

Inspect your home for signs of powderpost beetle damage:
Image credits: Powderpost Beetles – PCS Pest Control Services Gulf Islands

Powderpost Beetle Quick Facts – Prevention

• Like the bed bug, the powderpost beetle hitches a ride into the home, only instead of riding in your suitcase and in clothing, it rides in wooden objects (framing, paneling, flooring, furniture…etc.)
• Thoroughly inspect all wood that enters your home either as furniture or building material. Look for the tale-tale exit pinholes. Ensure the wood has been properly kiln dried and certified powderpost beetle free.
• Preventative measures include ventilating all areas of the home (attic, crawl spaces, wall voids…etc.) as powderpost beetles thrive in moist conditions.

Powderpost Beetle Quick Facts – Solution to an existing infestation

• Replacement of damaged lumber or full tarpaulin fumigation is recommended.
• Specialized pesticides that penetrate unfinished wood can also be effective.
• The specialized pesticides are available only to a licensed pest control specialist.

Call ApolloX Pest Control

(888) 499-7378

The post Powderpost Beetle Quick Facts – Spot, Take Action appeared first on Pest Control.

Powderpost beetles are only about 1/8 inch long, they spend most of their lives in the larval state hidden in the wood they are infesting, and emerge at night only for a few days before they breed, lay new eggs, then die.

The common element here is that it’s hard to see the beetles themselves. Most likely, you’ll only see the evidence of their presence. And that evidence will be the small pin-head sized exit holes they bore when the powderpost beetle larvae matures into an adult and exits the wood to breed.

To help you diagnose the signs of powderpost beetle damage to wood, we’ve provided the following images.

Powderpost Beetle Damage to a Window Frame

 Credits: Wood Beetles, Powderpost Beetles and How to Treat Infestations …

Powderpost Beetle Damage to a 2X4 Piece of Lumber

 Credits: Wood Beetles, Powderpost Beetles and How to Treat Infestations …

Powderpost Beetle Damage to Wood Paneling Front and Back

 Credits: Wood Beetles, Powderpost Beetles and How to Treat Infestations …

 Credits: Wood Beetles, Powderpost Beetles and How to Treat Infestations …

Powderpost beetle damage is done by the larvae which lives and tunnels in the wood, consuming fungus which has been deposited by the adult along with the eggs. It’s the fungus that actually breaks down the wood making it available for the powderpost beetle to digest.

The powderpost beetle eggs can exist in wood for as much as ten years before hatching, maturing larvae emerge as adults, so these pests can be extremely hard to detect.

Failure to detect and exterminate powderpost beetles can result in wood that literally crumbles into dust in your hands. If that wood is supporting the structure of your home, it’s not hard to imagine a scenario of total destruction and a plummet in resell value.

Successful extermination may require a penetrating product with a long residual, available only to a licensed pest professional.

Call ApolloX Pest Control

(888) 499-7378

We’re licensed, professional powderpost beetle exterminators.

Powderpost Beetle Damage – Susceptible Wooden Structures

Powderpost Beetle Damage to Log Homes

New log homes, even with treated logs, can still be infested, and the hidden infestation may not become apparent until up to 10 years after construction!

Powderpost Beetle Damage to House Siding

Exterior siding made of cedar, pine or some other wood can be infested with powderpost beetles. Watch for the pin hole exit marks on the wood. You may need to remove and treat or replace the siding depending on the extent of the damage. You’ll also want to thoroughly inspect the underlying wood. If that is also infected and untreated, your new or treated siding will likely be reinfected.

The rule here is to treat a much larger area than the area where you see the exit pinholes. Treat all surrounding wood.

Powderpost Beetle Damage to Attics

Rafters, floor joists and studs can be infected by powderpost beetles, and the damage may lie hidden for years following the construction of the home.

Powderpost Beetle Damage Inside Walls 

When remodeling, inspect inside the voids above crawl spaces and below attics for powderpost beetle damage. You’ll need to remove sheet rock and paneling.

Powderpost Beetle Damage to Crawl Spaces

The first line of defense here is to ventilate all crawl spaces since powderpost beetles love moist wood. This action alone may cause the powderpost beetles to stop breeding and eventually exit your home. However, you will also want to treat the wood. Fumigation may be the preferred solution here. Note that only a licensed pest exterminator is permitted to purchase and apply the product needed.

Powderpost Beetle Damage to Furniture and Cabinets

Most often the powderpost beetle eggs or larvae were already inside the wood at the time of construction. In question here are picture frames, artwork, wall units, desks, couches, statues, cabinets, chairs and tables.

Take immediate action if you discover wood with the powderpost beetle exit pinholes. You may need to strip finished furniture in order to successfully apply wood-penetrating treatment.

Powderpost Beetle Damage to Antiques

Here’s the scenario: The furniture came from a powderpost beetle infested home or antique shop and is itself infested. Or, the furniture was imported and had been in contact with powderpost beetle infested wood. Even refinishing that old antique dresser won’t eliminate the larvae deep within. They’ll continue to tunnel about, the eventually exit the wood and infest your home! Always check for exit pinholes before bringing any wooden object into your home.

Powderpost Beetle Damage to Wooden Floors

The scenario here is a new oak floor is installed and varnished. Then, 1-5 years later the tale-tale powderpost beetle exit pinholes begin to appear, along with a fine dust powder at the exit hole. It’s most likely that the beetle problem existed in the flooring before it was installed in your home, and also likely that the manufacturer will deny this and tell you the infestation came from your home. They’ll also tell you that the infestation will die off, so just ignore it. Don’t believe this. You’ll need to treat the problem or risk the spread of infestation to your wooden furniture and even the framework and siding of your home!

We recommend stripping the entire floor and treating it with a penetrating powderpost beetle treatment. Failure to do this could mean replacing the floor at a far greater expense in a few years and potentially needing to treat all your wooden furniture and possibly your entire home. That would be a much much larger expense.

In the event you decide to replace the entire floor (the flooring manufacturer accepts responsibility and foots the bill), you might want to treat the new floor before finishing it. This will help ensure there will be no new powderpost beetle problems.

Powderpost Beetle Damage – How long might it persist following treatment?

Most powderpost beetle treatments are effective in killing the larvae. The treatment acts as a poison that activates when ingested by the larvae. The problem is that the pupae (the stage between larvae and adult) doesn’t eat. Neither does the adult. The pupae can exist in the wood for up to a year or more. When the pupae matures into an adult, it exits the wood, but since it doesn’t eat wood like the larvae, treatments are ineffective. The adult emerges, then looks for a mate, and for unfinished wood in which to lay a new batch of eggs.

As you can see, a powderpost beetle problem is very difficult to eradicate.

If you notice powderpost beetle pinholes in any wood in your home, it’s best to call a licensed pest control specialist.

Call ApolloX Pest Control

(888) 499-7378

The post Powderpost Beetle Damage – View Infected Wood, Scenarios appeared first on Pest Control.

We found the following powderpost beetle conversations on a forum and thought we’d pass them along. Each demonstrates some aspect of these wood boring pests, and the challenges faced by those who encountered them.

Powderpost Beetle Conversations – Home Inspector and PC insurance rep speak out.

Home inspector advises against home purchase due to powderpost beetles.

Anobiid Powderpost Beetle

“I inspected a house in Golden Beach (yes, the name does represent the people who live there, that’s where those with the gold live to some extent down there in South Florida) about 10 years or so ago which was totally gone due to those buggers.

No matter where I grabbed a truss, it crumbled in my hand.

I came down and advised my client, he was buying it because it was a point lot with 400 feet on the Intra-coastal, he only wanted it inspected to see if it was safe to rent out for a year or two before tearing it down …

I told him I would not recommend it, one big wind from a hurricane and it will save him from having to tear it down – but I sure would not want someone under it when it comes down. He was getting a good buy on it too … only $3 mil back then.” Credits: Powder Post Beetles – Inspection News

Property and casualty insurance agent speaks out against purchasing a home infested with powderpost beetles.

“With all my experience in the PC business, I would not buy a home with Powder Post beetles. I’d run away in a heartbeat.” Credits: Powder Post Beetles – Inspection News

Powderpost Beetle Conversations – Total Destruction Described

Lyctid Powderpost Beetle

“Pest guys will swear up and down that it will not re-infest… What a joke!!

Powderpost Beetle Conversations – Frustration with time-consuming monitoring

“If you see frass hanging out of the holes it is probably active. But if you see the holes and no frass it requires monitoring, which can be costly and time consuming. You can draw a silver dollar sized circle and count or number the holes inside, come back a month or so later to see if you have more holes inside the circle. I will usually draw about ten circles and monitor them in order to determine activity. Who really wants to do this?” Credits: Powder Post Beetles – Inspection News

Powderpost Beetle Conversations: Summary

As you can see by these reports, powderpost beetles are not to be taken lightly. We’ve seen home inspectors and property and casualty insurance agents run the other way when they encounter powderpost beetles. We’ve seen reports of utter destruction of wooden beams and foundations which literally “crumble in your hands”, leaving “nothing between the carpet and the ground under the house”!

If you have a powderpost beetle infestation, your house may be toast as far as its resale value. However, there are ways to fight the infestation and reclaim your home.

Powderpost Beetle Conversations – 7 Point Prescription

1. Exterminate the powderpost beetles. This will require a professional pest exterminator who has access to solutions that are available only to licensed pest exterminators.
2. Replace infested wood with new wood that has been properly kiln dried and certified free of powderpost beetles.
3. Ventilate every area of your home (crawl spaces, walls, roof) to keep the wood dry — a condition powderpost beetles do not like.
4. Never store firewood inside your home, even for brief periods of time.
5. Never build using lumber that has been lying around in a garage, barn, basement, outside.
6. Thoroughly inspect all furniture (especially imported furniture) for the presence of powderpost beetles. Look for the tale-tale pin holes that mark their exit from the wood.
7. When purchasing hardwood flooring or paneling (in particular wood of foreign origin), be especially sure to get a statement of certification from the seller that the wood is inspected and free of powderpost beetles.

Do you have a powderpost beetle problem?

Call ApolloX Pest Control

(888) 499-7378

We’re licensed pest exterminators with the required training, skill and experience treating homes and businesses with powderpost beetle issues.

The post Powderpost Beetle Conversations – First Hand Reports appeared first on Pest Control.

Powderpost Beetles In Your Firewood – How did they get there?

Powderpost beetles love moist and unfinished wood. Unless wood is kiln-dried, sanded and varnished, it makes a great home for them. And, who kiln-dries, sands and varnishes their firewood? That firewood pile on the back porch may be Disneyland to powderpost beetles.

Powderpost Beetles In Your Firewood – What damage do they cause?

Basically, the adult powderpost beetle lays her eggs in a small crevice on the moist, un-sanded, unvarnished wood. The eggs contain fungal spores. The eggs hatch and the larvae begin to bore into the wood, tunneling about for up to 5 years. The larvae actually feed on the fungus as it digests the wood removing toxins and making it edible.

The larvae then mature into adults, exit the wood through small pin-holes they create (a tale-tale sign). They then lay more eggs in the wood and die after a few days. The new eggs hatch and the cycle repeats until the wood literally disintegrates. Yes, you can actually pick up a chunk of firewood and watch it crumble in your hands!

 Credits: 3 Common Signs of Powderpost Beetle Damage

1. The adult powderpost beetle burrows a hole into wood and lays eggs, carrying fungal spores.
2. The larvae feeds on the fungus, which digests the wood, removing toxins.
3. The larva pupates. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Powderpost Beetles In Your Firewood – What happens when they get into your home?

Here’s the scenario: You bring a small stack of firewood from the back porch into your living room and it sits there for a month or so waiting to be burned. During this time a few adult powderpost beetles emerge and lay their eggs on some unfinished furniture in your home, or find an entrance through the wall into your home’s framework or siding. Once they’re out and about, they pretty much have the run of your home. And remember, they’re pretty small and only need a pin-hole sized opening to get to unfinished wood. Since the larvae do their work behind the scenes, and the adults pretty much only emerge at night, you might not discover the problem until things literally begin to fall apart or crumble before your eyes.

Powderpost Beetles In Your Firewood – How to keep them out of your house.

• Never store firewood inside your home.
• Bring only as much firewood into your home as you will burn immediately–the same day.

Powderpost Beetles In Your Firewood – What if it’s too late and they’re loose in your home?

If you suspect a powderpost beetle problem — for example, you notice small pinholes in your furniture or siding or foundation, or you see tiny feces, especially near areas such as wooden porches, window sills and furniture, schedule a professional powderpost beetle pest inspection. This is one problem you do not want to ignore. Powderpost beetles, left untreated, can do as much damage to wood as termites!

Call ApolloX Pest Control

(888) 499-7378

The post Powderpost Beetles In Your Firewood – Signs of Infestation appeared first on Pest Control.

Powderpost beetles are small wood-boring pests that can do great damage to your furniture and home. The problem begins when an adult powderpost beetle lays eggs in exposed wood (for example, furniture, your home’s framework, foundation or siding). When the eggs hatch, the powderpost beetle larvae do the damage. They feed on the wood, tunneling through it, for up to 5 years. The larvae then mature to adults and exit the wood looking for a mate (usually in the Spring). Powderpost beetles might live only a few days as adults. Once they find a mate, they lay eggs in the wood, die, and the cycle repeats, only with more powderpost beetles drilling around inside the wood, consuming it and turning it to dust!

Image credits: How to Tell if you Have Powder Post Beetle Damage | Sunstate Pest …

Learn more about three types of powderpost beetles, what wood each loves to eat, and how to differentiate them based on the exit holes they make in wood, and the sawdust they push out of their exit holes as they mature.

Powderpost Beetle Hunt – How do you know if you have them?

Look closely at the wood that makes up your home, and at furniture, particularly furniture in storage or furniture that you may have purchased as used or as antiques. Any wood that was imported is particularly susceptible. Why? Not all countries observe proper kiln drying standards for lumber, and powderpost beetles love lumber that is damp. If you built something using old wood that had been lying around in a garage, basement or barn, that is also susceptible. Wood siding, flooring or framing that has been stored in damp conditions without good ventilation is also susceptible.

Powderpost Beetle Hunt – What to look for?

Look for small pinhole marks in the wood. These marks represent the exit holes the powderpost beetles made after they matured into adults. You might also notice very fine sawdust, called frass, at the base of the wood. The beetles push this sawdust out of the hole as they exit.

Powderpost Beetle Hunt – What to do?

First, make sure that the powderpost beetles are still active. You can do this by cleaning up any sawdust (frass) they’ve created, then return later to see if there is new sawdust.

Second, dry out the location and provide proper ventilation around the wood. Simply by drying out the environment, you may entice the bugs to move elsewhere.

Third, sand and varnish the wood. This will prevent any powderpost beetles from laying new eggs in the wood. They can only lay their eggs in unfinished wood. However, if there are powderpost beetle larvae already in the wood varnishing the wood will not solve the problem (remember they live and tunnel about, consuming wood for up to 5 years causing a lot of damage).

Fourth, if you suspect that there might be an active infestation (living powderpost beetle larvae tunneling about inside the wood), you’ll want to contact a pest control professional. One of the most effective methods for eliminating powderpost beetles is fumigation with a pesticide that only a licensed pest exterminator is allowed to purchase.

Powderpost Beetle Hunt – This is a serious issue.

So, if you see small pinholes in that antique table you recently purchased, or in your home’s siding or framework, or in the wood you brought up from the basement to use in your latest home improvement project… don’t ignore the issue. The integrity of your home could be compromised by a powderpost beetle problem.

You don’t need to panic, as the beetles do their damage slowly over time, giving you enough time to assess the problem and take the appropriate action. For example, do the above test (sawdust cleanup) this Spring, then check again next Spring to see if there is new sawdust.

But don’t ignore the problem. As they say, “The wheels of justice grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly fine.” Same with the work of powderpost beetles! Leave them to do their work and they’ll eventually disintegrate the wood they infest. In addition, when you go to resell your home at some point, imagine the value dropping drastically when the buyer’s home inspector discovers a powderpost beetle problem that was left untreated. Bad Bad!

Powderpost Beetles ??
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(888) 499-7378

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