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Budget Termite & Pest Control
Biology and Behavior
Powderpost beetles will reduce wood to a fine, flour-like powder.
Damage is done by the larvae as they create narrow, meandering tunnels
in wood as they feed. Infestations are discovered after noticing small,
round holes in the wood surface. These are exit holes where adult
beetles have chewed out of the wood after completing their development.
Newly-emerged adults mate and lay eggs on or below the surface of bare
unfinished wood. The eggs hatch into tiny larvae which bore into the
wood, emerging as adults 1-5 years later, usually during April - July.
Homeowners are more likely to see damage than the beetles, themselves,
because the adults are short-lived and are active mainly at night.
The two most common and destructive families of Powder Post Beetles
are the Lyctidae and Anobidae. Lyctid Powderpost Beetles attack
only wood products manufactured from hardwoods , e.g., oak, ash, walnut
and hickory. Consequently, infestations are most often found in wood
paneling, molding, window and door frames, plywood, hardwood floors, and
furniture.
Lyctids rarely infest wood older than five years. Thus, infestations
generally are encountered in new homes or newly-manufactured articles.
In almost all cases, infestation results from wood that contained eggs
or larvae at the time it was placed in the home. This is significant
because responsibility for damage and replacement often resides with the
builder, cabinet maker or furniture manufacturer rather than the
homeowner. Typically, the infested article was constructed from wood
which was improperly dried or stored.
Anobid Powder Post Beetles may attack both hardwoods and
softwoods, which means that infestations may be found in all the same
places as Lyctid beetles, as well as in structural timbers (beams,
sills, joists, studs, sub flooring, etc). Maple, beech, poplar and pine
are especially susceptible to attack. Anobids prefer to infest wood
which is damp; therefore, infestations usually begin in moist, poorly
ventilated areas such as crawl spaces, basements, garages and utility
sheds. This species is the most common in the New England area mainly in
older or historical homes.
Detecting Infestations
The key to avoiding serious problems from Powder Post Beetles is
early detection. As noted earlier, homeowners are much more likely to
see damage than the beetles themselves. Since tunneling and development
of the larvae takes place entirely below the wood surface, the only
signs of infestation are the emergence holes made by the adults and the
powder-like frass sifting from the holes.
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