Powderpost beetles silently damage exposed wood by laying eggs that hatch into wood-boring larvae. Early detection and treatment are key to preventing long-term structural damage.
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Powderpost beetles lay their eggs in tiny wood cracks, where their larvae burrow just beneath the surface—leaving behind fine, powdery dust. With flat, reddish-brown bodies built for slipping into wood, these pests can go unnoticed until serious damage is done.
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Powderpost beetles lay their eggs in cracks of wood and the larvae tunnel into the surface, filling it with a very fine powder-like dust. Powder Post Beetles have long, narrow, flat bodies that allow them to easily attack wood surfaces. These beetles are reddish-brown in color.
Powder Post Beetles often attack hardwoods, and can be found in hardwood floors, timbers, crates, antiques and other objects made of hardwood materials. There are some species of powder post that can remain dormant in wood for many years before emerging.
The first step is to determine if there is an active infestation or if we are simply seeing old damage. It is also very important to properly identify what species of Powder Post Beetle is infesting the wood.The three families of Powder Post Beetle that can affect wood are the true powderpost, Lyctidae, Anobiidae (Death Watch Beetle) and the Bostrichidae (Known as False Powder Post Beetles).
The species of beetle identified, the type of wood being damaged and the location of the activity will determine the best treatment method(s).
In many cases the use of a borate based wood preservative, (boric acid treatment) can effectively eliminate existing beetles and preserve wood to prevent wood destroying insects and organisms.
In some cases where wood destroying beetles have infested antique furniture or picture frames, we will transport these items to a fumigation chamber. Fumigation is very effective for treating powder-post beetles.
Thermal Heat Treatment can also be used to treat powder post beetles.
Our certified Wood Destroying Insect professionals will help you determine the best treatment method(s). We are available 24/7
