HOW to GET RID of POWDERPOST BEETLE

There are 4 different types of powderpost beetles: Lycid, Bostrichidae, Anobiidae, and Creamycidae. The stage of the beetles where they do the most damage is the larvae. The larvae of all the beetles will reduce wood to a mass of very fine, powder-like substance, but the adults do very little damage. Adult powderpost beetles appear once a year, usually during June. When the adult powderpost beetle appear in June, they leave small holes around the size of a pin in the surface of the wood and some leave a hole about the size of a pencil lead. Lycitdae or also known as True Powderpost Beetles, are extremely small and less than 1/4''in size; powderpost beetles Lycidae are flat and reddish brown to a black color. Larvae are white, cream colored and have dark brown head. The larvae of powderpost beetles (Lycidae) create tunnels in the wood as they become pupae and as an adult when they come out of the wood, the hole is the size of 1/32-1/16 pinholes. Anobiidae (Furniture and Deathwatch Beetle) attacks building timbers that are in poorly ventilated areas where there is moisture. Anobiidae powderpost beetles got the name Deathwatch beetles because from the ticking sound that the adult makes inside the infested wood. You will be able to hear them at a quiet night. These powderpost beetles can range in a size from 1/32-3/8'' long but the ones that attack the structures are around 1/8-1/4''long. The anobiidae powderpost beetles are elongate and cylinder like. The first body segment looks like a hood which hides the head. The Long-Horned or Round-Headed powderpost beetles feeds and lives in dead or dying trees, but they can also feed on living trees. The main reason on why the Cerambyciae powderpost beetles can come into the house is from firewood brought inside during the winter season. Old House Borers are found in older building but are becoming more common in newer buildings 10 years or younger.The adult old house borer powderpost beetles are brownish-black to black, semi-flat, and about 3/4-1''in diameter. The exit holes that these powderpost beetles make are oval and around 1/4-3/8''in diameter. The damage will have already occurred for several years before you might even notice the exit holes.

POWDERPOST BEETLE INSPECTION

Powderpost beetles are found in stored lumber, rafters, joists, finished wood, and furniture products and pinewood. Also starch-rich sapwood of large-pored hardwoods i.e. ash, hickory, oak, walnut and cherry trees and structural timbers

POWDERPOST BEETLE CONTROL METHODS

Powderpost Beetle Prevention:

There are several procedures to take to help prevent beetles from infesting wood.

1. Inspect wood prior to purchase
2. Use proper air-dried wood
3. Seal wood surfaces
4. Use chemically treated wood
5. Use good structure design i.e. ventilation, drainage, and proper clearance between wood and soil to decrease the moisture content
6. Use the central heating and cooling systems also to speed up the wood drying process.
7. Sand and varnish the non infested wood
8. Items that are held in value should not be stored in buildings outside such as in barns or sheds because these types of buildings are most of the time infested with powderpost beetles.
9. If it is possible remove the infested wood form the premises.

TREATMENT METHOD:

As we described above, powder post beetles will leave holes when they inhabit the wood and will lay eggs because of this, we suggest that you use Timbor (TIMBOR INSECTICIDE & FUNGICIDE ) which is a powder that you will mix with water to be used as a spray. You will mix one lb. with one gallon of water. Timbor (TIMBOR INSECTICIDE & FUNGICIDE ) can possibly stain so it is not suggested to be used on furniture. Timbor should not be used on painted, varnished or sealed wood, or cellulose material. If the wood is drier than the normal moisture content then you need to apply by brush or spray two applications of the solution. You will spray this product using a hand sprayer (CHAPIN 1 GALLON SPRAYER). Boaracare (BORACARE TERMITE) is a liquid that reacts faster than Timbor, it is used the same way as Timbor. If your furniture is severely infested, then it is recommended to fumigate it in a fumigation chamber, however, only by a licensed professional. If it is not severely infested, use aerosol products (PRO CITRA DL BOTANICAL INSECTCIDE , CY-KICK AEROSOL) to spray only in places where you think that powderpost beetles have laid their eggs.

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