If you think termites are the only type of insect that can do serious structural damage to a home, think again. Over the course of months or years, powder post beetles can reduce flooring, wood paneling, and furnishings to dust. Tiny and unremarkable, these beetles often remain invisible to homeowners until the infestation is out of control. Small holes in wooden objects and piles of powder near paneling may be the only evidence that the insects have taken up residence in your home. But what are these destructive little bugs, and is there any way to get rid of them?
Chances are, you won’t see powder post beetles out and about in the daytime. These small, dark brown insects have short lifespans and are primarily active at night. In fact, it’s possible for your home to sustain major damage without ever seeing the beetles themselves. Powder post beetles drill tiny holes, called shotholes into unfinished wood, where they lay their eggs. Most active in late spring and early summer, the beetles prefer to lay eggs in moist hardwoods, such as oak, but will sometimes nest in softer woods as well. The larvae can thrive for months or years as they devour the wood from the inside out, eventually emerging as adults through the shotholes. Their nickname comes from the insects’ ability to reduce entire wooden objects or structures to a fine powder, known as frass. Frass is a mixture of wood shavings and feces excreted by the beetle larvae, and its presence may be the first sign that you’ve got a powder post problem. A nest, however, can thrive for years in a single piece of wood without any external signs of infestation, and may be brought into the home unwittingly.
Is there any way to prevent these pests from invading, when they’re so hard to detect? We talked with Powderpost Beetle Control Treatments and Spray about prevention and they said, “One method of prevention is to sand, varnish, or seal the wood in question. Adult powder post beetles are unable to deposit eggs into wood that has been treated or sanded, and treating the wood leaves any existing larvae unable to bore through to the surface. The insects also prefer damp environments, so you may find it helpful to increase ventilation and decrease humidity in the affected area. Small wooden objects may be frozen for 48 hours to kill eggs and larvae. If you think you might have a powder post beetle problem, time is on your side: the beetles are slow to consume wood, and many infestations die out spontaneously.”
Sometimes, though, in the case of fragile or antique furniture or serious structural damage, prevention is not enough. If you’re suffering from a severe infestation, the use of insecticides may be necessary. Insect sprays containing pyrethrin, a natural ingredient derived from chrysanthemums, are useful in eradicating powder post beetles. Other sprays contain a substance called borate, which can prevent further infestations for decades. Odorless and non-toxic to humans, borate creates a barrier between the nest and the wood’s surface which kills larvae, as well as adults exiting or boring into the wood. Borate surface treatments are highly effective when used on exposed, untreated wood. However, in the case of large structural infestations that have spread between walls or floorboards, fumigation may be necessary. Expensive and time-consuming, fumigation requires the assistance of a professional exterminator.
If you’ve been noticing tiny holes or piles of powder in or around your home or furniture, don’t panic! Although powder post beetles are among the most destructive of household pests, they are also some of the easiest to prevent and exterminate, and the slowest to damage property. Pest control experts and entomologists alike suggest waiting to see if the infestation will die off on its own. If not, there are many options in the form of sprays to prevent further damage, and keep your home and belongings insect free.
