Powder-Post Beetles in Buildings: What to Do About Them

Leaflet No. 358
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Powder-Post Beetles in Buildings
WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM
Powder-post beetles cause extensive damage to wood in the structure of buildings and to wood products used in homes.
The larvae, or grubs, feed on the starch or the cellulose in wood. As they feed, they bore irregular tunnels through the wood. Borings left in the tunnels have the consistency of powder.
Powder-post beetles can be controlled by applying an insecticide to the infested wood. How it is applied depends on the kind of beetle to be controlled and on the extent and location of the infestation. In some circumstances a spray will suffice; in others, fumigation is necessary.
COMMON AND SCIENTIFIC NAMES OF INSECTS DISCUSSED
KINDS
Powder-post beetles are divided into five groups—lyctus beetles, anobiid beetles, bostrichid beetles, cerambycid beetles, and cossonid weevils.