U.G. COOPERATIVE EXTENSION wo i oo<,FARS^ ADVBORS OF VENTURA COUNTY RELEASE: FEBRUARY 18, 1982aco SQim VICTORIA avenue. VENTURA, CA 93009 r I . . r,

•TBuffHONEC805)654-2924 Uir| | vei;^s 1 ty of Ca i i f orn i afaAm -advisors say-

BEWARE OF POWDERPOST BEETLES

Have you noticed round holes about the size of pencil lead in your hardwood floor,wood cabinets and paneling or wood furniture? The surface may look riddled by a chargeof birdshot. Is there fresh fine sawdust beneath the holes? Then beware of the powderpost

beetles for these are signs of their infestation. You may spot their damage before you see

the adult beetles because they are small, short-lived, and active chiefly at night,

Powderpost beetles are the most destructive beetles ravaging the home because theyinfest the same wood area many times.

The two most commonly found powderpost beetles in California are Lyctids and Anobiids,The sawdust left by Lyctids is as fine as talcum powder. Anobiids' sawdust feels grittyand coarse.

To avoid confusing beetle damage with that of termites, realize the beetles leavesmall winding tunnels packed with sawdust and each adult makes an exit hole. Termitesbuild large galleries inside wood and do not leave exit holes in the surface.

Lyctid beetles may hitch a ride on items such as furniture, cabinetry, paneling or

firewood brought into your home. Anobiids often come in on used furniture or fly intocrawl spaces beneath the house.

The pests lay eggs in wood pores, cracks, crevices, old holes or tunnels made by theadult beetles. The larva hatches and burrows into the wood while it eats. Larva turns into

pupa which becomes an adult beetle. It tunnels out of the wood, mates and lays eggs.

Lyctid beetles attack the large-pored hardwoods such as ash, hickory, mahogany and oakwhich has been dried less than 10 years, and bamboo. Areas you may find them in includehardwood floors, cabinets, frames and paneling. Anobiids attack hardwoods and softwoods,for example, pine, Douglas-fir and redwood which has been used several years. You may find

them, especially in humid climates, in areas including subflooring and furniture.The pests* attack may die out naturally for unknown reasons. Sometimes the beetles

leave after they have riddled wood completely and there is no food left for the larva to eat.

You may consider a few holes from the pests in your furniture simply a nuisance to

repair. But keep in mind their damage may reduce important structural timbers to powder.To find the best control, it's important to know the extent of the infestation and thebeetles involved. Many beetles can wander into homes but in California only powderpostbeetles reinfest the seasoned wood of houses.

Some guidelines to observe in preventing powderpost beetles include storing firewoodoutdoors until using it. Inspect crawl space ceilings and walls every 2 years to detect an

infestation early in its development. Protect wood surfaces with a product such as paintwhich seals wood pores. Beetles will not invade sealed wood.

If you discover an infestation in its early stage, remove the object or replace theinfested wood. You can kill powderpost beetles in a small wooden object by placing it ina freezer at 0 degrees F. and leaving it there a day. Most deep freezers are cold enough,but many ordinary refrigerator freezers are not.

Fumigation is the quickest and most reliable control. It can be done only by a

licensed fumigator. The method is most useful where there are valuable pieces of susceptible

furniture, where infestation is severe and widespread, or where the extent of infestationis severe and widespread, or where the extent of infestation cannot be determined.

BUD LEE

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