False Powder Post Beetle Infestations

With the obvious exception of termites, wood boring insects, such as false powder post beetles, cause the most wood damage in homes. While some powder post beetle damage can be a cause for concern, some evidence of powder post beetle damage may be an old infestation where the insects have died. Most powder post beetles can go unnoticed for long periods of time in homes. Some species infest only hardwoods but most infest both hardwoods and softwoods.

How to Identify False Powder Post Beetle Infestations

False powder post beetles can be easier to detect, than other types of powder post beetles, as adult females dig tunnels in wood to lay their eggs, unlike most powder post beetles who lay their eggs in tiny cracks and crevices in wood, leaving no indication of an infestation until the pupae emerge at the wood’s surface, leaving tiny exit holes and “frass,” small piles of powdery sawdust.