POWDERPOST BEETLE TYPES: LYCTIDAE, BOSTRICHIDAE, ANOBIIDAE AND CERAMYCIDAE

The larvae of these beetles reduce timbers to a mass of very fine, powder-like substance.

The adults do very little damage

. In this section we will discuss four types of Powderpost beetles in four families: Lyctidae, Bostrichidae, Anobiidae, and Cerambycidae. Adults do little damage, it is the larvae that does the major part of the damage.They go through a complete metamorphosis: adults, eggs, larvae and pupae.



You can easily recognize the work of powder post
beetles. When the adults emerge, usually in June, some
species leave small holes about the size of a pin in the
surface of the wood; others make holes the size of pencil
lead. From these holes, a fine, powder like brood of
larvae carry on their destructive feeding. Normally,
these insects have a 1-year life cycle; this means that
the adults will appear only once each year. And because
of this habit the larvae have a feeding period of many
months.

In this section we will discuss four types of Powderpost beetles in four families: Lyctidae, Bostrichidae, Anobiidae, and Cerambycidae. Adults do little damage, it is the larvae that does the major part of the damage.They go through a complete metamorphosis: adults, eggs, larvae and pupae.



You can easily recognize the work of powder post
beetles. When the adults emerge, usually in June, some
species leave small holes about the size of a pin in the
surface of the wood; others make holes the size of pencil
lead. From these holes, a fine, powder like brood of
larvae carry on their destructive feeding. Normally,
these insects have a 1-year life cycle; this means that
the adults will appear only once each year. And because
of this habit the larvae have a feeding period of many
months.

The adults are very small, less than 1/4" in size. They are flattened and reddish-brown to black in color. Larvae are white, cream colored, shaped with dark brown heads. Larvae create tunnels in the wood and become pupae. As adults they bore out through the wood, pushing a fine powdery dust out.The shape of their holes are round ,about 1/32-1/16 pinholes.

They attack hardwoods depositing their eggs. True Powder post beetles breed in dead and dried hardwoods such as the dead branches and limbs of trees. Their presence is overlooked until they are discovered in stored lumber, rafters, joists, finished wood, and furniture products.

As a rule, they enter lumber while it is being stored and cured, then later, emerge from the finished product. Old items of furniture and wood antiques are especially vulnerable to attack by the beetles.

Damage is usually
to the starch-rich sapwood of large-pored hardwoods such
as ash, hickory, oak, walnut and cherry. The hardwood
floors of new homes are commonly attacked

Their diet is starch, sugar and protein in the sapwood of hardwoods Wood that is less than 6% moisture content is seldom attacked .The life cycle averages one year to complete .This wood-boring beetle is the most widespread in the United States. Many times infestations are built into structures from infested lumber .They can re infest.

Lycid damage is characterized by: Presence of extremely fine, flour like powder falling from the surface holes. The frass left by other wood borers usually contains pellets, has a course texture and a tendency to stick together. When inspecting damage, be sure to distinguish old damage from active beetle infestations.

Presence of extremely fine, flour like powder falling from the surface holes. The frass left by other wood borers usually contains pellets, has a course texture and a tendency to stick together. When inspecting damage, be sure to distinguish old damage from active beetle infestations.

Recently formed holes and frass(sawdust like) are light in color and clear in appearance....old holes and frass are dark in color.