Powderpost Beetle
Contact: Eric Day, Manager, Insect Identification Laboratory
August 1996
Powderpost Beetle
Size
1/10 to 1/3 inch (2-7.5mm)
Color
Brownish to reddish
Description
Powderpost beetles infest softwoods (pine, spruce,
fir) and hardwoods (oak, maple), and make small (1/8 inch), round
holes in the wood.
Powderpost beetle, egg
Powderpost beetle, larva
Powderpost beetle, pupa
Habitat
In modern log houses, powderpost beetles are usually
encountered in the logs after the first year or two. The first
evidence is small holes with fine sawdust streaming from them,
usually in the spring of the year.
Life Cycle
They have a one- to two-year life cycle, and cannot
reinfest the logs.
Type of Damage
There will be no structural damage from these
beetles unless they continue to feed in the logs for many years.
Control
Carefully inspect wood before buying or using wood from
old buildings; farm sawed lumber is often a source of infestation.
Use kiln-dried wood for new construction. Attempt to suppress
infestations with surface sprays or paintbrush applications. Consider
fumigation as a last resort only if active infestation is widespread
and causing significant damage.