What are powder post beetles? They are slender, reddish-brown to black insects. They have cream-colored C-shaped larvae. The powder post beetle can damage seasoned hardwood that can be found in flooring, furniture, as well as structural wood. Larvae can take up to four years to develop while they live in and eat wood. If you have an infestation of these beetles, you most likely will never see them, but rather, find small exit holes in wood with piles of fine flour-like sawdust nearby.
In their larval stage, these beetles can seriously damage the structure of your home, furniture, and other wood items. They are not, however, a direct threat to humans or pets. They will feed on all types of wood creating narrow, wandering tunnels as they go. As they develop into adult beetles they create exit holes through the wood. You will not see the powder post beetle larvae while it is destroying your home, and you probably won’t see the damage they have done either until you come across one of their exit holes. The damage they cause by eating wood will go unnoticed for a long period, which makes it extremely important to take care of an infestation quickly. If you wait too long, these beetles can weaken the structure of your home, which can be extremely costly to rebuild or repair.
Prevention and early detection are the first steps towards avoiding a full-blown infestation of these damaging pests. Try some of these tips to get started:
- Avoid using old lumber from improperly maintained wood yards or piles where these beetles may be hiding
- Avoid using unfinished bare wood that attracts powder post-beetles
- Install moisture barriers in crawl spaces to prevent a haven for the beetles
- Increase ventilation in crawl spaces to discourage powder post beetles
- Contact a professional pest control service in your area for complete prevention and elimination of all of these pests and many others that are infesting your home
Throughout the Central Savannah River Area and Midlands of South Carolina, you can contact us at Aiken Pest Control. We commonly use conventional treatments for powder post-beetle problems, but tough cases could involve fumigation if necessary. Aiken Pest Control has the solutions for all of your pest control problems, give us a call today in South Carolina.