When it comes to wood-eating insects, termites aren't the only ones Elizabeth City residents should be concerned about. Powder post beetles can be just as destructive. They eat away at wood to the point of turning it into powder, hence their name. Whether it's hard or soft, wood is a treat for them. They can ruin your home, business, furniture and other belongings.
There are multiple kinds of these pests. The most harmful ones are lyctids, anobiids, and bostrichids, and each has several sub-species. Anobiids are most common in our state of North Carolina. Our experts at Albemarle Termite & Pest Control will help you identify, prevent, and eliminate powder post beetles so that you don't have to worry about these insects wreaking havoc on your Elizabeth City home.
How To Identify Powder Post Beetles
Powder post beetles are very tiny. Adult anobiids, in particular, are 5/16 of an inch long, if not smaller. They have brown and black bodies that are either long and thin or oval-shaped. Their grub-like larvae are white. Their egg to adult lifecycle can be one to three years long. This is important because they lay eggs in cracks and wood pores and can live there for quite some time undetected. Unfinished and unseasoned wood that isn't coated or painted is an ideal place for them to lay and incubate their eggs.
Once hatched, they move to attack conifers or softwoods such as pine, spruce, timber, and fir. These types of wood are often used for structures, beams, wall studs, and floor joists within your home making these anobiids particularly threatening to your home. Furthermore, like other unwanted pests, they're drawn to moisture and tend to go into basements, unheated outbuildings, crawl spaces, and garages.
Signs of powder post beetles include:
- Many small holes in foundations, walls and wood
- A flour-like substance around the tiny wood holes
- Destroyed wood
The holes that these beetles leave are from them eating and exiting the nest when they've reached adulthood. The openings can be as little as 1/8 of an inch around. Any grainy material you see near the pits is called frass. It comes from their feces and the wood they've shredded. Anobiid frass is gritty in texture. It turns cakey and yellow as it ages. Thus, it could be an indication that the infestation isn't active anymore. Anobiids are known for re-infesting the same wood more than once
Ways To Prevent Powder Post Beetles
Wood is the main item used to build things, and it's an essential part of nature. Not having wood in or around your home is an impossibility. That said, keeping powder post beetles away may sound like an impossible task. In actuality, however, there are a number of options for prevention. These insects frequently hitchhike into your home on firewood. Without you noticing, they can crawl out of logs and onto other wood on your property. From there, they'll multiply and an infestation can quickly occur.
Unless you plan to burn it immediately, firewood should stay outdoors. Make sure all wood is painted, sanded or varnished so that it's sealed. That way, adult beetles will have a hard time finding a surface crack to drop their eggs in.
Here are some other preventative measures to keep Powder Post Beetles away from your home:
- Keep woodpiles outside and away from your property
- Use a kiln to dry lumber
- Never place wood or valued items in outbuildings
- Repair fixture, pipe, and utility line leaks that could be making wood wet
- Clean gutters and venting units
- Inspect wooden furniture and antiques for beetle damage before bringing them into your property
- Throw away water damaged wood
- Seal possible entry points inside your property, like cracks and crevices.
What Albemarle Termite & Pest Control Can Do About Powder Post Beetles
Getting rid of powder post beetles on your own could be extremely difficult. The products needed for thorough extermination are hard to come by and are typically only provided to pest control companies like ours. Let us spare you the worry and money with our expert techniques and affordable services.
Our knowledgeable professionals will be able to properly identify the beetle species troubling your property and form the perfect treatment plan. They'll be able to point out vulnerable spaces and give you information to stop future breakouts. Our methods are effective and safe. Options include fumigation, pesticides, and injecting product into wood damaged by these pests.
Albemarle Termite & Pest Control is local and family-owned, with three generations being in the business. We proudly serve Elizabeth City and surrounding areas with speedy response times, financing options for services over $500, and competitive pricing. Don't wait for powder post beetles to sneak up on you; call us today!