Powder-Post Beetles in Buildings: What to Do About ThemSt. George, R. A. (Raymond Alexander)
Science
Powder-Post Beetles in Buildings: What to Do About Them
St. George, R. A. (Raymond Alexander)
Lyctidae
The adults of some species remain on the wood from which they emerge,
and reinfest it. Others crawl or fly to similar wood and attack it.
A beetle may lay only a few eggs or as many as 60 or 70; the number
depends on the species of beetle and on the condition of the wood.
=Infestations in Hardwoods=
Seasoned hardwoods.--Beetles that infest seasoned hardwoods
lay eggs on or in the wood from which they emerge. Hence the same wood
may be infested repeatedly. These beetles do not require bark for egg
laying.
[Illustration: Oak board damaged by larvae of the southern lyctus
beetle.]
Lyctus beetles lay eggs in exposed pores in the sapwood of oak, ash,
hickory, walnut, pecan, gum, persimmon, maple, cherry, and a few other
hardwood species. The larvae are found in hardwood flooring, furniture,
picture frames, and trim.
Anobiid and cerambycid beetles lay eggs in crevices on the surface of
the wood; cerambycids also lay eggs in emergence holes.
Bostrichid beetles that bore into seasoned hardwoods often bore
chambers at the sides of their tunnels and lay eggs in them.
Unseasoned hardwoods.--Bostrichids that infest green and
seasoning hardwoods lay eggs in pores leading from the entrance
tunnels. The red-shouldered shothole borer is one of these. Bostrichids
frequently attack bark-covered wood. They usually do not reinfest the
wood from which they emerge.
=Infestations in Softwoods=
Seasoned softwoods.--Some kinds of beetles infest seasoned
softwood lumber used in the structure of buildings.
Certain of the bostrichids require bark for egg laying. They infest
lumber that has bark on the edges. Such lumber is often used in
framing, subflooring, and roofing. The females lay eggs in the bark.
The larvae of some species complete their development in it; others go
to the adjacent wood to do so. The adult females may reinfest the wood
from which they emerge.
Other beetles that infest seasoned softwoods do not require bark
for egg laying. Among them are the old house borer and the cossonid
weevils. The females lay eggs in crevices in the wood. They may infest
the same wood repeatedly.
The old house borer infests framing and subflooring. It is found in old
and new construction and in stored lumber. Cossonid weevils are found
in pine flooring, baseboards, wall stops, and roof trusses.
Unseasoned softwoods.--The beetles that infest green and
seasoning softwoods include several cerambycids--for example, the
black-horned pine borer--and a few bostrichids. Most of these beetles
require bark for egg laying. The adult females usually do not reinfest
the wood from which they emerge; they seek other unseasoned wood and
lay eggs in the bark.
[Illustration: Larva of the old house borer. Enlarged about 5×.]
=Infestations in Bamboo=
Certain species of bostrichid, cerambycid, and lyctus beetles infest
bamboo products such as furniture. Venetian blinds, draw drapes,
baskets, fans, and fishing poles.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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