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Powderpost Beetles - Wood Boring Insects
- Powderpost beetles that target structural softwoods tend to be the most damaging -
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Summary: The term "powderpost" beetle refers to the type of damage done by several different wood boring beetles. These beetles target both hardwoods, like oak and ash, and softwoods like pine and fir.
Jack DeAngelis, PhD
OSU Ext. Entomologist (ret.)
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Anobiid & lyctid powderpost beetles
 Powderpost beetles are potentially the most destructive beetle pests of seasoned wood. These small, wood-boring insects may damage both hardwoods (oak, maple, ash, etc.) and softwoods (pine, fir, spruce, etc.). What makes these beetles so potentially damaging is their ability to re-infest relatively dry, seasoned wood for many generations. There are other, relatively minor, wood borers that do not usually re-infest the wood after the first generation thus limiting their potential for damage. See Wood Damaging Insects for descripions of these pests.
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lyctid powderpost beetle (~ 1/8" long)
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Some powderpost beetles target structural softwoods like pine and fir (the anobiids) while others target hardwoods like oak and ash (the lyctids). Those that infest softwoods tend to be the most damaging because they may weaken supporting, structural timbers. Fortunately, softwood-infesting species are somewhat easier to control. Those species that infest hardwoods cause both cosmetic and structural damage to wood floors, cabinets and furniture and can be more difficult to control.
Some infestations can be managed with relatively low toxicity chemicals like sodium borate (Tim-Bor, Bora Care) applied to the wood surfaces. In other situations the best approach may be simply to monitor with "watchful waiting". In some cases, however, more active measures are needed. Use the articles below to explore these options.
common misspelling: powder post beetles, wood worms, woodworms
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Infestations in softwoods are managed with sodium borate while hardwood infestations should be carefully monitored.
Case histories of typical powderpost beetle infestations in softwood and hardwoods.
Powderpost Beetle Guide (pdf)
Download and print this free Guide for biology and control information. You'll need Acrobat Reader (or equivalent) to open the pdf file.
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Pest Control Reference Books
No single website can present a complete picture for these complex insects. Check here for additional references.
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