I attend, and am organist for a small Lutheran church in Sebring, Florida. We've just been informed that one of the wood laminate beams in the church has powder post beetles. We've received an estimate for treatment from Terminix. They said that this will require tenting of the entire church for 4 days with fumigation. There were also termites discovered in a separate community hall. The treatment, per their estimate, will cost $19,000. This really isn't an option, since this is very small and not very prosporous congregation. Is there anything you could suggest regarding treating this ourselves, and would the Terminix solution (tenting etc.) be realistic??
If you read through our POWDER POST BEETLE CONTROL ARTICLE, you'll learn that in fact one of the more common ways to treat for wood destroying pests like powder post beetles is to "tent" and fumigate the infested structure. So to answer your question about whether or not this option is "realistic"; the answer is yes. Tenting and fumigation is a very effective way to kill what's active and in theory, eradicate the problem. From the service companies view, it's smart for two main reasons. 1) It's a lot of work for their employees with a large price tag and 2), it's the best way for them to eliminate the risk of the beetles appearing elsewhere in the structure. Remember, if they don't do a good treatment and the beetles are found somewhere else in the structure, chances are high their customer will be upset. Tenting and fumigation tends to minimize such complaint calls and from a liability perspective, a smart way to handle such treatments. But due to the extreme cost of the process, it's not always the most practical for the customer. It sounds like this is the case regarding your church.
Fortunately there are options. One of the best is the BORACARE we recommend throughout our article. Boracare both penetrates wood real well and lasts for many years making it ideally suited for wood destroying pests. A good treatment would no doubt kill off the active larvae in the wood you treat as well as protect it for many years from reinfestation. But remember the one drawback of using Boracare is that only the wood you treat will be protected. In most cases we suggest treating as much of the structure as possible and in this case I would recommend the same. The treatment itself isn't that costly; it's really the labor involved that can take both time and patience. But when it comes to saving cash, this would be one of the best ways your church could save a huge expense and help to protect their structure for many, many years to come.
Give us a call if you need to discuss how much product you might need to use or if you have any other question. Our toll free is 1-800-877-7290.
Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:
Powder Post Beetle Article: http://www.powderpostbeetles.com/powderpost-beetle-control
Boracare: http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page52.html
Filed under how to treat by 
Can I use a paint brush to coat the unfinished surfaces of am oak desk with CYPERMETHRIN to kill powderpost beetles?
You could but it wouldn't be the best treatment option for several reasons. If you read our POWDER POST BEETLE CONTROL ARTICLE, you'll note we don't list Cypermethrin as a recommended product to use. This is because it won't penetrate the wood being treated nor will it last long. As our article explains, the larvae of the beetles are what's eating it. To get control of the problem, you need to use a product that will both penetrate through and through as well as last a good long time. Though Cypermethrin can be used for shallow living wood boring pests, it's not designed to get deep into the wood grain which is where most powder post beetle larvae will be living.
We do suggest BORACARE to be used for this type of application as it will definitely penetrate and last many years. A good treatment will not only kill the active larvae but will also embed the wood so no other wood destroying organism's can move in.
Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:
Powder Post Beetle Control Article: http://www.powderpostbeetles.com/powderpost-beetle-control
Boracare: http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page52.html
Cypermethrin: http://www.bugspray.com/item/455864.html
Filed under oak desk by
Hi
Great site.
I have some white oak logs I will be making furniture with, that have been infested with some sort of bug.
These bugs shoot out off-white saw dust cylinders that are the diameter of the hole, but literally extend up 1-2 inches, often curling over. When touched, the disintegrate into sawdust.
I thought they might have been powder post beetles but the "exit" holes are obviously sealed by these sawdust cylinders.
I will by some BoreCare and give it a try, but Im truly baffled.
Ideas as to what it is we are dealing with?
Thanks!
There are many types of powderpost beetles. In other words, this grouping includes a wide range of insects and trying to determine the exact species based on droppings alone is quite difficult if not impossible. This is mostly due to the fact that for any one species the droppings will vary based on the wood on which it is feeding. To make matters more complicated, the level of moisture in the wood being consumed will affect the way the feces molds and shapes. So for every section of log from one tree, the feces pellet might vary dramatically and in fact can look quite different – even when generated by the same beetle. Mix into this the variable of all the different species of wood any one insect might eat and the list of what their droppings can look like will quickly add up to many thousands. These will all have different textures, colors and "looks". For obvious reasons this is not a practical way to determine the species and I'm not sure such a catalog will ever be compiled.
The good news is that based on your description of the "saw dust cylinders", I'm guessing what's happening is that the frass is having a hard time exiting the galleries and is therefore being pushed and compacted a bit. This will lead to a long, worm like dropping which is loosely packed. I've seen them upwards of an inch before and the ones I've seen are quite delicate as you've described. And though there are several types of powderpost beetles that could be living in the logs, there are many other wood destroying beetles that love to target oak trees so again, the list is quite long as to what it might be and I'll have to refrain from guessing what you have for this reason. So what's the "good news" then?
Well, the good news is that whatever species you have, it's definitely eating the white oak you'd like to use to make some furniture. As our POWDERPOST BEETLE CONTROL article explains, it's the larvae which feed and ultimately pupate to emerge as egg laying adults. To stop this cycle, all you'll need to do is treat with the BORACARE we have listed in the article. Once it penetrates the wood through and through, it won't matter what's actually eating the wood. That's because the Boracare will handle any kind of wood destroying beetle, weevil, borer or even termite. I suggest you get the logs you'd like to save treated ASAP and once they're allowed to cure for a few weeks, the problem will be on the way of being shut down and eliminated.
Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:
Powderpost Beetle Control: http://www.powderpostbeetles.com/powderpost-beetle-control
Boracare: http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page52.html
Filed under dust cylinders by
In March 2010 noticed "shot holes" on top of Duncan Phyffe mahogany dining table that weren't there in February. New windows installed in our 37 yr old home March 1 & 2 on cold AND HUMID days. Purchased Bora Care mid March but haven't applied it yet. More holes discovered on plywood chair bottoms and matching buffet. Did moisture prompt dormant larvae to mature to adulthood? Are adults a threat to structure of home and other furniture (new or old)? Can applying Bora Care drive live adults out into our home? Which prompts the concern about where to treat furniture. Garage has raw radiata lumber we don't want infested yet lots of rain/humidity in Mobile, AL means outside on deck (pretty rotten wood that could be infested during treatment) is a risky place for my antique furniture. Can we feel safe about doing treatment indoors in a room with ceramic tile lined with plastic that has no other furniture besides cabinets to apply Bora Care? Will it be safe re: fumes for my 4 and 6 yr old to inhale if inside?
New interior doors, base and crown moulding has been installed to home since purchasing in May 2008 but no exit holes found. No exit holes in new furniture. Was old furniture the source of infestation? Is treatment of all raw sides of furniture necessary? Filling and refinishing holes is my preference right? Weighing out the value of time to be invested in pieces which need a lot of work.
First, it's important to understand the impact of "humidity" and moisture relative to powderpost beetles. In general, the reduction of moisture can reduce and in some cases eliminate infestations. But this is rare. To illustrate this point, we have had plenty of customers move west to the dessert. As you know, this region is about as arid as it can be. One would think infested furniture brought to this region would somehow be "cured" of any beetle infestation if the lack of moisture was important. Well, turns out it didn't matter much. Furniture which was infested remained infested. There was no discernable difference following the move and in the end, treatments were needed to eradicate the beetle problem. The point I'm trying to make here is that the reduction or increase in moisture won't much matter in the short term if you have a piece which is infested or showing signs of activity. In fact, it won't much affect eggs or pupae. Larvae deep inside infested wood won't be affected by it and in the end, the biggest impact felt by changing moisture levels will probably be the emerging adults. No doubt they do better when it's moist and humid. They'll live longer and therefore stand a better chance of both surviving poor living conditions as well as laying more eggs. But as our POWDERPOST BEETLE ARTICLE explains, the adults don't do any damage so they shouldn't be the focus of your treatments anyway. To solve any beetle problem you need to get stop the eggs and larvae.
As for the adults posing a threat to other parts of the home and/or furniture in the home; this is always a concern and the main reason why you need to treat current infestations. Stopping larvae from feeding and pupating means there will be an end to the adults and that in of itself will prevent the problem from spreading.
I'm not sure of your question "Can applying Bora Care drive live adults out into our home?"; whether you treat or not won't affect when pupae are ready to hatch and exit. In other words, they'll do so whether you treat or not. And yes, you can most definitely feel safe about using BORACARE anywhere in the home. It's about as "green" of a product you can find using only boron as the active. If you follow the safety guidelines explained in our Safety Video which is on the Boracare page, you'll be fine using in these areas. It has no odor, is easy to work with once mixed and it's presence won't be detectable once applied to any wood which accepts the treatment.
As for what was the source of the infestation; that's anyone's guess. I strongly suspect the mahogany table had them from the time you first got it. As our article explains, it's quite common for some species of beetles to not emerge for years but this is all dependent upon their species life cycle. Personally, my "preference" for hardwood floors or furniture with exit holes is to leave them since I like the look. I also feel it adds character to the material since it's only natural to have them as they would in the wild. Plugging and filling it with something to me takes away from the wood but this is obviously a personal decision.
In the end our suggestions are what we explain in our article; treat the lumber/wood/furniture/structure you know is infested. Similar wood in the home should be closely monitored since adults will be looking for a good site to lay eggs and will generally tend to choose wood of the same species if available. Treat anything you can that's exposed and vulnerable and keep a look out for new exit holes anywhere in the home.
Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:
Powder Post Beetle Control Article: http://www.powderpostbeetles.com/powderpost-beetle-control
Boracare: http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page52.html
Filed under beetle questions by
We live in Hawaii and recently purchased a 3-year-old home with solid bamboo prefinished flooring installed almost everywhere. The seller had disclosed that several boards in the flooring had been replaced because of powderpost beetle infestation and we thought the problem was solved. However just days before we closed, we found evidence of emergence of more beetles from the bamboo flooring in a totally different location. The evidence was pinpoint holes surrounded with half-inch circles of fine white powder.
We negotiated a settlement with the owner which gives us some extra funds for correcting the problem. Our questions to you: Would an effective treatment be to remove the surface finish, treat the bamboo with Boracare, and seal the floor with a new finish? Should we be concerned that the infestation may have spread to other wood in the house?
Thanks for your forum and for your reply.
As explained in our POWDERPOST BEETLE CONTROL ARTICLE, the emerging beetles are adults which have just recently hatched from pupae development. And though they could migrate away from the flooring to some other wood in the home, I wouldn't be too worried about it actually happening. Based on the amount of bamboo seemingly everywhere in the house, I would focus your attention on those pieces for now as I'm sure any adults will be doing the same (unless of course you have lots of other bamboo pieces throughout the structure).
The treatment option you highlighted above would in fact be the best overall approach to getting rid of the beetle infestation. Stripping the floor of it's current finish will be required if you want to use BORACARE. Though tedious to do, it's really the only option unless you choose to simply remove and replace all of the flooring. Bamboo is subject to many kinds of wood boring pests and a good treatment of Boracare would no doubt preserve it indefinitely so if you like the look and want to keep it, I'm sure the effort will be worth the benefit. The good news bamboo is easy to treat and overall treatments work well.
After the wood is prepared, be sure to vacuum away all the dust making the wood open to the treatment as much as possible. If you need some help calculating how much material you'll need to use, give us a call toll free at 1-800-877-7290 and help.
Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:
Powderpost Beetle Control: http://www.powderpostbeetles.com/powderpost-beetle-control
Boracare: http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page52.html
Filed under how to treat by
Oh where to start, I have a log home, my husband bought me a hutch homemade from oak, since we've had it i've always noticed little dust like piles around it. thought nothing of it until the piles became little mounds. this was beginning of june in which u stated that thats when they "come Out"… now i am seeing alot of black bugs that are also possibly the adult ppbeetle. i know u suggest the boracare, but since i have a log home is my house completely infested? what should i do?
First, it's not likely your entire house is "completely infested" so you can relax. But if you read our POWDERPOST BEETLE CONTROL ARTICLE, you'll learn this pest won't magically leave and go away unless you do some treating. BORACARE would in fact be the way to go and based on your description of the problem, I would advise you treat ASAP to insure the hutch doesn't continue to sustain any more damage.
As our article explains, the beetles leaving are going to try and mate to lay eggs so there is always a risk of new activity starting elsewhere. But the two things you didn't mention was if the beetles were appearing in other areas of the home and if the log home is made with oak like the hutch. My guess is the bulk of the beetles you're seeing are dead and most of any that are still alive are close to the hutch. I'm also going to guess your log home isn't made from oak but I have seen some built with this hardwood so it does happen. The point here is that the beetles leaving your hutch would be seeking hardwood and unless you've got a lot of other pieces located in the home made with oak, the odds are low that a new population will start up elsewhere.
At this point I suggest you treat with the Boracare and focus your attention on the hutch. A good couple of coats and you should be able to knock out the current infestation thus preserving the piece for a good long time and prevent these ppbeetles from spreading elsewhere.
Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:
Powderpost Beetle Contrl: http://www.powderpostbeetles.com/powderpost-beetle-control
Boracare: http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page52.html
Filed under black bugs by
A client just returned something I framed 3 years ago because she found "sawdust" on the matting. I opened the backing and found ppbeetles alive and well. How do I treat the frame? Will more beetles emerge? The framed piece is an antique fabric embroidered piece. Will the beetles harm the fabric? Will they spread and contaminate my art studio? What do I do about them?
The frame should be treated like any other piece of wood; either the BORACARE or the JECTA GEL would do a good job of taking care of problem
If the infestation is active, there is no doubt more beetles will emerge.
Powder post beetles only eat wood so the fabric is not at risk directly from the insects.
There is always the risk that any piece of furniture or part of the structure that demonstrates an active powder post beetle problem can lead to other items made of wood getting infested too.
Treat as explained in our POWDERPOST BEETLE CONTROL article. The section on furniture treatments applies to this picture frame.
Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:
Boracare: http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page52.html
Jecta Gel: http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page156.html
Powder Post Beetle Control Article: http://www.powderpostbeetles.com/powderpost-beetle-control#furniture_beetle_treatments
Filed under how to treat by
I keep finding these large black bugs with long tenticles in my bedroom. My brother made me a homemade log bed about 2 months ago and ever since I set it up these bugs have been present. What do I do how do i get rid of them? Here are some recent photo's I took.
Filed under asian long horn by
I think I might have powderpost beetles in my RV. How would I treat my RV and do these things bite humans.
First, the easy question to answer: I'm not aware of anyone getting bit by a powderpost beetle. Now could it happen? Most definitely. Adults have chewing mouth parts used to bore their way out of the host wood where they live. These same mouth parts could no doubt impart a bite upon most anything including a human. But there is nothing they want (normally) on a human so I don't think this is anything to be concerned about nor have I heard of it ever happening. But based on their physical design, they could.
Second, the treatment of your RV would be much the same as if the infestation was in your home, a piece of furniture or any other piece of wood. You'll need to identify the host wood where the larvae are feeding. This wood will have to treated with some of the products we have listed in our POWDERPOST BEETLE CONTROL article. Most people find the BORACARE or JECTA GEL to be ideally suited for RV's but this will depend somewhat on the design of the vehicle, where the wood is mostly located, etc. I suggest you get a good handle on these beetles and the products needed to treat a local infestation and then decide if you need further assistance. At that time you can call us toll free at 1-800-877-7290 for more help.
Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:
Powderpost Beetle Control: http://www.powderpostbeetles.com/powderpost-beetle-control
Boracare: http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page52.html
Jecta Gel: http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page156.html
Filed under rv treatment by
We bought some antiques from Europe /somewhere that appeared to have Pbeetles in them. Last year I treated the dresser with BORA-CARE both interior and exterior quite heavily. This spring we have had about 30 of the adults found around it on the floor. Is this because they are dying as they come out or are they dying after they re-infest the dresser.
My plan is to redo the treatment and also treat all the other antiques in the home as we have found a few bugs in other areas of the home where we have antiques.
Any ideas would be appreciated. I do have several high resolution scans of the critters if you would like to look at them or use them later. Send me your email address.
As you may have read in our POWDERPOST BEETLE ARTICLE, the third stage of these beetles won't die from the BORACARE treatment. Since they can stay in this stage for a year or more, I strongly suspect they are what you're finding around the treated piece. Based on the treatment already done, I don't believe any will be able to reinfest or start new activity. What's most likely occurring right now is that the emerging adults are picking up enough product combined with other factors which are in turn leading to their demise. If so, this would be a testament to the treatment you've done. Since adults don't actually eat the wood, they many times won't be affected and if they are, it will take a lot longer than normal to see the end result. This is true for any that land on treated wood, chew through it to start new nests or chew through it to escape their pupae casings. But if the application was thorough enough, there could be enough of an impact and it sounds like this may be happening here (which is great news!).
Still, based on the fact you mention you have other antiques in the home, we can't rule out another source of these adults. I agree treating as many other pieces as you can would be a wise investment of time and cost. We currently have experienced an influx of new PPB species here in the states and some of these are fast acting. A little preventive maintenance can go a long way and since these treatments can last many years, if done right you should only have to make the one application to get long term protection.
One other thing; be sure to inspect the home for any rogue flyers that may be moving about the living spaces. Many times they will flock to light and a common place to find them will be by windows or certain light fixtures. I suggest you routinely inspect the home for any that might be accumulating somewhere as this would be a clear indication of something ongoing and in need of more attention.
Here are direct links to the products and information listed above:
Powderpost Beetle Article: http://www.powderpostbeetles.com/powderpost-beetle-control
Boracare: http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page52.html
Filed under furniture beetles by
