If you read our POWDERPOST BEETLE ARTICLE, you'll learn the best product for the job will be BORACARE. It sounds like you have plenty of unfinished wood that's readily accessible so it should be fairly easy to do. Simply "paint" the application on so you don't make a mess. And remember "less is more". What I mean by this is that by applying small amounts over the same area several times, you'll get more into the wood.

When treating an open, raw piece of lumber like what you might have on a deck, one can spray aggressively without care or concern. But because there is no doubt intricate workings inside the upright piano, you cannot use such a technique so painting it on would be the way to go. In the end you'll get the same results; it will just take a little more time to do the job.

Lastly, make sure you understand the sawdust you're finding is the "exit" holes where they're leaving the upright piano and not signs of new ones attacking. This is a common misperception and it's important to understand the difference. This is covered in our article.

Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:

Powderpost Beetle Article:  http://www.powderpostbeetles.com/powderpost-beetle-control

Boracare:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/boracare-gal

It's tough to say for sure if there is need for concern or not. This is especially true since you've thrown away all the "evidence". If you watch any of the CSI Crime shows on TV, you'll know what I'm talking about.

Insects make great witnesses and they don't lie. If you had preserved a specimen, it could have been identified. Once identified, we'd know it's habits, what it likes to eat, etc. And with this information we'd be able to make a much more educated prognosis. But now they're gone and without them, no hope of projecting with certainty what might happen.

That being said, it is entirely possible some of the larvae foraged out of the box and into some part of the home. Mind you I'm not trying to make you scared; I'm merely trying to point out this very well could have happened.

And if you would feel more at ease by having someone look the area over, I'm sure you can find a pest control service to come and inspect the space where the ornaments were stored. If larvae crawled into any area close by and started to infest some native wood, there should be signs of activity.

Other than having someone come look to see if there is activity, I don't believe any kind of treatment is warranted for the time being. But the next time you find something that could very well pose a hazard to the structure, I suggest you refrain from discarding it immediately but instead keep it for further inspection purposes.

Please help!

If you read our article on POWDERPOST BEETLE CONTROL, you'll learn that freezing and heat treatments won't kill eggs so it's not an effective way to control active infestations of powderpost beetles. The only options you have would be to fumigate, inject the wood with JECTA GEL, dip the wood in BORACARE or do your own "fumigation" using some INSECT STRIPS. Here's a breakdown on what to expect regarding these treatment these options.

1. Fumigation via a pest service would be very costly (thousands of dollars) so I'm guessing this is not a viable option.
2. Jecta Gel injected to any exit holes or other "port" in exposed wood could do the job if you have enough holes to put the gel into.
3. Boracare "dip" would be the best way to go. No doubt the pieces would absorb enough product making them unlivable for the larvae.
4. Lastly, making your own "fumigation" tent is an option. To do this you'd place an insect strip in a thick plastic bag and seal it nice a tight. The air inside would be unusable by any insect and they'd die once hatched from their egg stage. The only limit to this treatment is that it would take months to complete because without knowing the species of beetle active, there is no telling how long it takes for eggs to gestate and hatch. To be safe, you'd need to wait at least 6 months. Most species hatch in 3 months or less but there are some that go for 3-9 months and some a year or longer (though these species are rare).

Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:

Powderpost Beetle Article:  http://www.powderpostbeetles.com/powderpost-beetle-control

Jecta Gel:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/gel/jecta-gel-10-oz

Boracare:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/boracare-gal

Insect Strips:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/repellents/fumigant/hotshot-no-pest-strip

Flat head borers are amongst the more common wood boring beetles found throughout North America. They'll commonly infest most any hard wood but some species prefer to target and focus in on the same species if readily available in one region. From what you're seeing, it sounds like there is some kind of borer involved here which can be treated but since it's infested both pear and apple trees, I'd make sure they're not more distributed throughout the landscape.

The simplest option is to treat the trunk of any pear or apple tree you want to protect with some CYPERMETHRIN. It's got a general label that allows for trees to be treated for boring beetles and will work on anything that attempts to live on treated surfaces. Use a standard PUMP SPRAYER or HOSE END SPRAYER to apply the Cypermethrin and if you infected trees every month for 3-6 months, the problem should subside.

If the infestation is severe enough, get some CYKICK AEROSOL too. It comes with an injecting straw that enables you to direct treatments into the little galleries and tunnels which otherwise might not absorb the Cypermethrin enough. Cykick will kill on contact but not last as long as the Cypermethrin. But for severe infestations, treating with both is suggested.

Lastly, be sure to spray other non infected trees every 36 months – especially in the spring – to prevent the spread of this pest. Trees can take some damage and not show signs anything is happening which means a lot of flat head borers can infest one before you know anything is happening. Simply treating your pear and apple trees periodically during the year can help prevent any major damage and keep flat hear borers under control.

Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:

Cypermethrin:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/viper-cypermethrin

Pump Sprayer:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/sprayers/eliminator-gallon-sprayer

Hose End Sprayer:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/sprayers/gilmour-20g-390

Cykick:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/pt-cykick-17-5-oz

Whitepine is no doubt susceptible to all kinds of beetles. What you're describing sounds like BARK BEETLES which usually don't cause dramatic damage. But like most wood boring beetles, they can be a problem that will spread of left unattended.

Considering what you'd like to do with the whitepine, I would recommend treating with BORACARE. It can penetrate up to 4 inches so if you have access to all sides of the whitepine limbs, a good treatment will no doubt soak through and through and will get any beetles that might be nesting in the wood.

So to answer your questions; yes, you can most definitely treat with Boracare. One treatment should be enough. And afterward, you can finish the wood in any fashion you'd like. Stain, varnish, paint, etc. The Boracare won't have any impact.

Once treated, the wood should be allowed to cure for a few weeks and if you find no new activity for a few months following the treatment, you should be fine. Of course it could take longer for certain species of pupae to hatch out and make their presence known but if you inspect the wood every month or two for a year and don't see anything, that would mean the problem was most likely fully resolved.

Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:

Boracare:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/boracare-gal

Powderpost Beetles:  http://www.powderpostbeetles.com/powderpost-beetle-control

Bark Beetles:  http://www.bugspray.com/article/pinebark.html

I've been in many homes that are over 100 years old and in virtually every case I remember finding evidence of some type of wood infesting pest so is this need to be concerned or surprised? Probably not. I say this because if you think about it, there are two things you should immediately notice about this house. First, the structure is several hundred years old and it's still standing. This means it must have been built fairly well. Second, because it's this old, the odds that termites, powderpost beetles, carpenter ants, carpenter bees or some other pest got into some part of the home would have to be quite high (in other words, very likely). But what about your structural concerns?

No doubt these are legit and well founded. And as you've been advised, get an engineer to look at the home to see what he says. In the end I'm willing to wager that one of  two things that will happen with this structure. The first thing that might happen is if the damage is in fact significant, most any engineer would recommend getting it repaired. This could mean major replacement work but many times simply leaving the existing damaged wood in place and then adding load bearing members to the pre installed beams is all that will be needed. This is actually pretty common and happens all the time with old structures. In the end someone buys the home, gets the work done and lives happily ever after without the house falling down.

In the second option,  someone will buy the home with no repair being done. And even though the home is some 300 years old and has some damage, I'm willing to bet it will be around long after the buyer moves in and leaves planet earth! This is just based on previous experience so I can't be 100% sure. But whenever I'm in these old buildings, it becomes apparently clear they've settled, they've sustained damage over the years and no doubt they're in need of some repair work. All that being said, it's also clear if it's on the market and a bank is willing to write a note on it, the structure will probably be around for some time to come.

Lastly, no wood or structure is ever "beyond BORACARE" unless the owner or new owner intends on knocking it down and starting over. And with this home, the same would apply. So in this case, I see two option regarding a treatment.

The first option would be to leave it as is, based on an engineers inspection and clean bill of health and then after it's purchased, get it treated with Boracare just to be safe. The second option is to do some repair work first and during the work have it treated with Boracare. In both options treating with Boracare is what I recommend because it just make sense. Why risk letting any beetle or other pest a chance to continue living if in fact they're alive somewhere? Well, it doesn't. So if you buy the home, get it treated and be done with it. Remember, Boracare will not only control active pests, but it will help to prevent new ones from coming around as well as control mold and rot.

Good luck and here are direct links to the information and products listed above:

Boracare:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/boracare-gal

Powderpost Beetle Article:  http://www.powderpostbeetles.com/powderpost-beetle-control

If you review our POWDERPOST BEETLE CONTROL ARTICLE, you'll learn about a product called BORACARE. If possible, this is what you want to use. Boracare will penetrate unfinished wood through and through. Once inside the wood, any kind of insect that attempts to eat the wood will die. To treat this problem, this is what we suggest but in order for this option to work, the wood must be unfinished and able to accept the treatment.

Since you didn't mention if there are large areas of the cabinet which are unfinished (usually the back, bottom and/or inside surfaces will be enough of an area), it's not clear to me if Boracare will be usable. If not, you can go with the JECTA GEL. Designed for smaller jobs and where the use of Boracare isn't possible, Jecta Gel can be injected to small "access" holes you'll make including the exit the holes the woodworms are making. If enough holes are injected with the gel, it too will spread throughout the piece with the net effect being a treatment that will stop everything attempting to eat it.

One other product worth mentioning is DFORCE AEROSOL. This comes with a small "straw" like injector which can be used to inject small blasts of product. No doubt this treatment will kill anything it contacts. But it won't penetrate the wood like the Jecta Gel or Boracare nor will it last long. Dforce is usually only good for a few weeks so if you're not able to get uniform coverage, the problem will persist. Compared to the other two options, Dforce would be what we call "remedial" and many times only effective when very small areas or pieces are wood are being targeted. Once you get into wood 1/2" thick or more, the other two materials will usually be required to knock out the problem once and for all.

Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:

Boracare:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/boracare-gal

Jecta Gel:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/gel/jecta-gel-10-oz

Dforce Aerosol:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/aerosol/d-force-14-oz-aerosol

Powderpost Beetle Article:  http://www.powderpostbeetles.com/powderpost-beetle-control

Furniture Treatments for Woodworms:  http://www.powderpostbeetles.com/powderpost-beetle-control#furniture

Ideally BORACARE should be applied to unfinished wood. To test the wood you believe is stained to see if Boracare will readily penetrate, simply place some water on it and see if the water beads off the wood or absorbs. If the wood absorbs the water, it will readily accept the Boracare mixed with water.

I am replacing a piece of the softwood. At what stage should I apply the Boarcare. For safety I would prefer to apply it after the piece is milled and cut to fit.

It's always best to treat the wood after it's been milled, cut and fit to size. This insures thorough coverage.

If Boracare is applied to rough cut lumber, what is the hazard of then milling and working with the wood in terms of handling, breathing in dust etc.

The hazard of dealing with treated wood is nominal and basically the same as if you were working with the wood untreated. This is because the product will have been both diluted and spread out over a large area of cellulose. So if you treat the rough lumber before milling it or if you didn't treat it, you would want to wear a dust mask or respirator in either case to insure you aren't inhaling sawdust. Sawdust is not good to inhale and a dust mask or respirator should be worn anyway during milling and other prep work like sanding. Likewise breathing sawdust of lumber that's been treated with Boracare is not good so be sure and wear some type of breathing protection to prevent this from happening and this should prevent any type of exposure.

Boracare:  http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/boracare-gal

If you read through our POWDERPOST BEETLE CONTROL ARTICLE, you'll learn this beetle will lay eggs which hatch small larvae that eat wood as they grow. The larvae can feed for long periods of time depending on many variables. Once they mature and enter the pupal stage of development, they can lay dormant indefinitely and will sometimes not emerge for many years. When they emerge they drill out of the wood creating exit holes which are one of the first signs commonly seen on infested wood. From your message above it sounds as though that's what you're seeing on this buffet table. As for a "gestation period"; I'm guessing you mean time from egg to adult? Well, that can range from a month or two right on up to 5-10 years depending on the species of beetle. As our article explains, there are over 100,000 species of this beetle worldwide and they all have a wide time range to develop depending on many factors which can both hinder or speed up the process.

You also mention you've asked a service company to treat but "there is nothing they can do"? That doesn't make any sense. I know for a fact that Orkin treats for Powderpost Beetles and they even offer fumigation services so it sounds like there has been some kind of misunderstanding on your part. At this time I suggest you give them another call or try some other local companies if you wish to get the piece treated by a professional. Be forewarned it can get quite expensive to have this done and in the end I'm sure you'll find getting some BORACARE and treating the problem yourself will be a lot less costly. And based on what you said about it being "eaten up", it sounds like you might be doing some cosmetic work to cover up all the exit holes you're finding. If that's true, the finish will probably need to be removed and reapplied and if you plan on doing this, it would be a great time to apply the Boracare since it can only work on raw or unfinished wood.

Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:

Powderpost Beetle Control Article:  http://www.powderpostbeetles.com/powderpost-beetle-control

Boracare:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page52.html

If you read through our POWDERPOST BEETLE CONTROL ARTICLE, you'll learn all you need to know about their biology, how to detect their presence and how to treat. At that point you should be able to tell if what your service company is seeing is in fact what looks to be either an active or inactive pest problem.

As for the cost you were quoted; the only way to judge fairly would be to compare them to at least two other local service companies to see what the going rate is in your region. I have worked in many urban areas of the US and during those times discovered costs could range from $500.00 to $5000.00 depending on the level of work, treatment and coverage involved. In recent times I've seen costs ranging in the $2000.00 range so my guess is it will prove to be fair.

Lastly, as you'll learn from our article, you can most definitely tackle this problem yourself with the products we have listed in the article. BORACARE is one of the best materials to use whether the problem is active or not and if the size of the space involved is average compared to other homes, the cost to do it yourself will be significantly less compared to hiring a service. So the last decision you'll need to make will be to either hire a service to treat or get the products they'd be using and do the work yourself. For many people, the labor involved is well worth the investment and since we're only a toll free call away, you can always get good support information as needed should you decide to attempt the treatment. For  most all of our customers, the decision to treat themselves turns out to be well worth their time and this is especially true with wood boring pests.

Here are direct links to the products and information mentioned above:

Powderpost Beetle Control Article:  http://www.powderpostbeetles.com/powderpost-beetle-control

Boracare:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page52.html