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

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

2) I make musical instruments and have already finished a bunch of wood to the correct dimensions etc.  Is there a way to determine if these boards have eggs inside them?  Would freezing the boards help destroy any eggs that could be in the wood?  The wood is no more than 1/4" thick.

If you read our POWDERPOST BEETLE CONTROL ARTICLE, you'll notice there is a picture below the 5th paragraph showing exit holes on a hardwood. In fact the firth paragraph explains in detail what it is you're seeing on your English Sycamore boards; it's actually adults boring out exiting the wood after completing their 3rd stage (pupae stage) of development. As our article explains, when you treat there will be a certain population of these pupae still developing in the wood and at some point they'll hatch out. The BORACARE you sprayed won't affect them since they're not eating anything. So this means that when they hatch out of their cocoons, they'll drill out of the wood to the open air as they emerge so to will a fine powder (hence their name "powderpost beetles"). So in summary, what you're seeing is to be expected; only after all the pupae hatch will the cycle run it's course and be done.

The good news is your treatment will at some point (if not already) affect any larvae present that might be feeding. As you know, the Boracare penetrates through and through the wood and once the larvae eat some wood treated with Boracare they'll die. This is actually the key to breaking the cycle of this destructive beetle. You didn't mention how thick the wood is in your section "1)" but if it's 1/4" thick like the wood in section "2)", the Boracare would have penetrated through and through by now. If that's happened, no more chewing or damage is happening as any larvae present will be dead or just about to die. Unfortunately there is nothing that can be done for the unhatched pupae other than waiting for them to "run out" and all of them to emerge.

Lastly, there is no way to determine if any wood has eggs. And even if you could tell there is no way to kill them all. Only after the egg hatches and the larvae attempt to feed on the treated wood will they die. When feeding on the lumber you sprayed they'll ingest the Boracare and quickly die off. I know this doesn't offer much in the way of preserving your finished wood that sounds close to ready to become a musical instrument. But I don't think there is anything you can do short of waiting. As I see it, a good idea would be to treat all the lumber you want to use and then store it for a decent amount of time to make sure there are no pupae waiting to come out. As our article explains, some beetles can lie feeding for many years. Should you wait this long before using the wood? I don't think so. But I do believe 6 months is a reasonable amount of time to wait and I know some people who will wait over a year before using any lumber they treat just to be sure. Even that's not a guarantee something will drill out but in most cases it's long enough. Hopefully this gives you some kind of  guage for how long you too should wait before final processing. I'm guessing that just one exit hole would ruin your piece so there is really no room for error in the work you do. If that's the case, waiting longer seems like it would be the smart approach.

For your benefit, here are direct links to the information and products listed above.

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

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

jonathan

www.bugspray.com

Thanks!

First, there is no need to be "confused" by all the answers you've been getting. There is no "correct" or "right" answer since no one knows for sure if you have a population that will remain active or die out. The various options being offered are in fact viable choices based on this limited measurement we all must make since we cannot see "into" the wood and accurately measure the level of insects you might have living there. What's most important is that you choose an option you understand and are comfortable with regarding the possible outcomes based on that course of action.

Second, if you read our POWDERPOST BEETLE CONTROL ARTICLE, you'll learn it's very common for hardwood floors to both harbor and release beetles after being installed. Does this mean the population will die off? Not every time. Does it mean you should rip out the flooring and replace it? Probably not. But these are decisions you must make and not someone else. Are you able to make any decision without fully understanding the powderpost beetle and it's life cycle? Probably not. Would all the options sound confusing? Most definitely! And I suspect the confusion is enhanced because in the end you must make a direct decision and for most people this is a tough thing to do even when they know what's right!

But getting back to powderpost beetles;  only when you fully understand the life cycle of this pest, making any kind of decision will be a gamble. In the long run, it would be best if you took a little time to learn just what's happening and what could happen should you follow any of the multiple "options" being offered to resolve the infestation. So to help with your decision making process, I've created a list of options along with what their respective outcomes below. Hopefully this list will enable you to make a decision based on information you have collected and not on what someone else is recommending.

Option 1: do nothing. This is probably what the vast amount of people do when first confronted with this kind of problem. The risk is the infestation could spread or it could cause enough damage to where the flooring has to be replaced due to the magnitude of rot. Addtionally, there will be a constant uneasiness due which is what most people feel when "not doing anything" for a problem they know exists. In the end, either the infestation will run it's course and disappear or it will continue on and on. The big point here is no one can say for certain what will happen.

Option 2: minimally treat. This option is commonly done as well. Treating existing holes will protect the area and prevent it from being used over and over by beetles which are seeking new nest sites. But as our article explains, the BAYGON AEROSOL isn't a long term protection nor will it reach deep into the wood where more damage would be happening if there are more larvae in the wood. In the end, the infestation will either continue or run out much like the results from choosing option 1.

Option 3: strip the floor and treat with BORACARE. This would effectively kill off the population, protect the wood from further insect and mold infestations as well as provide peace of mind. Laying wood floors down over concrete is risky at best; anytime you put wood in close proximity to soil and moisture bad things can happen. If you opt to treat with Boracare, the problem would be resolved once and for all and for some people, this peace of mind is worth the cost, time and effort.

Option 4: ripping out the old flooring and installing new flooring. Funny thing about this option is that it doesn't take care of any new insect infestation that might be present in the hardwood being installed. So to safeguard the new flooring, it would a wise investment to treat the new wood just to be sure you don't have active insects and that no new ones find their way into the new food. Not treating would be like option 1; not doing anything. If chosen, you might be happy with the new floors but if just one beetle was to emerge at some point, you would become quite unhappy and effectively be back to square one.

In summary, the option you choose should be based on what you're comfortable with knowing the course of action and the possible results of each choice. Having been in the industry for over 30 years, I can say with confidence we all have different requirements to obtain what I call "peace of mind". To learn what it is that might provide you peace of mind, consider each option I listed, along with the possible end results, and try to get a handle on how each one would make you feel without actually making the decision. For most insect treatments, this decision making process isn't nearly as complicated. But when it comes to some wood destroyers like termites and powderpost beetles, it's more important to understand the possible outcomes before you proceed. Hopefully this will enable you to better understand these results and in the end, empower you to make a decision that's best for you.

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

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

http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page157.html

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

jonathan

www.bugspray.com

On your website,

url:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page157.html

it looks like you recommend Baygon aerosol.

Thanks.

At this point I would suggest treating with an aerosol. However, I would opt for the PT-CYKICK since it's odorless. The BAYGON is adequate but does have a distinct odor. For treating structural members and other beams in the home, this is a non issue. But for a free standing piece I would opt for the Cykick so the chance of a lingering odor does not come into play.

Based on the size of the piece, I suspect 1 can will be plenty. However, it doesn't sound like you have many "ports" of entry or exit holes. For now you could just treat the few you've found. This will help but as explained in our POWDERPOST BEETLE CONTROL, there is most likely some larvae deep in the wood feeding you need to kill. To reach them you will probably need to drill out some holes large enough to enable the straw of the Cykick to enter and deliver the spray inside the carving. Doing this every 6-8 inches around the piece would help a lot more than just treating the existing holes.

If you're not willing to drill the wood I'm not sure you'll be 100% successful unless the piece was treated with BORACARE which does penetrate will. You don't state if the piece is finished or not so I'm not sure Boracare is even an option but it should be considered.

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

http://www.bugspray.com/item/pt_cykick.html

http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page157.html

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

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

thanks

First, you don't state if you think the damage is currently active or if it's old damage you are now noticing. This is actually quite common. In other words, the beam could have had an insect infestation some time ago. Maybe 50 or more years ago. At some point the insects died and the wood has held together without anyone noticing the extent of which it had been consumed till now. I have seen this happen many times so it's not unusual.

But if you think there is activity or are unsure if it's active or not, a treatment could be warranted. The first thing I would do, however, would be to determine if the wood which is badly damaged is actually important or not. In other words, is it load bearing or important to the structural integrity of the house? If not, then no replacement may be needed. But if it's taking weight – like a sill plate or a floor joist – it could very well be important enough to either replace or reinforce. If you are not able to make this determination yourself, you need to get the advice from someone that can. Once this is known, you can then decide if treating with the BORACARE would make sense.

If the wood isn't important and if damage is limited to a small section, I would recommend treating it to insure there isn't anything alive causing more damage. As explained in our POWDERPOST BEETLE ARTICLE, there are many wood destroying insects which can go unnoticed for long periods of time. Boracare deals well with these organisms and when applied right can provide long term protection against a wide range of pests.

But if the wood is important structurally and will have to be replaced, it would make no sense to treat it. I would then consider protecting the other local infrastructure depending largely on what was exposed when any work was to be done. This way if live insects were detected, you could proceed confidently knowing for sure what you were treating and with a direct purpose of making sure they could not survive. But without this knowledge, it's hard to make an exact determination right now.

So in summary, I'd say to get another opinion if you're uncertain as to the extent of the damage, whether it's currently active or old, and whether the wood damaged is actually important structurally. If the damage is significant and from old activity, there could very well be nothing alive right now. More importantly, if the wood damaged isn't important to the structure, it could very well be ignored. But if you have reason to believe there is something alive now in the wood and that you might have to have some repairs done, a treatment could be warranted to make sure this doesn't continue. Give us a call if you need some help determining what to do. As you can tell from my response, it is hard for me to make an exact determination since there are so many choices and variables involved. But if you get to talk with one of our in house specialist, chances are we'll be able to further determine a course of action that would make sense to follow.

jonathan

www.bugspray.com

In this day and age, it's smart to take a close look at recurring contracts and service agreements. I believe the best way to view these costs is to compare them to other forms of "insurance". For some people, they can't get enough insurance. It buys them peace of mind and with it a comfort making the cost worth the price. But still the question must be asked: do I really need this extra protection?

When it comes to pest control contracts, the decision making process can get extra cloudy and mired with uncertainty. Just what is the relative risk for any one pest? Wood destroying insects like termites, carpenter ants and powderpost beetles are all capable of doing damage in most any home. This damage can many times go unnoticed enabling it to accumulate in size. For this reason many service companies offer long term contracts. These contracts offer a way to avoid costly repairs should a problem reappear. In theory they should also help to catch problems sooner rather than later since you will have a "fresh" set of eyes inspecting the property from year to year if you keep the contract current. If the inspection is being done by a knowledgeable expert, they can many times identify structural issues which can be fixed before they lead to further problems. Since a good home inspection can cost several hundred dollars, it would seem as though the $150.00 annual renewal you listed above is well worth the cost.

So in summary, a good starting point to this decision can stem from the annual inspection itself. If you feel you are getting a good look over and are comfortable with the "protection" your contract provides, it may be worth keeping it current. This would certainly be true if you plan on selling the house in the coming months or if there is a "history" of powderpost beetle problems in the home. But as explained in our POWDERPOST BEETLE ARTICLE, most treatments will last several years and over this time knock out existing populations making it less likely to have another problem surface. And if the home has been pest free for 5 years or more and you don't plan on selling it for 3 or more years, clearly the "present value" of the contract will be notably less and maybe not worth the $150.00. Like other forms of insurance, many of us will usually fall on one side of the coverage: either we'll take full advantage of it getting more than our money's worth or we'll pay the premium year after year and never have one bad thing happen. The trick is knowing which policies to keep current and which to let expire without cause for alarm. If you ever figure out how to make this judgement, please let me know! But for now, my advise is to go with your instincts. Think it over and weigh both options carefully. And if you have further questions or concerns, give us a call on our toll free 1-800-877-7290 for some technical assistance.