Pest Library: Powder Post Beetles

Powder Post Beetles range in size from 1/16" to 5/16" in length, and vary in color from reddish brown to black. They have tiny, grub-shaped larvae that can be found feeding in wood and are usually about 3/16 of an inch long with a lager first segment on their body. They prefer to infest seasoned wood, and as a result, can be found in older homes or barns. The can re-infest the same piece of wood, laying their eggs deep within the wood and riddling it with holes, reducing it to a shell filled with frass of a baby-powder like consistency. Signs of a Powder Post Beetle problem are the small 1/16"-size exit holes produced by the adults as they emerge from the wood. A very fine powder-like frass is often seen falling from the holes.