Introduction
Powderpost beetle-damaged
wood is common in Victoria.
Wood damaged by powderpost beetles has small, round holes
1/6" to 1/8" in diameter. These are the exit holes of the adult
beetles. Inside the wood are tunnels filled with fine sawdust and the
excrement of immature beetles.
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Fine Powder Called Frass Comes Out of Holes and is Noticeable
When Wood is Opened. |
Fine powder may be observed coming out of the
holes or in piles under the holes. The adult beetles are seldom seen.
Adult beetles emerge from the wood from April to July. Eggs
are laid in midsummer in cracks and holes in exposed wood. Grubs hatch from
the eggs and tunnel into the wood. The grubs feed inside the wood for about
one year until they mature
Powderpost beetles will attack the wood structure under
buildings, especially if there is a soil floor and poor ventilation. Sapwood
with a high moisture content in shaded areas is also attacked. Structural
damage to wood is caused by continual reinfestation of the wood. Wood can be
seriously damaged even though it looks normal except for the exit holes.
Prevention
If you are not sure if the holes you see indicate an active
infestation, contact us and we can use a specialized moisture meter to
determine if the amount of moisture in the wood favours an infestation. Or,
you can paint a portion of wood before April, and check it after July to see
if fresh emergent holes have appeared.
Powderpost beetles do not survive well under dry conditions.
Keep all the wood in your home dry by doing the following:
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cover soil under the house with a vapour barrier
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ventilate crawl spaces
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keep drains working properly
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do not allow soil to touch wood
-
fix all water leaks
The Building Code
provides more details on keeping structures dry.
Control
Professional application of sodium borate to infested wood
is very effective. Sodium borate penetrates into the wood and provides
long-term protection. The product is only available to licensed professional pest managers.
To see some of the application and control equipment and materials we use to
manage insect and bug pests click here.
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If you need service
for controlling a Powder
Post Beetle infestation, call
us now. |
Thanks for visiting http://www.pestvictoria.com
PES Professional Ecological Services Ltd.
98-B Burnside Road West, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
V9A 1B5
Phone: (250) 383-2445
Fax: (250) 383-6775
e-mail: pestvictoria@shawbiz.ca
We provide professional integrated pest
management (IPM) services, a high-tech form of pest control. We are called
professional pest managers, not exterminators or fumigators. We provide
pest management, not extermination or fumigation. Excluding pests before they
cause a pest offence is a good example of IPM at work.
If You Need Professional
Services from Your Pest Control and
Pest
Management Experts,
for pests in Greater Victoria, British Columbia (B.C. or BC), Canada
Contact Us Now!
© Copyright PES Professional Ecological Services Ltd.
February 2002
contact webmaster at: pestvictoria@shawbiz.ca
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