powder post beetle

Dark, small (2–3 mm/0.08–0.12 in long), elongate beetles, which attack both freshly-cut and old timber. Over 90 species have been described.

Classification Powder post beetles are in the family Lyctidae of order Coleoptera, class Insecta, phylum Arthropoda.

The eggs are laid in the vessels in the sapwood of hardwoods. Softwoods, such as pine, are never attacked because the vessels are not of the right size, nor will heartwood be attacked as it does not have the right starch and sugar content. The life cycle takes about one year, the winter being spent in the larval condition. The larvae are commonly called woodworm

The adults' exit holes are distinctly visible on the surface of wood, and often a very fine wood powder is noticeable around them. There are various measures which can be taken to prevent infestation: painting and varnishing the wood surface prevents the adult females from laying their eggs in the wood; and chemical treatment of the wood may help.