Powderpost / Borer Beetle
Lyctus / Anobium spp.
About the powderpost / borer beetle
Powderpost beetles and related borer beetles are small reddish-brown to black beetles whose larvae tunnel through hardwood for years before emerging as adults through tiny round exit holes. They damage hardwood floors, furniture, structural timber, attic rafters, and firewood. The tell-tale sign is fine powdery frass (sawdust) sifting out of those exit holes. Control combines moisture control, kiln-dried wood for repairs, borate treatments on bare wood, and professional fumigation for serious infestations.
Quick ID
2–7 mm elongated reddish-brown to black beetles; larvae are creamy C-shaped grubs.
In the Triangle
Less common than termites in the Triangle but significant in older homes with original hardwood floors and exposed crawl-space timber.
Think you have powderpost / borer beetles?
Free inspection from a licensed Castle Exterminators technician — Durham, Chapel Hill, Raleigh, Cary & the Triangle. We'll confirm the species and recommend a treatment plan.
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