Bostrichid Powderpost Beetle Facts & Information
Protect your home or business from bostrichid powderpost beetles by learning techniques for identification and control.
Bostrichid Powderpost Beetle Treatment
How do I get rid of bostrichid powderpost beetles?
What Orkin Does
Your local Orkin Pro is trained to help manage bostrichid powderpost beetles and similar pests. Since every building or home is different, your Orkin Pro will design a unique beetle control treatment program for you.
Contact your local Orkin branch to help keep your home or business bostrichid powderpost beetle-free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Behavior, Diet & Habits
Understanding Bostrichid Powderpost Beetles
What do bostrichid powderpost beetles look like?
-
Size: As adults, bostrichid powderpost beetles are usually approximately 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch long.
-
Color: The color of bostrichid powderpost beetles can vary. Common colors include reddish-brown and black.
-
Characteristics: Bostrichid powderpost beetles have a cylindrical body that appears somewhat flattened. Their heads are bent downward and not visible when viewed from above; they also have rough or bumpy areas behind their heads.
What do bostrichid powderpost beetles eat?
The larvae of bostrichid powderpost beetles primarily feed on and infest newly processed hardwoods with high starch and moisture contents. They often prefer tropical hardwoods, especially bamboo.
Life Cycle of Bostrichid Powderpost Beetles
The average life cycle from egg to adult is typically completed in one year.
Eggs
Both the larvae and adults damage wood since adult female beetles bore directly into the wood to lay their eggs. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae tunnel further into the wood to feed, mature, and complete their development into adults.
Adults
In the early spring, adults emerge from the infested wood by boring round exit holes. Most bostrichid adult beetles do not reinfest the wood they emerged from, and wood damage is limited to what is caused in the first year of an infestation.