Similar to termites and carpenter ants, powderpost beetles can cause structural damage to your home by destroying the wood. Female beetles bore into the wood and lay their eggs in its cracks. When the larvae hatch, they feed on the wood, creating a series of tunnels, and then tunnel their way out when they reach adulthood, leaving a tiny exit hole.
Since the damage may be hidden behind walls and sheet rock, the best way determine if you have an infestation of powderpost beetles is by scheduling a free inspection with our trained pest control professionals.
Our Powderpost Beetle Control Process
Upon completing a thorough inspection, our trained powderpost beetle exterminators will use borate to treat the wood in your home. Borate provides barrier protection to prevent future infestations, but it also penetrates deep into the wood to reach the existing beetle larvae. Any larvae that the borate is unable to reach will be eliminated when they emerge.
Borate targets a unique feature of insect biology, which prevents the powderpost beetle from extracting nutrition from its food, causing it to starve. While deadly for powderpost beetles, borate is one of the least toxic insecticides you can use in your home. And because it is applied to the structure, and not the soil, it isn’t a threat to the environment or water supply.
Get Started with a Free Inspection
Whether you suspect you have a powderpost beetle problem, or you’re a homeowner looking to protect your investment, Nature’s Way can provide you with a free inspection, and recommend a treatment plan to both address active infestations and protect against any in the future.
For powderpost beetle control in Albany, Saratoga, Glens Falls or as far north as Plattsburgh NY, give us a call at (518) 745-5958, or complete an online request for a free inspection. You can also contact our powderpost beetle exterminators in Rutland, Burlington and throughout Western Vermont by calling (802) 855-2978.
About Powderpost Beetles
These wood-boring insects are reddish-brown in color with long, narrow, flat bodies. Depending on the species, they attack both hardwoods, such as oak, ash, walnut and hickory, as well as softwoods, like pine. Infestations can be found in the frames of buildings, as well as hardwood floors, wood paneling, crown molding, window and door frames, wood furniture, plywood and more.
The most common sign that you have a powderpost beetle infestation is the accumulation of small, sawdust-like piles, known as frass. Carpenter ants also leave behind frass, however, in the case of powderpost beetles, the frass is a mixture of larvae excrement and wood particles, which can be as fine as flour, or slightly gritty like cornmeal.
If you suspect you have a powderpost beetle problem, please contact us, so that we can provide you with a free inspection and advise you on the best treatment plan for your property.
