- Prevention - Many Powderpost Beetle infestations actually begin inside the wood before you bring it into your home. Likewise, there are certain conditions of wood that make it more susceptible to infestation. The following tips will help you reduce the possibility of building infestations into your furniture or home.
- Always inspect wood prior to purchase. Do not purchase wood with damaged surfaces or with present exit holes.
- Powderpost beetles require at least 20% moisture to thrive, so use only wood that has been dried as much as possible. If you are purchasing wood, ask if it has been kiln- or air-dried. In the case of backyard lumber, central heating and good ventilation will greatly help to reduce moisture
- Powderpost beetles most often attack bare, unfinished wood. Use wood that has been sanded and varnished. Finished wood is not likely to be attacked by Powderpost beetles because the adults will not be able to find crevices in the surface to deposit their eggs.
- Use wood that has been pre-treated with pesticides and/or wood preservatives.
- Always inspect wood prior to purchase. Do not purchase wood with damaged surfaces or with present exit holes.
- Surface Treatments- Active infestations present in bare, exposed wood should be treated with a pesticide containing "borate", such as BoraCare or Timbor. Borate-containing products will pentrate and get rid of Powderpost beetles inside the wood as well as those entering or exiting the surface of the wood. BoraCare and Timbor also attack the larvae inside the wood, preventing them from causing further surface damage in the future when they would have emerged as adults.
- To get rid of Powderpost beetles with BoraCare, Timbor, or other borate-containing products, first mix the product according to the label, and then spray or brush the product directly onto the wood surface, creating a poisonous barrier.
- Surface treatment pesticides may be applied to any bare wood surface including sills, rafters, subflooring, studs, decking and siding to get rid of Powderpost beeltes. Finished wood surfaces must first be sanded down for the pesticide treatment to be effective.
- It may not be possible to surface treat some less-accessible areas of infestation, such as those which have spread to walls or floors. Such areas may be candidates for more drastic treatment measures, like fumigation.
- To get rid of Powderpost beetles with BoraCare, Timbor, or other borate-containing products, first mix the product according to the label, and then spray or brush the product directly onto the wood surface, creating a poisonous barrier.
- Fumigation- Fumigation is a method of pest control that uses gaseous pesticides to fill a confined space in order to suffocate or poison all pests within that area. When all other methods of prevention and control have proved unsuccessful,fumigation might be the only way for you to get rid of Powderpost beetles that have spread into walls and floors. This option is rather expensive and should only be used as a last resort.
- Fumigation must be performed by a certified pest control professional.
- Fumigation is non-residual. Therefore, while this option may get rid of present Powderpost beetle infestations, it is a not an effective means of preventing future infestations.
- Fumigation must be performed by a certified pest control professional.
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