Hardwood Pests and how to treat an infestation.
Saw mills are particularly vulnerable to hardwood pests such as the Powder Post Beetle (Lyctus Brunneas) which actually feed of the sapwood rather than the wood itself. The Powder Post Beetle is often attracted to the joinery of structures which is often constructed from Meranti or similar hard woods.
Powder Post Beetle: Identification
Adult Powder-Post beetles are long, flattened and elongated in appearance. They are reddish brown to black in colour and up to 7 mm in length. Larvae are cream coloured, C-shaped and with a dark head with jaws. Larvae are 5 mm in length when fully grown. The antenna of adult beetles have a clubbed appearance. The developing larvae inflict
serious damage to dry, seasoned hardwood, reducing the wood to a flour like powder. Infestations are typically
discovered after noticing powder accompanied by small round shot holes (exit holes) in the wood surface.
Biology
After mating, the female beetle seeks a suitable place to lay her eggs; usually on bare, unfinished hardwood
timber. Females bite into the surface of hardwood, leaving a series of grooves on the surface. These tasting marks are said to both determine whether the timber contains starch, which is the essential diet of larvae, and to expose wood pores for egg laying.
The eggs hatch and bore into the wood. The insects can emerge as adults one to five years later. Tunnelling and larval development take place entirely below the surface of wood. The average female Powder-Post Beetle lays about 50 eggs at a time.
Signs of Hardwood Pests
Powder-Post Beetles feed on t
he sapwood of hardwood. They do not feed on softwood. These beetles are attracted to joinery in structures where most are built with hardwood such as Meranti.
Most attacks take place at the saw mill, in logs or drying planks of sawn timber. Evidence of infestation may not become apparent until the timber is in-service and adults begin to emerge. The entire infested area may be reduced to powder leaving only the shell of wood on the outside, perforated with shot holes (exit holes). Small piles of flour like powder may be found where a gallery has broken the surface or where an adult beetle has emerged.
Control Measures
Three methods of control are available for Powder-Post beetle (Lyctus brunneas):
1) Powder-Post beetles only attack the sapwood of hard wood and not the heartwood. Remove the sapwood from
hardwood and this will prevent these beetles from attacking the wood.
2) Remove and replace all infested wood.
3) Fumigation with toxic gases. Entire structures or infested articles can be successfully fumigated with ProFume.
ProFume (Sulphuryl Fluoride)
Precision fumigation using ProFume Gas (sulphuryl fluoride) is proven effective against all life stages of a broad spectrum of wood destroying insects which includes The Powder-Post Beetle (Lyctus brunneas). Structures, wooden furniture, tribal masks and other articles crafted from hardwood can all be successfully fumigated.
Do you have an infestation?
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