POWDER POST BEETLE
DISTRIBUTION	The powder post beetle is a common pest in Europe and the Unites States.
DESCRIPTION	This small 1/6 to ? inch - 4 to 6 mm cylindrical beetle is reddish brown and has punctures on the dorsum in longitudial rows. The last three segments of the antennae are longer than the others. The lavra is creamy - white with dark brown mandibles. It has also got a double row of spines on the dorsum.
HABITS	Adult beetles emerge in the spring, mate and begin laying eggs immediately. The adult female will chew a small amount of the wood to determine its starch and moisture content and does not lay eggs in wood that has a starch content less than 3 percent. The female places her eggs within pores in the springwood portion of the wood. Eggs are deposited in emergence holes and in crevices in wood. Most species lay about 50 eggs.
POTENTIAL HAZARDS	Infestations of beetles can be recognized by the small round holes which appear in hardwood floors, furniture, molding and fixtures as well as by the presence of fine dust (frass). The frass may fall from the emergence holes and accumulate in small piles.
PREVENTION	Annual inspection of all wood two or more years old. Prevent accumulation of useless pieces of sapwood. Inspect all newly arrived stock to prevent the introduction of infesting beetles.
CONTROL	Non chemical controls such as electricity or high and low temperature have a limited research base and their effectiveness has not been completely tested. Fumigation usually provides immediate control of all life stages within the wood. However this method provides no residual insecticide for long term protection against reinfestation. The application of a liquid insecticide to the surface of infested wood may not provide immediate control of feeding larvae. However, the residual qualities of a liquid insecticide application provide control by killing larvae and adults emerging through tread surfaces. The residual activity of a liquid insecticide can also provide protection against reinfestation.