Wood Boring Beetles In Hardwood Floors

The longer wood is stored the higher the risk of infestation.

Wood boring beetles in hardwood floors.

The larvae of these wood borers feed on starch and other nutrients in the wood that were stored when the tree was alive. Homeowners may see emergence holes or tunnels in wood beams hardwood floors wood planks or furniture without spotting any pests. Deathwatch beetles on the other hand feed on seasoned soft and hardwoods. Hardwood oak maple bamboo and so forth floors may show signs of insect infestation sometime after the floor is installed.

These beetles threaten hardwood floors wood trim or furniture but would not be expected to attack softwood such as pine framing in a home. Lyctid beetles infest seasoned hardwood usually during the time that it is drying or is stored. The first signs of infestation are small 1 16 holes that appear in the surface see beetles hardwood floors for pictures often accompanied by fine boring dust. If it is instead anobiid powderpost beetles then the answer may be no the beetles could have infested after the floor was installed you ll see why below.

Most of these insects cannot infest live trees because of the tree s natural defenses. While most wood boring insects need relatively fresh wood certain ones like powderpost beetles can re infest older seasoned wood. Wood boring beetles are most commonly identified by the emergence holes they leave in wood.