Page 90 - Florida Pest Control Examinations

POWDER POST BEETLE POWDER POST BEETLE

Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR

1.Antenna- short, 2 segmented club 6.Thorax POWDER POST BEETLE
2.Eyes- compound 7.Petiole- none
3.Head 8.Abdomen- large 1 8
4.Legs- 6 9.Color- brownish to black
5.Wings- covered, hard elytra 10.Other
Life Cycle
They mate soon after exiting infected wood, and between 15-20 eggs
are laid in wood galleries about a week later. The eggs will hatch in one
to three weeks. Larvae go through several molts while eating wood right 4
away, and build a pupal chamber where they take two weeks to a month
to become adults. The whole life cycle is completed in 9-12 months. Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR
POWDER POST BEETLE
Actual size 1/4”
These beetles are named because they reduce the hardwoods that they infest to a fine powder, which is ejected
from an exit hole. They are small, only about 1/4th inch long, and are a reddish, dark brown or black color. They
prefer to infest hardwoods, and are often found in flooring. This beetle will reinfest, if the wood’s moisture and
starch content is high enough.
FLATHEADED BORER LARVA FLATHEADED BORER

Photo Courtesy of Gerald J. Lenhard Photo Courtesy of Scott Tunnock
www.forestryimages.org USDA www.forestryimages.org
1.Antenna- 2, short 6.Thorax- hard FLATHEADED BORER
2.Eyes- compound 7.Petiole- none
3.Head- 8.Abdomen- elongated ADULT
4.Legs- 6 9.Color- black, with metallic colors
5.Wings- covered by elytra 10.Other- larvae do much damage 1
Life Cycle
Eggs are laid in the bark, and when they hatch the larvae chew their way into
the tree. Larvae live in tunnels in shoots, branches, trunks, and even roots of 4 8
infected trees. They turn into adults, which continue to do damage until they
leave by way of their exit hole to mate and infest another tree. Photo Courtesy of Bob Oakes
USDA, www.forestryimages.org
FLATHEADED BORER Actual size 3/8”
The Flat Headed Borer is the larvae of the Metallic Wood-boring Beetle. The legless larvae are cream colored with a wide
area of segments just behind the head. The usually infest weakened or stressed trees, creating galleries that are packed with
frass. Exit holes for both the larvae and adults are usually flattened or D-shaped. While they attack trees, they also reduce
the value of lumber produced.

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