One of our two-story historic buildings has recently shown signs of powder post beetle infestation.
New flight holes (which were filled with frass and intermingled with old flight holes) were located in the exposed ceiling beams of an unused cellar room. The beams were reportedly installed back in the 1940's. We have noted approximately 20-30 holes in the immediate vicinity that appear to be fresh. We are now trying to decide what would be the best course of action in getting rid of the problem. Our first thought was to secure 8-10 glue board type traps 2-3 inches under the beams (using tape or tacks) to determine if the holes are definitely active. These glue boards would help us track new sawdust and/or emerging beetles so that we could better understand the extent of the problem. If the holes prove to be active, we will have to take additional steps. We were wondering if there is any value to treating the beams with Bora Care or a similar borate product to kill burrowing larvae and prevent future infestation. Most of what I have read about borate sprays has left me wondering whether the finished product would penetrate the wood deep enough to kill any of the larvae. We would certainly like to avoid tenting the structure for obvious reasons. Any thoughts or experiences on the management of powder post beetles?
