Powderpost Beetle Control

Powderpost Beetles In Central Texas

The powderpost beetle is a wood-boring pest, and unlike the beetles that simply gather on walls, its larvae hollow out seasoned wood from the inside and leave a signature fine powder behind.

Because powderpost beetle larvae feed hidden inside the wood, treatment depends on finding the infested wood and confirming the activity is active rather than old.

Signs You Have Powderpost Beetles

Powderpost beetles give themselves away in the wood itself:

• Tiny round exit holes, about the size of a pinhead, in hardwood surfaces.
• Piles of fine, flour-like powder beneath or around the holes.
• Fresh powder that reappears after you clean it away, a sign of active feeding.
• Damage in flooring, trim, furniture, and framing made of seasoned hardwood.
• Small beetles near infested wood or at nearby windows in spring and summer.

Are Powderpost Beetles Dangerous?

Powderpost beetles are not a health threat. They do not bite, sting, or spread disease. The harm they do is to wood, and it can be serious.

Their larvae reduce the inside of seasoned wood to powder over time, weakening flooring, furniture, trim, and structural wood. They work more slowly than termites, but a long-running infestation can cause real structural damage, which is why confirming and stopping active feeding matters.

How We Get Rid of Powderpost Beetles

Stride treats powderpost beetles through the five-step Stride Forward process, centered on the infested wood:

1. Inspect. We check floors, trim, furniture, and framing for exit holes and fresh powder.
2. Identify. We confirm powderpost beetles and, importantly, whether the activity is active or old.
3. Recommend. We flag the moisture and bare-wood conditions that favor them and the items to address.
4. Treat. We treat the infested and vulnerable wood with a penetrating borate product and address the source, removing badly damaged wood where needed.
5. Evaluate. We follow up to confirm no fresh powder is appearing, since that is the test of success.

Our GreenPro certification guides this reduced-risk approach.

How to Keep Powderpost Beetles Away

Keeping powderpost beetles out comes down to dry wood and sealed surfaces:

• Keep wood dry, since lower moisture makes wood far less attractive to them.
• Seal or finish bare hardwood, as paint and varnish block egg-laying.
• Inspect wood before bringing it in, including furniture, flooring, and lumber.
• Control humidity in crawl spaces and storage with ventilation.
• Act on fresh powder early, before the infestation spreads through the wood.

Powderpost Beetle Control Frequently Asked Questions

Stride Forward is our Integrated Pest Management program where we partner with our clients in the long-term removal and prevention of pests. Keeping your property free of unwanted insects and rodents works best when we work together.

The program combines habitat manipulation, biological control, cultural behavior changes, and the targeted use of products designed to repel or eradicate pests. Our approach follows five steps, with non-chemical methods prioritized before any product application.

Our Certifications & Awards

Stride Pest Control holds QualityPro and GreenPro certifications through the NPMA’s Foundation for Professional Pest Management, and fewer than 3% of pest control companies nationwide hold both. QualityPro requires background checks on every service member, a drug-free workplace, and 16 standards that exceed state and federal requirements.

Our Austin and Round Rock office operates under Texas Department of Agriculture license TPCL #667951, with Burton Johnston as Responsible Certified Applicator. Our San Antonio office operates under TPCL #827449, with Alex Randall as Responsible Certified Applicator. Our office manager, Michael Honeycutt, is an Associate Certified Entomologist through the Entomological Society of America.

Founded in 2013, we have served nearly 12,000 customers across Central Texas and hold a 4.9-star rating across 2,400+ reviews with an A+ from the BBB.