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THE POWDER POST BEETLE 
Each female deposits many eggs, and a number will 
attack a single piece of furniture* The numerous 
progeny making their winding burrows through the 
wood completely destroy the interior fibre, reducing 
it to a mass of fine powder* If the destruction is not 
accomplished by the first attack, the process is con- 
tinued by subsequent generations until a thin outer 
shell is the only solid fibre remaining* The drier and 
older the wood the more attractive does it become, 
and the beetle has a special fondness for floors, 
joists, frames, and material that has lain undisturbed 
for several years* Steaming, dry heat, and a liberal 
application of kerosene or benzine are among the 
recommended methods of destruction* Sap wood 
should be rejected for all purposes, and all wood in 
which the pest has found a lodgment should be 
destroyed* Carriage woodwork and antique furniture 
frequently suffer* Look for the light brown, mealy 
powder and the pin-holes* They are signs which 
reveal one of the wonderful concentrations of 
destructive power in the insect world. 
