Why can wood-boring beetles damage furniture and lumber?

Wood-boring beetles damage furniture and lumber because their larvae feed by boring through seasoned wood. As these insects tunnel through the material, they reduce the internal structure of the wood to a dry powder, which can cause severe damage to wooden items and structural lumber.12

Several groups of beetles are responsible for this destruction, including:

• Powderpost beetles (Lyctinae): These beetles bore into seasoned wood, leaving behind fine, powder-like frass.12
• Deathwatch beetles (Anobiidae): This family includes the furniture beetle (Anobium punctatum), which is well-known for damaging furniture and other seasoned wood products.23
• Branch borers (Bostrichidae): These beetles also bore into dry wood, contributing to the degradation of wooden materials.2

While many beetles are phytophagous (plant feeders) and attack living trees, these specific groups are significant pests because they target dead, dry wood used in human environments. Because wood-boring beetles often have long life cycles, they can remain within the wood for extended periods, continuing their destructive feeding habits.24