Wood-destroying insects

	Preferred Wood Type	Preferred Wood Moisture Content	Emergence/ Bore Holes	Galleries and Frass	Possible Reinfestation	Typical Source of Infestation	Remarks
Termite	Softwood, hardwood, sapwood, heartwood, old wood, new wood*	>8%	Seldom seen; uses existing gaps, cracks	Messy, packed with excrema, soil, wood fragments	Yes	Enters heated buildings from soil	Seldom seen except when swarming; discarded wings indicate presence
Carpenter Ant	Softwood, hardwood, sapwood, heartwood, old wood, new wood*	>15%	Seldom seen; uses existing gaps, cracks	Clean with "sandpapered" walls; insect parts and shredded wood near nest.	Yes	Enters heated and unheated buildings form soil	Often seen foraging in building though nest is in nearby tree or stump
Powder-post Beetle	Hardwood, sapwood, new wood*	6% to 30%	Round, 1/32" to 1/8"	Loosely packed with very fine powder	Yes	Brought into buildings in infected furniture, flooring, firewood, etc.	Hardwoods coated with film-forming finishes safe from attack.
Old House Borer	Softwood, sapwood, new wood*	10% to 30%	Oval, 1/4" to 3/8"	Tightly packed with fine powder and tiny pellets; walls with ripple-marks	Yes	Brought into buildings in infected new and salvaged lumber; can enter from outside	Larvae in wood make rasping, ticking, or clicking sound
Anobiid	Softwood, hardwood, sapwood, old wood, new wood*	13% to 30%	Round, 1/16" to 1/8"	Loosely packed with fine powder and tiny pellets	Yes	Enters damp areas like crawlspaces and basements from outside	Infestations develop slowly; 30 holes per sq. ft. indicates well established infestation