Lyctus carbonarius

Description

Lyctus carbonarius is a wood-boring beetle in the family Bostrichidae (formerly in the family Lyctidae, which is now a subfamily of Bostrichidae), commonly known as the southern lyctus beetle or lyctid powderpost beetle. It is a serious pest of hardwoods including ash, hickory, oak, maple and mahogany and can infest many products in the home including hardwood flooring and structural timbers, plywood, furniture, tool handles, picture frames, baskets and ladders. Timber can be infested in one location and then be transported large distances by ship, after which the beetles can emerge and spread the infestation to new areas. Lyctus planicollis LeConte, 1859 is considered a synonym of the species of Lyctus carbonarius.