This is another photo from the Pacific Northwest, where the anobiid beetles had been working in a crawl space. I enlarged the photo, so you can take a good look. All the little shot sized holes are where the larvae pupated, turned into an adult and then left the wood. The larvae eats in the wood for about 5 years before leaving and causes real damage. It seems like every time I run into a crawl space with blocked vents, unless the house is pretty new, I find some anobiid damage. You will also see some fine powder, the anobiid frass, over on the left side.  So, are they still active in this home? The answer is, almost assuredly. Why? Well, the anobiid likes damp environments, with little or no air circulation/ventilation. All the crawl space vents were blocked and the moisture content in the wood was measured at 18%. This species thrives in wood above 13% but prefers wood with a moisture content between 13 and 18%. So this crawl space is prone to a continued infestation unless remedial steps are taken, such as reducing moisture and increasing ventilation. This issue of moisture content is a real problem with this pest. It will thrive in wood that has a lower moisture level than what is required for rot to form or continue growing once it has begun.

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