What's eating my floor?

[WoodCzech]

We have a floor made out of 150yr old pine taken from a teardown house.  It has been fine for about 8 years and suddenly we find this.  Looks like about a 1/8" hole with dust around.  Any idea what kind of a bug could have done it and how to kill it?

https://s25.postimg.org/oj1s89vxr/V_513_B.jpg

[brnhornt]

Woah...I'd be calling a pro ASAP.

Could be fall and something is boring it for the winter?  I would think a pro familiar to your area would be able to get an idea of what it is by the hole and how far that frass is flung.  Did you shine a flashlight down the hole to see if the critter is still there?

http://www.termite.com/borers-pest-control.html

[K. L. McReynolds]

Carpenter bee. They make round holes. Had some boring into a deck roof framing. I'd wait til (I saw them go in, squash them in the hole with a dowel I made and no more bees in that hole.

[brnhornt]

Carpenter bee. They make round holes. Had some boring into a deck roof framing. I'd wait til (I saw them go in, squash them in the hole with a dowel I made and no more bees in that hole.

I dunno...I have cedar siding so I know me some carpenter bees.  

A - I've never seen a carpenter bee bore vertically down into a hole.  They always bore either behind a laped board, or directly on the bottom edge.  Boring top down would let water soak in.
B - Their holes are usually around a half inch in diameter...this one seems smaller.
C - Carpenter bees don't leave frass...they sort of "spray" the material out as it is actually mixed a bit with their saliva.  I can usually site an active borer simply from the poop-looking spatters on the surrounding wood.

Either way...you have a wood eating insect in your home.  I wouldn't mess around...I'd pay the 100 dollar service call for a trusted professional to identify and deal with it.

[WoodCzech]

Right, I have dealt with carpenter bees before.  Those holes are 8mm.  This one is just under 3mm and it is inside the home.

[John Mihich]

Don't know but fire will do it.  



Just make sure insurance is up to date. 

I'd be tempting to spray bee killer down it.  Most bugs would die.  This may not be the only place.  I would kill that area first and then keep a close eye nearby.  If you see it again then call pro.

[bytestalker]

The size of the holes suggest old house borers.  They like pine floors.  You have to kill the larvae.  You need a pro to kill these.  They can make a hole up to a dime size.   You kill them the same way they do powderpost beetles.   You generally find them in attics.