[AT] OT - Powder Post Beetles

[Rob Gray]

Please excuse the off topic posts, but here is another. I had an 
exterminator company come out to look at the house.  In the basement the 
inspector found evidence of powder post beetle damage. I now believe 
that this damage is at least mostly old because my dad says that these 
pencil point sized holes in the old hand hewn beams have been there at 
least since 1950 when my granpa bought the house. Does anyone on the 
list know how I can tell if this pest is currently living in the wood? 
The exterminator wants $1,000 to treat the beams, but I don't want to 
pay if the damage is old and the bugs are no longer there.

The inspector had me real nervous with their description of the 
potential damage that these bugs do, so I signed on to have this 
treatement done, but now I'm having second thoughts and might want to 
cancel....

Any advice from folks who have had experience with this type of bug 
would be greatly appreciated.....

Rob Gray
NE PA