ABSTRACT
Wood-infesting beetles attack singly or at best in only small populations. Beetles are slow to develop and it may take considerable time for structural damage to occur. The pest status of wood-infesting beetles is significant, in spite of the limited structural damage that is usually accomplished. The majority of wood-infesting beetle species in the natural environment feed as larvae in the dead wood of standing or down trees and stumps. The large size and structure of the vessels in some hardwoods influences the egg-laying habits of some beetle species. The transition made by various wood-infesting beetles from the forest environment to the household environment was probably facilitated by the prevalent use of wood as a construction material for farm sheds and dwellings. Wood-infesting beetles constitute one of the most economically important groups of insects infesting structural timber. For some wood-boring beetles the size and spatial distribution of the infestation may significantly influence pest status.
