Powderpost Beetle Treatment

Powderpost beetles bore into hardwood and leave a fine, powder-like frass behind — a real concern in the century-old coastal housing of Coupeville, La Conner, and Anacortes Old Town. Salty Dog Pest Control treats active infestations and backs the work with a defined-term warranty.

What powderpost beetles are

Powderpost beetles are wood-destroying insects whose larvae tunnel through hardwood — flooring, trim, framing, furniture, and structural timber — for months or years before emerging. Second only to termites among wood-destroying pests, they are especially at home in the dense, older housing stock of our historic coastal towns.

Signs of powderpost beetles

• Tiny round exit holes (about the size of a pinhead) in wood
• Fine, flour-like powder (frass) beneath or around the holes
• Weak or crumbling wood surfaces
• Emerging beetles, often in spring and summer

Where they thrive here

Coupeville is one of the oldest towns in Washington, and La Conner and Anacortes Old Town carry dense pre-war inventory; south Whidbey is full of older cabins and converted summer homes. That housing stock is exactly what powderpost beetles favor — which is why this is a service local homeowners genuinely need.

Our treatment & warranty

We assess the extent of the infestation, treat the affected wood, and advise on the moisture and conditions that support beetle activity. Powderpost beetle treatments are backed by a defined-term warranty — see our Guarantee for terms.

Powderpost beetle FAQ

Are those holes old or active? Fresh, light-colored frax and new powder usually indicate active infestation. We can assess and tell you.

Do you treat historic homes? Yes — much of our powderpost work is in the historic housing of Coupeville, La Conner, and Anacortes.

Meet your technician

Powderpost beetle treatment is led by Matthew Pasquale (WSDA structural pest license #101709).

What our customers say

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
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 Chris Irish 
 
 
 
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Matthew is a rockstar! He came out on a Friday night after a full day to make sure we were taken care of! Highly recommend!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Kristi Lovelady 
 
 
 
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Prompt, efficient and on-time service. Invoices provide written and visual information of service rendered. Mathew is very professional and knowledgeable.  Would recommend Salty Dog services.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Michele C. 
 
 
 
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We really like Salty Dog!  Matthew is very responsive and always on time.  His reports are thorough, he is on time and works with our needs!  Thank you Matthew!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Brenda Praggastis 
 
 
 
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Matthew is conscientious and careful. He has worked closely with us to address all of our concerns. He has tailored his efforts to the unique demands of our house as he performed an exclusion. The rodent activity has disappeared inside the house and has been vastly reduced outside. We are very happy with his work.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Sharon Heiber 
 
 
 
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Matthew solved our mouse problem! He quickly identified their entrance point and blocked it. That was last year. We haven't had a problem since. Thank you, Matthew!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Sandi Peterson 
 
 
 
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We had not done pest control for quite some time, (our bad) and one day I needed service right away.   Matthew came ASAP and got us started on the right track.  He did work above and beyond what I expected for a more than fair price and shows up for scheduled maintenance as promised.   He does a great job and I recommend him highly.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Rodger Schnee 
 
 
 
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Matt at Salty Dog is both personal and professional, and provides services that are high quality, and very reasonably priced. He is clearly a service provider first and last. I've had previous experiences(with pest services and other) with national companies, when I felt I was sent a representative that was sales first, service provider 2nd. Matt is also well networked with contractors in our community, and gave me a couple great referrals for other work I needed done. The bottom line is that I highly recommend Salty Dog and Matt for any rodent/pest related issues.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Nicholas Orozco 
 
 
 
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Extremely helpful and quick service who took his time and treated the issues that I had on the spot. I absolutely felt like the work was quality and he did not rush until I was satisfied with what was done. Thank you very much for the help!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 britt buchan 
 
 
 
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We’ve had an excellent experience with Salty Dog Pest Control. Matt’s attention to detail is outstanding, and what really sets him apart is his passion for treating the root of the problem—not just applying a quick fix. He took the time to explain what was going on, what he was doing, and why, which gave us a lot of confidence in the process.

His communication is clear, timely, and thoughtful from start to finish. It’s obvious he truly cares about his work and his clients. Highly recommend Salty Dog Pest Control if you’re looking for someone knowledgeable, thorough, and genuinely invested in doing the job right.
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
    
 
 

Get your free estimate

Call (360) 206-3293 or request an estimate below. Serving Oak Harbor, Coupeville, Freeland, Langley, Clinton, Greenbank, Anacortes, La Conner, and the surrounding islands.