What type of mite or bug is it?

[Tatty]

I been working a lot of projects with bamboo and it seems I'm having a very small problem, see some type of mite is making small holes on the bamboo and it seems like some dust is comming out of it when they make the hole on it. I would like to know what type of mite it is and what can I do to make those small bugs stop eating my bamboo...Thank you

[Mark Meckes]

Hi Tatty, the insect may be a type of Powder Post Beetle (PPB).

PPB's prefer some kinds of bamboo more then others, depending on their starch content.

Do you know the name / type of bamboo you are working with?

I am preparing some info I have found on how to identify this beetle (there are several different types), and on methods of control.

This is a complex subject with no easy answers or quick fixes.

Mark

[Agrobambu]

Tatty

See my post about Dinoderus minutus (pics). You can compare with yours beetles.
Ene

[asnor69]

Hi Tatty,
It seems that your bamboo bug problem is common. Yes, there are several types of mites.

There are several treatment available namely soak your bamboo right after harvesting in boilling diesel mixed with coustics soda. Alternatively, you can use the traditional method of submerging the bamboo for 3 months in a running creek to dilute and wash the starch away, or spraying diesel mixed with insecticide on to every open holes, or you can steam your bamboo for 15 minutes (we have the machine here in Malaysia), or you can hard press the insecticide into every end of the bamboo. Whichever way, there is no guarantee that the method will work 100%.