Jonathan Holmes wrote:

> The eggs can live on through most treatments.
>
> As a priority I would suggest that you have a programme of housekeeping.
> This sounds terrible but what I mean is regular checking of anything at
> risk.  You can get insect traps which attract certain types of problem
> insects so you know if they are around.  There is a type of sticky
> treated paper, like the old flypapers but different.  You will then
> know when anything nasty is flying about in your collection.  Once your
> collection has been treated do not rest on your laurels; no treatment
> is 100 percent successful.

Excellent advice!

If you wish to use the do-it-yourself method with the Raid gas
fumigant, it would probably be a good idea to investigate about the
life cycle of these beasties, and plan on one or more subsequent
fumigations, spaced out to accommodate the hatching time of any
surviving eggs, so as to kill the larvae before can they mature and
breed.

Also, I'm thinking your entire living space should be bombed at the
same time, since these beetles can fly and you may have already
introduced them to the rest of your residence.  If they tend to leave
the nest at specific times of year as do termites, this is that time
(for termites anyway).  Fumigate as soon as possible before they lay
more eggs elsewhere!

One advantage of this approach would be that you will not have to tent
the piano.  You can probably fumigate a small residence with three to
four canisters.  There is information on the can as to square footage
treated.

If the beetles are as resistant to the poison gas as suggested by
Jonathan, it would be wise to seal the residence and leave the gas as
long as feasible, before airing out..  Setting off the gas before
leaving for work for the day, could give you eight to ten hours of
treatment.  I doubt there's much effect after that, unless the house is
very tightly sealed.  A web site I visited suggested that you use fans
to keep the gas circulating about inside the house.

Source of wood beetles: I have cut up wood shipping crates and pallets
for firewood and found them to have been made from the cheapest grades
of wood, much of which is riddled with insect holes.  Keep this in mind
when contracting for packing and shipping of your valuable instruments!
Advise the packer/shipper that they must be absolutely certain that
their packing materials are free from insects.

Get it in writing in your contract that the packer will be held liable
if the shipping containers are found to be compromised with any type of
beasties, resulting in damage to your instrument.

You might want to think twice about using a large shipping company
where your instrument might be stored in a warehouse en route.  Such
storage space could be a hot bed of infested shipping pallets and
containers.

Tom Lear
San Francisco, CA