Powder-Post Beetles -Minthea spp.(Lyctidae)

The lyctids are important beetle pests of seasoned hard-wood in Malaysia 1,2. They are commonly known as powder-post beetles. Several species of lyctids have been recorded locally, namely, Minthea reticulata ^3,5 , M. rugicollis ^1,6, Lyctus discedens (Ho unpubl.), L. africanus (Browne unpubl.) as well as the most dreaded species in temperate countries, L. brunneus ¹. Of these, M. reticulata (Figure 1) and M. rugicollis (Figure 2) are of importance in Malaysia.