In some hardwoods the pellets of anobiids may be lacking and the holes are packed with frass. The frass of lyctids lack the pellets and has the consistency of talcum powder. Anobiids will not infest wood if the moisture content is below 13 percent but lyctids can infest at levels above 6 percent. If the adults can be obtained for identification, it will be seen that the head of the anobiids is hardly visible from above, while that of a lyctid is plainly visible. The insects push a very fine frass out of these holes and this material is often the first indication that they are present.
Infestation can occur in almost any wood though most often it occurs in hardwoods.
Anobiids attack new and old softwoods and lyctids attack hardwoods and bamboo. In Kansas we see them very often in ash wood. They can infest structural timbers, furniture, molding, etc. Since these insects require exposed pores of wood in which to lay their eggs, painting, varnishing or staining will reduce these sites. However, an infestation already in the wood at the time of painting, varishing, and staining will be able to chew through the finish and expose the wood to further egg laying in the resulting exit holes.