Lymexylidae

a family of beetles having a body length of 6–18 mm. The females are yellow, and the males are black. The legs of both sexes are yellow. There are about 30 cosmopolitan species. The beetles emerge in the spring. They deposit their eggs in the cracks of old tree trunks and wooden planks. The larvae live in the wood, boring passages 1–2 mm in diameter. The insects attack many deciduous and coniferous trees; wood infested by them is not usable in manufacturing. Most species harm timber in felling areas, wood in warehouses, and sometimes even wooden structures. The ship-timber beetle (Lymexylon navale) is found on ship wharves. Control measures include the removal of dead trees from forests and the use of various insecticides.