Danger From Lyctus Beetle: Hardwoods Make War Weapons (Ministry of Supply No. 105)
A factory notice with magnified photographs of the Lyctus beetle and grub, a description of the infestation and a night photograph of soldiers wading from a landing craft, captioned 'Hardwoods make war weapons'. The red 'DANGER' headline is the fear appeal; the soldiers' photograph attaches the military stakes to a timber-store chore (transfer).
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1941
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Ministry of Supply (United Kingdom); poster No. 105; artist and printer not stated
- Region
- Western and Central Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Churchill Government
- Leader
- Winston Churchill
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Themes
- Home front, Economy and finance
- Event
- World War II
- Leader
- Winston Churchill
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 44, World War II Foreign Posters, retrieved October 3, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (UK Crown copyright, 50 years from publication, expired before 1996; no URAA restoration)
Ministry of Supply (UK), c. 1939-1945. U.S. National Archives, World War II Foreign Posters, NAID 44266394 (44-PF-147).
Text on the object
DANGER FROM LYCTUS BEETLE The Lyctus (or Powder-post) Beetle is about one-fifth of an inch long, narrow and rather flattened in appearance. The eggs are laid in the sapwood only of most hardwoods. The grubs, which are curved in shape, bore in the sapwood. Infestation is recognisable from the WHITE FLOUR-LIKE POWDER which gathers on or beneath attacked wood. Timber liable to attack by Lyctus includes ASH, OAK, ELM and WALNUT, but not Beech or Birch. Sappy slabs and offcuts should be cleared to prevent their use as breeding grounds. LYCTUS BEETLE magnified about 16 times. Varies in colour from reddish-brown to black. LYCTUS GRUB magnified about 16 times. White with yellowish head and dark brown jaws. WATCH HARDWOOD STOCKS REPORT to your management SIGNS OF INFESTATION WITHOUT DELAY HARDWOODS MAKE WAR WEAPONS MINISTRY OF SUPPLY No. 105
