Possible. Pest inspections are about $100.

Depends where you live. I live in the Pacific Northwest and termites aren’t a big problem here, but carpenter ants are, and they produce piles of sawdust that look just like that.

Is this the only spot like this?

New build or renovation? Why is there a gap between flooring and baseboard in left of photo?

@kudzu9 hmmm we live in NJ so maybe carpenter ants. I guess we have to do a pest inspection.
@AS that has happened with cold air the wood has separated. We heard that happens.

Termites can be a big problem in NJ. Long time ago had a friend buy a house in NJ, his first house. He found out pretty quickly that the house had a major long term termite infestation that needed major remodeling to fix. I believe he filed a lawsuit against the parties involved in the sale and did eventually get a pay out.

All that wood used in your house was probably sitting outside for a while. Wouldn't hurt to tent the house and know you are starting with a clean slate. Then set up a yearly schedule for a termite/pest inspection.

N Cho-

Carpenter ants typically have a nest outside, like in an old stump, and they make trips back and forth between the nest and their food source (your house). You can often spot these guys as they tend to follow the same trail back and forth between their nest and where they are entering your house. Sometimes it's on the ground, and some times it's via foliage that is touching the house. They look like this:

Notice the distinctive stripes around the abdomen. When I had a carpenter ant infestation, I found a little, continuous, two-way caravan of them walking single file about a foot apart or so. When I followed it away from the house, I found their nest. When they have full stomachs and are heading back to the nest, the abdominal stripes look wider.

If you have them, you'll need to have a pesticide applicator go after them, and that can include drilling into walls in suspect locations to spray in the pesticide. In my case I had such a big group of them inside one wall that I could actually hear rustling and crunching sounds. Since your house is new, they may not have had much time to do damage. In my case they had hollowed out a 4X8' header over a large window, and were starting to go after the structure supporting a big skylight on the second floor.

Has anyone performed any work on your house recently, perhaps with a drill?

@kidzu9 thank you for information. I’m sorry the damage they did in your house. I’ll get a pest inspection.

@mark Bischak, Architect my husband tightened a screw upstairs to the right. The foyer is where the sawdust pile was.

Do you have carpenter bees where you live? That looks exactly like the mess they leave behind. Is there a round hole above where the sawdust is?

I am far from a specialist, but I live in New England and this is what I was told carpenter ants leave behind. I would call a pest inspector just to be sure.

I could be wrong but doesn’t look like termites to me. Maybe carpenter ants?

Carpenter ants leave the sawdust. You can have it treated by an exterminator.

Clean up the wood shavings and see if it reappears.

N Cho-

Good luck. I'd be interested to hear back from you when you get this figured out.

Here’s the update. I’m told they are powder post beetles.

N Cho-

Good that you saw the evidence early on and decided to investigate. What is your treatment plan?

Huh, wouldn't have guessed that one. My guess was going to be Carpenter Ants (dealt with them before and had to treat twice to get rid of them). What is the treatment like for those?

My guess was it was left by a carpenter. Sawdust from a tool or toolbox or pocket. I guess I don't win the prize.

It was a carpenter...a very small one. ;-)

The paint and finishing on your new build is catching my eye.

Me too strategery. I kept thinking there is no way this can be a new build.

Sometimes the pictures on here help me count my blessings.

An expert explains.

Which leads me to wonder, as powder post beetles like seasoned dry wood, especially yummy hardwood antiques, what they are doing in your new home. Even pest controllers get confused.

Powder post beetle frass.

@patriceny we weren’t happy with the painters work.

It was a vegetarian...a very small one. ;-)