Members of the tropical countries in the IRG Sub-Group "Insects in dry wood" requested a paper on the breeding of lyctids. Compared with other wood boring insects, such as cerambycids and anobiids, the breeding of lyctids is not as difficult and time consuming. Nevertheless some basic principles have to be observed in the laboratory to obtain successful cu·ltures. It is the intention of this report to give some guidelines for breeding powder-post beetles although I am aware of the fact that a lot has been published in this field.