CALIFORNIA BRANCH 2 FIELD REPRESENTATIVE EXAM 2025 |
COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE WITH OFFICIAL QUESTIONS,
CORRECT ANSWERS, AND DETAILED RATIONALES |
STRUCTURAL PEST CONTROL BOARD (SPCB)
Odorous House Ants - Correct Answer-These ants are brownish black in color, has multiple queens per
colony. Nest in shallow mounds in soil or debris, or indoors in wall voids, around water pipes or heaters.
Commonly confused with Argentine Ants but when crushed this insect gives off a very unpleasant odor.
Velvety Tree Ants - Correct Answer-These ants have one queen per colony, black head and abdomen
with a red thorax. Prefers sweets and insects. Nest in dead wood, such as in old tree limbs, stumps and
logs. Often invade picnic or outdoor barbecue areas. Will also produce a foul odor when crushed.
Pavement Ants - Correct Answer-This ant is blackish-brown, eats sweets, protein and grease. Nest in
lawns or under stones, boards. Builds mounds along sidewalks, foundations and near water. Can be
annoying around slab homes because they can enter though cracks in the slab and other openings in
search for food.
Pharaoh Ants - Correct Answer-This ant is light yellowish to reddish brown, have multiple queens per
colony. Nest in walls or cabinet voids, behind baseboards, in insulation or outside in debris. Sting and
bite. Eats fats, proteins and sweets. Very difficult to control and have ten and thousands or hundreds of
thousands in there colony, improper treatment may cause them to bud (split) and make sub colonies
making it harder to eradicate them.
Red Imported Fire Ants - Correct Answer-These ants have a red head and thorax, with a black abdomen.
Eats sweets and proteins. Nest in mounds with multiple openings in soil or lawns and sometimes in
buildings behind walls. Stings may cause severe reactions in people and may kill young wildlife.
, Thief Ants - Correct Answer-One of the smallest ants. Yellow to dirty brown in color. Can sting you, eat
greasy and fatty foods, sometimes sweets. (Steal) food and larvae from other ant nests. Nest outdoors
in soil, under rocks and decaying wood, and also nest behind wall-boards. These ants are persistent and
may be quite difficult to control.
Honey Bees - Correct Answer-These bees have a complete life cycle; egg, larvae, pupa and adult. These
are social insects, they collect pollen produce wax and honey and tend to a colony inside a hive. This
insect will die shorty after using its stinger to sting someone or a animal.
Africanized Honey Bees - Correct Answer-This bee (Known as killers) are extremely aggressive, there
attacks can lost very long and can be very fatal. Loud noises, people moving, or even breathing can
trigger these insects. They are also attracted to hair, dark colors, freshly mowed grass, citrus-scented
perfume.
Bumble Bees - Correct Answer-These bees are social insects. They have a complete life cycle; egg,
larvae, pupa and adult. Generally nest underground. They do not make holes in tunnels in wood. May be
found nesting in a abandoned rodent burrows, under piles of grass clippings, under stones, logs, etc.
Some are more likely to sting then others. Controlled by locating and treating nests with aerosols, dusts,
or liquids.
Carpenter Bees - Correct Answer-These bees have a complete life cycle. Females are large, black with no
yellow on abdomen and sting. Males are yellow-brown and do not sting. Females burrow 1/2 inch holes
into wood to build their nests. This causes structural damage, but rarely attack painted wood or that's
varnished; they prefer bare, exposed wood. Control these pests by using dusts and plugging there holes.
May need to apply a repellent insecticide over the remaining areas to discourage further attacks.
Sweat Bees - Correct Answer-This bee got their name because they are attracted to the salts in human
sweat. Black brown, red, metallic green and sometimes with yellow markings. Their stings are almost
painless. However, some people may have various reactions. They also live under ground.
Yellow Jackets - Correct Answer-This wasp is a Social insects, live in large colonies that number in the
thousands. Adults feed mostly on fruit juices and other sweet materials. Larvae are fed animal materials
such as insects or meat. Can be a major pest problem at picnics and outdoor eateries.
Umbrella Wasps - Correct Answer-These wasps are also known as (paper wasps) Their nest is umbrella
shaped, made of paper and often found built under the eaves if homes. These wasps are not very
COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE WITH OFFICIAL QUESTIONS,
CORRECT ANSWERS, AND DETAILED RATIONALES |
STRUCTURAL PEST CONTROL BOARD (SPCB)
Odorous House Ants - Correct Answer-These ants are brownish black in color, has multiple queens per
colony. Nest in shallow mounds in soil or debris, or indoors in wall voids, around water pipes or heaters.
Commonly confused with Argentine Ants but when crushed this insect gives off a very unpleasant odor.
Velvety Tree Ants - Correct Answer-These ants have one queen per colony, black head and abdomen
with a red thorax. Prefers sweets and insects. Nest in dead wood, such as in old tree limbs, stumps and
logs. Often invade picnic or outdoor barbecue areas. Will also produce a foul odor when crushed.
Pavement Ants - Correct Answer-This ant is blackish-brown, eats sweets, protein and grease. Nest in
lawns or under stones, boards. Builds mounds along sidewalks, foundations and near water. Can be
annoying around slab homes because they can enter though cracks in the slab and other openings in
search for food.
Pharaoh Ants - Correct Answer-This ant is light yellowish to reddish brown, have multiple queens per
colony. Nest in walls or cabinet voids, behind baseboards, in insulation or outside in debris. Sting and
bite. Eats fats, proteins and sweets. Very difficult to control and have ten and thousands or hundreds of
thousands in there colony, improper treatment may cause them to bud (split) and make sub colonies
making it harder to eradicate them.
Red Imported Fire Ants - Correct Answer-These ants have a red head and thorax, with a black abdomen.
Eats sweets and proteins. Nest in mounds with multiple openings in soil or lawns and sometimes in
buildings behind walls. Stings may cause severe reactions in people and may kill young wildlife.
, Thief Ants - Correct Answer-One of the smallest ants. Yellow to dirty brown in color. Can sting you, eat
greasy and fatty foods, sometimes sweets. (Steal) food and larvae from other ant nests. Nest outdoors
in soil, under rocks and decaying wood, and also nest behind wall-boards. These ants are persistent and
may be quite difficult to control.
Honey Bees - Correct Answer-These bees have a complete life cycle; egg, larvae, pupa and adult. These
are social insects, they collect pollen produce wax and honey and tend to a colony inside a hive. This
insect will die shorty after using its stinger to sting someone or a animal.
Africanized Honey Bees - Correct Answer-This bee (Known as killers) are extremely aggressive, there
attacks can lost very long and can be very fatal. Loud noises, people moving, or even breathing can
trigger these insects. They are also attracted to hair, dark colors, freshly mowed grass, citrus-scented
perfume.
Bumble Bees - Correct Answer-These bees are social insects. They have a complete life cycle; egg,
larvae, pupa and adult. Generally nest underground. They do not make holes in tunnels in wood. May be
found nesting in a abandoned rodent burrows, under piles of grass clippings, under stones, logs, etc.
Some are more likely to sting then others. Controlled by locating and treating nests with aerosols, dusts,
or liquids.
Carpenter Bees - Correct Answer-These bees have a complete life cycle. Females are large, black with no
yellow on abdomen and sting. Males are yellow-brown and do not sting. Females burrow 1/2 inch holes
into wood to build their nests. This causes structural damage, but rarely attack painted wood or that's
varnished; they prefer bare, exposed wood. Control these pests by using dusts and plugging there holes.
May need to apply a repellent insecticide over the remaining areas to discourage further attacks.
Sweat Bees - Correct Answer-This bee got their name because they are attracted to the salts in human
sweat. Black brown, red, metallic green and sometimes with yellow markings. Their stings are almost
painless. However, some people may have various reactions. They also live under ground.
Yellow Jackets - Correct Answer-This wasp is a Social insects, live in large colonies that number in the
thousands. Adults feed mostly on fruit juices and other sweet materials. Larvae are fed animal materials
such as insects or meat. Can be a major pest problem at picnics and outdoor eateries.
Umbrella Wasps - Correct Answer-These wasps are also known as (paper wasps) Their nest is umbrella
shaped, made of paper and often found built under the eaves if homes. These wasps are not very
