CA BRANCH 3 Structural Pest Control
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS(UPDATED
2026) ( A+ GRADED 100% VERIFIED)||
LATEST UPDATE!!
How can you tell the difference between wood suffering from brown rot and wood
suffering from white rot? -CORRECTANSWER Wood infested with brown rot typically:
• appears dark brown,
• shows excessive shrinkage,
• develops cross-grain cracking, and
• can be crushed easily to form a brownish powder.
Wood infested with white rot on the other hand, often:
,• appears whiter than normal,
• shows normal shrinkage,
• does not crack across the grain,
• is spongy to the touch.
What is the difference between the stains caused by stain (sapstain) fungi vs. mold
fungi? -CORRECTANSWER Sapstain fungi live on the starch in wood cells. These fungi
may discolor the sapwood entirely or in patches. This stain is deep within the wood and
cannot be removed by brushing or planing.
On the other hand, discoloration caused by mold fungi is superficial. This means that
you can usually remove the discoloration by brushing or planing. However, on
hardwoods with open pores (very large and visible vessels) such as the oaks, the
surface molds may cause stains that are too deep to remove easily.
,How can you distinguish between winged termites and winged ants? -
CORRECTANSWER Look at their antennae, waists, and wings. Winged termites have
straight antennae, thick waists, and wings that are equal in size and shape. Winged
ants have bent antennae, narrow waists, and forewings that are larger than the hind
wings.
Name the four basic castes of termites. Describe the basic function(s) of each caste. -
CORRECTANSWER Workers - gather food, maintain the galleries, tend the young, and
groom the other termites.
Soldiers - guard the colony against predators.
Primary reproductives - "swarmers" that fly out of their colonies to start new colonies of
their own. They are the future kinds and queens of new colonies.
Secondary reproductives - supplement egg production in the presence of the king and
queen and can take over the egg laying if the queen dies or begins to fail.
Do subterranean termites live entirely within wood? Why or why not? -
CORRECTANSWER No, because they require a constant source of moisture to
survive. However, they can live in wood with less than 20% moisture by getting their
moisture from the ground. They transport this moisture through flattened, earthen
shelter tubes that serve as passageways from the soil to the infested wood.
, How do subterranean termites most often infest wood in buildings? -
CORRECTANSWER They gain entry through untreated wood that touches or is close
to the ground, particularly at porches, steps, and terraces. They can also infest buildings
through cracks or voids in foundations or concrete floors that make it easy for termites
to reach wood that is not close to the soil.
Describe the frass pellets of drywood termites. -CORRECTANSWER They are small
and cylindrical with six depressions on the sides. These pellets are unique to drywood
termites and are used for identification.
Where do drywood termites most often occur? -CORRECTANSWER In southern
Florida, southern California, and along the southern gulf coast of the United States.
Do drywood termites live entirely within wood? Why or why not? -CORRECTANSWER
Yes, because they require little moisture (wood MCs as low as 5%). Unlike
subterranean termites, drywood termites have no connection with the soil.
List several ways you can protect wood from termites. -CORRECTANSWER To protect
wood from subterranean termites, you can:
• apply insecticides to the soil around buildings, and
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS(UPDATED
2026) ( A+ GRADED 100% VERIFIED)||
LATEST UPDATE!!
How can you tell the difference between wood suffering from brown rot and wood
suffering from white rot? -CORRECTANSWER Wood infested with brown rot typically:
• appears dark brown,
• shows excessive shrinkage,
• develops cross-grain cracking, and
• can be crushed easily to form a brownish powder.
Wood infested with white rot on the other hand, often:
,• appears whiter than normal,
• shows normal shrinkage,
• does not crack across the grain,
• is spongy to the touch.
What is the difference between the stains caused by stain (sapstain) fungi vs. mold
fungi? -CORRECTANSWER Sapstain fungi live on the starch in wood cells. These fungi
may discolor the sapwood entirely or in patches. This stain is deep within the wood and
cannot be removed by brushing or planing.
On the other hand, discoloration caused by mold fungi is superficial. This means that
you can usually remove the discoloration by brushing or planing. However, on
hardwoods with open pores (very large and visible vessels) such as the oaks, the
surface molds may cause stains that are too deep to remove easily.
,How can you distinguish between winged termites and winged ants? -
CORRECTANSWER Look at their antennae, waists, and wings. Winged termites have
straight antennae, thick waists, and wings that are equal in size and shape. Winged
ants have bent antennae, narrow waists, and forewings that are larger than the hind
wings.
Name the four basic castes of termites. Describe the basic function(s) of each caste. -
CORRECTANSWER Workers - gather food, maintain the galleries, tend the young, and
groom the other termites.
Soldiers - guard the colony against predators.
Primary reproductives - "swarmers" that fly out of their colonies to start new colonies of
their own. They are the future kinds and queens of new colonies.
Secondary reproductives - supplement egg production in the presence of the king and
queen and can take over the egg laying if the queen dies or begins to fail.
Do subterranean termites live entirely within wood? Why or why not? -
CORRECTANSWER No, because they require a constant source of moisture to
survive. However, they can live in wood with less than 20% moisture by getting their
moisture from the ground. They transport this moisture through flattened, earthen
shelter tubes that serve as passageways from the soil to the infested wood.
, How do subterranean termites most often infest wood in buildings? -
CORRECTANSWER They gain entry through untreated wood that touches or is close
to the ground, particularly at porches, steps, and terraces. They can also infest buildings
through cracks or voids in foundations or concrete floors that make it easy for termites
to reach wood that is not close to the soil.
Describe the frass pellets of drywood termites. -CORRECTANSWER They are small
and cylindrical with six depressions on the sides. These pellets are unique to drywood
termites and are used for identification.
Where do drywood termites most often occur? -CORRECTANSWER In southern
Florida, southern California, and along the southern gulf coast of the United States.
Do drywood termites live entirely within wood? Why or why not? -CORRECTANSWER
Yes, because they require little moisture (wood MCs as low as 5%). Unlike
subterranean termites, drywood termites have no connection with the soil.
List several ways you can protect wood from termites. -CORRECTANSWER To protect
wood from subterranean termites, you can:
• apply insecticides to the soil around buildings, and
