CA BRANCH 3 STRUCTURAL PEST CONTROL EXAM
2026/2027 QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
GRADED A+
How do subterranean termites most often infest wood in buildings?
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.
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?
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?
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.
,To protect wood from subterranean termites, you can:
• apply insecticides to the soil around buildings, and
• avoid using wood mulches next to buildings.
To protect wood from subterranean and drywood termites, you can:
• use physical barriers on foundations, and
• use properly preserved wood, which makes it undesirable as a food source.
Describe the frass of powderpost beetles.
Powderpost beetle frass appears as a fine wood dust or powder. Slight jarring of
infested wood can cause the frass to sift from holes. This is a sure sign of a
powderpost beetle infestation. In addition, the frass of anobiid beetles has a
distinctive hotdog bun shape.
For most wood-boring beetles, what life stage causes the most damage to wood by
boring inside the wood?
,The larvae (grub). The exception is the ambrosia beetle in which the adult bores
within the wood.
How do ambrosia beetles damage wood?
They degrade wood by staining it, by creating numerous entrance holes (pinholes),
and by boring inside the wood.
What type of wood does each group of wood boring beetles discussed in this
manual prefer?
Ambrosia beetles - green logs or green lumber; softwoods and hardwoods.
Powderpost beetles - seasoned lumber and timbers, particularly joists, sub flooring,
hardwood flooring, sill plates, and interior trim; softwoods and hardwoods.
Old house borers - seasoned wood; softwoods such as pine, spruce, and fir.
Flatheaded borers - living trees as well as recently felled and dead standing
softwood trees; rustic structures and some manufactured products.
How do powderpost beetles get their name?
, In the tunnels that they bore, powderpost beetle larvae leave undigested wood
particles called "frass." Frass usually appears as a fine wood dust or powder. When
you cut or break infested wood, the interior reveals galleries filled with frass.
Slight jarring of the wood often causes a fine powder to sift from the holes. These
are all sure signs of a powderpost beetle infestation.
Which type of powderpost beetle prefers hardwoods?
Lyctids.
Describe the differences in the frass produced by the three different groups of
powderpost beetles described in this manual.
Lyctids - very fine and powdery frass; also very abundant.
Anobiids - coarse and powdery frass; also contains distinctive fecal pellets shaped
like hotdog buns.
Bostrichids - grainy or mealy frass tightly packed in galleries.
The adult of which type of powderpost beetle has a humpbacked appearance?
Bostrichids.
2026/2027 QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
GRADED A+
How do subterranean termites most often infest wood in buildings?
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.
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?
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?
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.
,To protect wood from subterranean termites, you can:
• apply insecticides to the soil around buildings, and
• avoid using wood mulches next to buildings.
To protect wood from subterranean and drywood termites, you can:
• use physical barriers on foundations, and
• use properly preserved wood, which makes it undesirable as a food source.
Describe the frass of powderpost beetles.
Powderpost beetle frass appears as a fine wood dust or powder. Slight jarring of
infested wood can cause the frass to sift from holes. This is a sure sign of a
powderpost beetle infestation. In addition, the frass of anobiid beetles has a
distinctive hotdog bun shape.
For most wood-boring beetles, what life stage causes the most damage to wood by
boring inside the wood?
,The larvae (grub). The exception is the ambrosia beetle in which the adult bores
within the wood.
How do ambrosia beetles damage wood?
They degrade wood by staining it, by creating numerous entrance holes (pinholes),
and by boring inside the wood.
What type of wood does each group of wood boring beetles discussed in this
manual prefer?
Ambrosia beetles - green logs or green lumber; softwoods and hardwoods.
Powderpost beetles - seasoned lumber and timbers, particularly joists, sub flooring,
hardwood flooring, sill plates, and interior trim; softwoods and hardwoods.
Old house borers - seasoned wood; softwoods such as pine, spruce, and fir.
Flatheaded borers - living trees as well as recently felled and dead standing
softwood trees; rustic structures and some manufactured products.
How do powderpost beetles get their name?
, In the tunnels that they bore, powderpost beetle larvae leave undigested wood
particles called "frass." Frass usually appears as a fine wood dust or powder. When
you cut or break infested wood, the interior reveals galleries filled with frass.
Slight jarring of the wood often causes a fine powder to sift from the holes. These
are all sure signs of a powderpost beetle infestation.
Which type of powderpost beetle prefers hardwoods?
Lyctids.
Describe the differences in the frass produced by the three different groups of
powderpost beetles described in this manual.
Lyctids - very fine and powdery frass; also very abundant.
Anobiids - coarse and powdery frass; also contains distinctive fecal pellets shaped
like hotdog buns.
Bostrichids - grainy or mealy frass tightly packed in galleries.
The adult of which type of powderpost beetle has a humpbacked appearance?
Bostrichids.
