CA BRANCH 3 Structural Pest Control
How can you tell the difference between wood suffering from brown rot and wood suffering
from white rot? -answer 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? -
answer 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? -answer 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. -answer
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? -answer 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? -answer 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. -answer 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? -answer 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? -answer 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. -answer 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. -answer 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? -answer The larvae (grub). The exception is the ambrosia beetle in
which the adult bores within the wood.
How do ambrosia beetles damage wood? -answer They degrade wood by staining it,
by creating numerous entrance holes (pinholes), and by boring inside the wood.
How can you tell the difference between wood suffering from brown rot and wood suffering
from white rot? -answer 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? -
answer 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? -answer 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. -answer
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? -answer 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? -answer 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. -answer 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? -answer 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? -answer 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. -answer 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. -answer 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? -answer The larvae (grub). The exception is the ambrosia beetle in
which the adult bores within the wood.
How do ambrosia beetles damage wood? -answer They degrade wood by staining it,
by creating numerous entrance holes (pinholes), and by boring inside the wood.
