CA BRANCH 3 WOOD DESTROYING
ORGANISMS QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
How dcan dyou dtell dthe ddifference dbetween dwood dsuffering dfrom dbrown drot dand
dwood dsuffering dfrom dwhite drot? d- d✔✔Wood dinfested dwith dbrown drot dtypically:
• dappears ddark dbrown, d
• dshows dexcessive dshrinkage,
• ddevelops dcross-grain dcracking, dand
• dcan dbe dcrushed deasily dto dform da dbrownish dpowder.
Wood dinfested dwith dwhite drot don dthe dother dhand, doften:
• dappears dwhiter dthan dnormal,
• dshows dnormal dshrinkage,
• ddoes dnot dcrack dacross dthe dgrain,
• dis dstringy d/ dspongy dto dthe dtouch.
What dis dthe ddifference dbetween dthe dstains dcaused dby dstain d(sapstain) dfungi dvs.
dmold dfungi? d- d✔✔Sapstain dfungi dlive don dthe dstarch din dwood dcells. dThese dfungi
dmay ddiscolor dthe dsapwood dentirely dor din dpatches. dThis dstain dis ddeep dwithin dthe
dwood dand dcannot dbe dremoved dby dbrushing dor dplaning.
,On dthe dother dhand, ddiscoloration dcaused dby dmold dfungi dis dsuperficial. dThis dmeans
dthat dyou dcan dusually dremove dthe ddiscoloration dby dbrushing dor dplaning. dHowever,
don dhardwoods dwith dopen dpores d(very dlarge dand dvisible dvessels) dsuch das dthe
doaks, dthe dsurface dmolds dmay dcause dstains dthat dare dtoo ddeep dto dremove deasily.
How dcan dyou ddistinguish dbetween dwinged dtermites dand dwinged dants? d- d✔✔Look
dat dtheir dantennae, dwaists, dand dwings. dWinged dtermites dhave dstraight dantennae,
dthick dwaists, dand dwings dthat dare dequal din dsize dand dshape. dWinged dants dhave
dbent dantennae, dnarrow dwaists, dand dforewings dthat dare dlarger dthan dthe dhind
dwings.
Name dthe dfour dbasic dcastes dof dtermites. dDescribe dthe dbasic dfunction(s) dof deach
dcaste. d- d✔✔Workers d- dgather dfood, dmaintain dthe dgalleries, dtend dthe dyoung, dand
dgroom dthe dother dtermites.
Soldiers d- dguard dthe dcolony dagainst dpredators.
Primary dreproductives d- d"swarmers" dthat dfly dout dof dtheir dcolonies dto dstart dnew
dcolonies dof dtheir down. dThey dare dthe dfuture dkinds dand dqueens dof dnew dcolonies.
Secondary dreproductives d- dsupplement degg dproduction din dthe dpresence dof dthe
dking dand dqueen dand dcan dtake dover dthe degg dlaying dif dthe dqueen ddies dor dbegins
dto dfail.
Do dsubterranean dtermites dlive dentirely dwithin dwood? dWhy dor dwhy dnot? d- d✔✔No,
dbecause dthey drequire da dconstant dsource dof dmoisture dto dsurvive. dHowever, dthey
dcan dlive din dwood dwith dless dthan d20% dmoisture dby dgetting dtheir dmoisture dfrom
dthe dground. dThey dtransport dthis dmoisture dthrough dflattened, dearthen dshelter dtubes
dthat dserve das dpassageways dfrom dthe dsoil dto dthe dinfested dwood.
How ddo dsubterranean dtermites dmost doften dinfest dwood din dbuildings? d- d✔✔They
dgain dentry dthrough duntreated dwood dthat dtouches dor dis dclose dto dthe dground,
dparticularly dat dporches, dsteps, dand dterraces. dThey dcan dalso dinfest dbuildings
dthrough dcracks dor dvoids din dfoundations dor dconcrete dfloors dthat dmake dit deasy dfor
dtermites dto dreach dwood dthat dis dnot dclose dto dthe dsoil.
Describe dthe dfrass dpellets dof ddrywood dtermites. d- d✔✔They dare dsmall dand
dcylindrical dwith dsix ddepressions don dthe dsides. dThese dpellets dare dunique dto
ddrywood dtermites dand dare dused dfor didentification.
Where ddo ddrywood dtermites dmost doften doccur? d- d✔✔In dsouthern dFlorida, dsouthern
dCalifornia, dand dalong dthe dsouthern dgulf dcoast dof dthe dUnited dStates.
, Do ddrywood dtermites dlive dentirely dwithin dwood? dWhy dor dwhy dnot? d- d✔✔Yes,
dbecause dthey drequire dlittle dmoisture d(wood dMCs das dlow das d5%). dUnlike
dsubterranean dtermites, ddrywood dtermites dhave dno dconnection dwith dthe dsoil.
List dseveral dways dyou dcan dprotect dwood dfrom dtermites. d- d✔✔To dprotect dwood
dfrom dsubterranean dtermites, dyou dcan:
• dapply dinsecticides dto dthe dsoil daround dbuildings, dand
• davoid dusing dwood dmulches dnext dto dbuildings.
To dprotect dwood dfrom dsubterranean dand ddrywood dtermites, dyou dcan:
• duse dphysical dbarriers don dfoundations, dand
• duse dproperly dpreserved dwood, dwhich dmakes dit dundesirable das da dfood dsource.
Describe dthe dfrass dof dpowderpost dbeetles. d- d✔✔Powderpost dbeetle dfrass dappears
das da dfine dwood ddust dor dpowder. dSlight djarring dof dinfested dwood dcan dcause dthe
dfrass dto dsift dfrom dholes. dThis dis da dsure dsign dof da dpowderpost dbeetle dinfestation.
dIn daddition, dthe dfrass dof danobiid dbeetles dhas da ddistinctive dhotdog dbun dshape.
For dmost dwood-boring dbeetles, dwhat dlife dstage dcauses dthe dmost ddamage dto dwood
dby dboring dinside dthe dwood? d- d✔✔The dlarvae d(grub). dThe dexception dis dthe
dambrosia dbeetle din dwhich dthe dadult dbores dwithin dthe dwood.
How ddo dambrosia dbeetles ddamage dwood? d- d✔✔They ddegrade dwood dby dstaining
dit, dby dcreating dnumerous dentrance dholes d(pinholes), dand dby dboring dinside dthe
dwood.
What dtype dof dwood ddoes deach dgroup dof dwood dboring dbeetles ddiscussed din dthis
dmanual dprefer? d- d✔✔Ambrosia dbeetles d- dgreen dlogs dor dgreen dlumber; dsoftwoods
dand dhardwoods.
Powderpost dbeetles d- dseasoned dlumber dand dtimbers, dparticularly djoists, dsub
dflooring, dhardwood dflooring, dsill dplates, dand dinterior dtrim; dsoftwoods dand
dhardwoods.
Old dhouse dborers d- dseasoned dwood; dsoftwoods dsuch das dpine, dspruce, dand dfir.