Termite Control

Subterranean termite soldiers are easily recognized by their enlarged, darkened heads and oversized mandibles. What is the primary function of the soldier caste?

• Laying eggs to grow the colony
• Foraging for and digesting wood
• Defending the colony against enemies such as ants
• Flying out to establish new colonies

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Within a subterranean termite colony's reproductive caste, which colony member is responsible for laying the eggs?

• The queen
• The workers
• The soldiers
• The winged alates that have not yet shed their wings

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An applicator opens a wall void and finds a large, spongy nest made of chewed wood, soil, saliva, and feces (a carton nest) containing a high proportion of soldiers. Which species is this most consistent with, versus the most widely distributed native subterranean termite?

• Formosan subterranean termite, an aggressive species that builds carton nests; the most widely distributed native species is the eastern subterranean termite (Reticulitermes flavipes)
• Drywood termite, which builds carton nests in soil; the most widely distributed native species is the dampwood termite
• Eastern subterranean termite, which is the carton-nest builder; the most widely distributed native species is the Formosan termite
• Carpenter ant, which builds carton nests; the most widely distributed native termite is the drywood termite

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Before drilling and rodding soil along a foundation for a liquid termiticide application, the EPA-approved label directs the applicator to first locate and identify HVAC ducts, plumbing, sewer, and electrical conduits, and to avoid wells and cisterns. What is the primary reason these label directions must be followed?

• They are non-binding best-practice suggestions an applicator may skip if the customer signs a waiver
• The label is legally enforceable, so following these directions is required by federal law to prevent contamination, injury, and property damage
• They apply only to new construction pre-treatments, not to existing structures
• They are intended solely to speed up the job, with no bearing on safety or legality

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Subterranean termite baits such as Sentricon (noviflumuron) and hexaflumuron products use a chitin synthesis inhibitor (CSI) as the active ingredient. By what mechanism does this active ingredient actually kill a worker termite that has fed on the bait?

• It paralyzes the termite's nervous system within minutes of ingestion, like a fast-acting contact insecticide
• It acts as a stomach poison that ruptures the gut lining immediately after the bait is eaten
• It disrupts the molting process, so the worker dies when it next attempts to molt (typically weeks later)
• It sterilizes the queen directly so that no new workers are produced
• It repels the termites from the treated wood so they starve away from the structure

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Why is a small untreated gap in the treated zone more likely to cause failure with a repellent termiticide than with a non-repellent one?

• Termites detect and are repelled by the treated soil, so they probe until they locate the untreated gap and pass through unharmed
• Repellent termiticides break down faster, so the gap is the only place left with active residue
• Repellents kill on contact at the gap edge, so the gap is irrelevant to performance
• The gap forces termites to ingest more repellent than they otherwise would

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A conventional soil/liquid termiticide application around a structure is designed to achieve what primary outcome?

• A pheromone that lures foraging termites away from the structure
• A continuous treated zone in the soil that subterranean termites cannot cross without contacting treated soil
• A fumigant gas that penetrates the wall voids of the entire structure
• A growth-regulating bait matrix distributed at stations around the lot

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How does a non-repellent termiticide such as fipronil or imidacloprid control subterranean termites differently from an older repellent pyrethroid?

• Termites detect and avoid the non-repellent zone, so they are walled out before contacting it
• The non-repellent vaporizes into wood voids, while the pyrethroid stays in the soil
• Termites cannot detect the non-repellent treated soil, so they tunnel into it and pick up a lethal dose
• The non-repellent only works in pre-construction applications, never post-construction

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