Termite Control

Under Mississippi's structural rules, how long must a licensee in the Wood Destroying Insect Control (WDIL) category keep treatment records, inspection reports, and contract copies?

• Two years from completion of the work only
• As long as any contract is current and two years after the latest contract expires
• Five years from the date of treatment
• One year after the contract is signed

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An Operator License applicant in Mississippi who is only a high school graduate seeks to qualify in the Wood Destroying Insect Control (WDIL) category by experience. What minimum experience working with a licensed operator must this applicant document?

• At least one year of experience within the past two years
• At least two years of experience within the past three years
• At least four years of experience within the past six years
• At least six years of experience within the past ten years

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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