Pest Biology and Target Selection
Pest Biology and Target Selection
This domain tests whether you can identify the target pest and decide whether fumigation is appropriate. Fumigation is a whole-structure treatment that can kill all life stages present if concentration, temperature, and exposure time are adequate, but it is not a substitute for soil treatment or long-term prevention.
Key targets
- Drywood termites (family Kalotermitidae) live entirely in wood, need no soil contact, and push out pellet-like frass. Whole-structure fumigation is a standard control for active infestations.
- Subterranean termites (family Rhinotermitidae) need soil moisture and build mud tubes. Fumigation may kill termites inside the structure but does not treat the soil colony; soil termiticide or baiting is the appropriate target treatment.
- Wood-boring beetles include old house borers and powderpost beetles. Their frass may be powder or pellets, and identification affects treatment choice.
- Bed bugs and stored-product pests can be fumigated in properly sealed structures or commodities, but the label must cover the site and pest.
Target selection
Match the fumigant to the pest, commodity, structure, temperature, and label. Penetration matters: tightly packed commodities and finished wood require adequate concentration and time. Identify the pest before quoting; fumigating for the wrong organism wastes money and leaves the infestation active.
Worked example
A homeowner finds small pellets beneath a window frame and small kick-out holes. That evidence points to drywood termites, not subterranean termites. A whole-structure fumigation is appropriate if the label covers the structure and the infestation is active. If the inspector instead finds mud tubes extending from soil to framing, the target is subterranean termites, and fumigation alone is not a soil treatment; recommend a soil or bait program.
Traps
- Confusing drywood termite pellets with powderpost beetle powder.
- Treating subterranean termites with fumigation only.
- Assuming fumigation provides residual protection.
- Skipping pest identification before dosage selection.
Key points
- Drywood termites live in wood without soil contact.
- Subterranean termites require soil or bait treatment.
- Frass type helps distinguish termites from beetles.
- Fumigation is non-residual and kills only what is present.
- Label site and pest must match the target.