Florida WDO (Termite) Exam cheat sheet

Florida's economically important termites: eastern subterranean (Reticulitermes flavipes), Formosan subterranean (Coptotermes formosanus), drywood (Cryptotermes and Incisitermes spp.), and the invasive conehead termite (Nasutitermes corniger), a Nasutitermitinae species with a cone-shaped frontal tube on soldiers.

Termites are distinguished from ants by bead-like antennae (ants have elbowed antennae), a broad waist joining thorax and abdomen (ants have a pinched waist), and equal-sized wings on both pairs (ants have unequal wings); termite alates have a straight wing suture.

Subterranean termites require soil contact or a moisture bridge for survival; workers are pale, blind, and thin-skinned, and soldiers of Reticulitermes have a mandibulate (toothed) head with a pronotum narrower than the head.

Formosan subterranean termite soldiers have an oval head with a large fontanelle and secrete a white defensive fluid; colonies can contain millions of individuals and are spread locally by swarming and by transport of infested wood.

Drywood termites nest entirely in wood with no soil contact, produce dry, hard, six-sided fecal pellets (frass) pushed out of kick-out holes, and are identified by their pellets and by galleries that cross wood grain; they are common in South Florida.

The termite colony has three castes: reproductives (primary alates, secondary neotenics), soldiers that defend the colony, and workers that forage, feed the colony, and cause the damage; workers are the caste found in damaged wood.

Termite feeding damage is identified by galleries that follow the softer spring wood and leave harder summer wood, mud tubes on foundations and piers, and wood that sounds hollow when tapped; there is no frass in subterranean galleries.

Swarming in Florida typically occurs in spring for eastern subterranean termites and in late spring to early summer (often at dusk, after rain, near lights) for Formosan termites; drywood termites swarm in late summer and fall.

A live swarm or discarded wings found inside a structure is evidence of an active or recent infestation, not merely a nearby colony; alates emerging indoors indicate the colony is within the structure.

Florida requires a wood-destroying organism inspection report to be issued on the form prescribed by the department (the Florida WDO/WDIR report form); the inspector must be a certified operator or a trained, registered employee working under a certified operator.

The inspection must cover accessible areas: the structure's exterior, foundation, crawlspace or attic where accessible, attached structures, and any wood in contact with soil; inaccessible areas must be identified and reported as inaccessible, not assumed free of infestation.

A report finding must state whether live infestation, evidence of previous treatment, or damage was found; the inspector reports visible evidence only and does not guarantee the absence of concealed infestation.

The report must identify the structure, the date of inspection, the inspector's name and certification number, the areas inspected and not inspected, and the type of construction; a diagram of the structure is required on the form.

An inspection report is not a warranty; any warranty or guarantee offered is a separate contract, and Florida rule requires that any such guarantee be in writing and specify its terms, duration, and coverage.

Evidence to report includes live termites, mud tubes, frass pellets, kick-out holes, damaged wood, swarmers or shed wings, and wood-destroying beetles or fungi; each finding should be located on the diagram.

A re-inspection for a real estate transaction must be performed on the current department form; the inspector must not rely on a prior report as a substitute for a new inspection.

Records of inspections and treatments must be retained by the licensee as required by rule; the department may request records during an inspection or investigation, and failure to keep them is a violation.

Liquid soil termiticide application types include trench and rod treatment of the perimeter, vertical rodding, and sub-slab injection; pre-construction treatment is applied before the slab is poured, post-construction treatment after the structure is built.

Termiticide label directions are law: application rate (concentration and gallons per linear foot or per 10 square feet), depth, spacing of rod holes, and re-treatment intervals must follow the label; off-label use is a violation.

A termite treatment must be preceded by a complete inspection to locate infestations and conducive conditions; treatment without an inspection is not a compliant job.

Baiting systems use cellulose bait with a slow-acting toxicant (for example, chitin synthesis inhibitors or metabolic inhibitors) placed in stations monitored and serviced on a schedule; baits are transferred by workers to the colony.

Wood treatment options include pressure-treated lumber, borate-based preservatives applied to bare wood, and localized injection or foam for drywood termite galleries; fumigation (tenting) is used for whole-structure drywood infestations.

Conducive conditions to correct include wood-to-soil contact, faulty grading that holds water against the foundation, leaking plumbing or roof, mulch piled against siding, and untreated wood in crawlspaces.

A treatment warranty or renewal contract must state the covered organisms, the treatment performed, the renewal fee, and the conditions under which re-treatment is provided; the customer must receive a copy.

Fumigation requires the structure to be sealed and the fumigant concentration monitored; the licensed fumigator must post warning signs, clear the structure only after aeration verifies safe levels, and provide a notice of the fumigation.

Integrated pest management for termites combines inspection, moisture and wood-contact correction, exclusion, and the appropriate choice of soil barrier, bait, wood treatment, or fumigation based on species and construction.

Chapter 482, F.S., regulates structural pest control in Florida and is administered by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS); Chapter 5E-14, F.A.C., contains the implementing rules.

A certified operator must pass the department examination in the category of the business (for example, termite and other wood-destroying organisms) and hold the license for the pest control business; each business location must have a certified operator in charge.

A registered employee is an unlicensed person who performs pest control under the direction and supervision of a certified operator; identification cards are issued by the department and must be carried while performing pest control.

A pest control business must be licensed by the department and must maintain insurance and a surety bond as required by Chapter 482; a separate license is required for each business location.

A contract for pest control services must be in writing and must include the services to be performed, the terms, the amount to be paid, and any guarantee; the customer must receive a copy.

The department may discipline a licensee for violating Chapter 482 or department rules, including failure to obtain a permit, misrepresentation, performing pest control outside the licensed category, or failing to maintain records.

A wood-destroying organism inspection for a real estate transaction must be performed by a certified operator or a registered employee under supervision, and the report must be on the department-prescribed form.

Unlicensed activity is prohibited; a person who performs pest control without a license is subject to department enforcement and penalties, and the licensed business may also be disciplined for allowing it.

Continuing education and license renewal are required for certified operators; renewal and CE requirements are set by department rule, and a lapsed license prohibits pest control activity until reinstated.