Florida WDO (Termite) Exam flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Termite vs. ant antennae

Termites have straight, bead-like antennae; ants have elbowed antennae. This is a primary field identification character separating swarmers and workers of the two groups.

Termite waist

Termites have a broad waist where the thorax joins the abdomen. Ants have a narrow, pinched waist. This character is used to identify swarmers found indoors.

Formosan termite soldier

Coptotermes formosanus soldiers have an oval head with a large fontanelle and secrete a white defensive fluid. The species forms very large colonies and is a major Florida structural pest.

Drywood termite frass

Drywood termites push out hard, dry, six-sided fecal pellets through kick-out holes. Finding pellets below wood indicates an active drywood infestation with no soil contact required.

Conehead termite

Nasutitermes corniger is an invasive Florida termite with soldiers bearing a cone-shaped frontal tube. It builds carton nests and is subject to regulatory control in the state.

Subterranean termite mud tube

Subterranean termites build mud tubes from soil to wood to maintain moisture and shelter. Tubes on foundations, piers, or crawlspace walls are evidence of an active or recent infestation.

Termite castes

A termite colony contains reproductives, soldiers, and workers. Workers forage, feed the colony, and cause wood damage; soldiers defend; reproductives produce new colony members.

Termite gallery pattern

Subterranean galleries follow softer spring wood and leave harder summer wood, and no frass is present. Drywood galleries cross wood grain and contain pellets.

WDO report form

Florida requires wood-destroying organism inspection reports on the department-prescribed form. The form records the structure, inspector, areas inspected and inaccessible, findings, and a diagram.

Inaccessible areas

Areas the inspector cannot reach, such as sealed crawlspaces or covered attics, must be listed as inaccessible on the report. The report does not certify those areas free of infestation.

Report findings

The report states whether live infestation, evidence of previous treatment, or damage was found. The inspector reports visible evidence only and does not guarantee absence of concealed infestation.

Inspection diagram

The WDO report must include a diagram of the structure marking where evidence was found and which areas were inspected or inaccessible. It locates each finding for the customer.

Report is not a warranty

An inspection report is not a warranty. Any guarantee is a separate written contract that must state its terms, duration, and coverage under Florida rule.

Who may inspect

A wood-destroying organism inspection must be performed by a certified operator or a registered employee under supervision. The inspector's name and certification number appear on the report.

Re-inspection

A re-inspection for a real estate transaction must be a new inspection on the current department form. A prior report cannot substitute for a new inspection.

Evidence to record

Reportable evidence includes live termites, mud tubes, frass pellets, kick-out holes, damaged wood, swarmers or shed wings, and wood-destroying beetles or fungi. Each finding is located on the diagram.

Record retention

Licensees must keep inspection and treatment records as required by department rule. The department may request records during an inspection or investigation, and failure to keep them is a violation.

Trench and rod treatment

Perimeter soil treatment uses a trench and rodding to place termiticide along the foundation. Depth, spacing, and application rate must follow the termiticide label directions.

Pre-construction treatment

Pre-construction soil treatment is applied before the slab is poured, including under the slab and along the foundation. Post-construction treatment is applied after the structure is built.

Termiticide label is law

Termiticide concentration, gallons per linear foot or per 10 square feet, depth, rod spacing, and re-treatment intervals must follow the label. Off-label application is a violation.

Inspect before treating

A complete inspection precedes treatment to locate infestations and conducive conditions. Treating without an inspection is not a compliant job and can miss the actual infestation.

Termite baiting

Bait stations contain cellulose bait with a slow-acting toxicant. Workers carry it back to the colony. Stations are monitored and serviced on a schedule set by the label and contract.

Drywood fumigation

Whole-structure fumigation under tent is used for extensive drywood termite infestations. The structure is sealed, concentration monitored, and cleared only after aeration verifies safe levels.

Conducive conditions

Wood-to-soil contact, poor grading, leaks, mulch against siding, and untreated crawlspace wood favor termites. Correcting these conditions is part of an integrated termite control program.

Borate wood treatment

Borate preservatives applied to bare wood protect against termites and decay. Localized injection or foam can treat drywood galleries, but fumigation is used for whole-structure infestations.

Treatment warranty terms

A treatment warranty or renewal contract must state covered organisms, the treatment performed, renewal fees, and re-treatment conditions. The customer must receive a copy.

Chapter 482 authority

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

Certified operator

A certified operator passes the department examination in the business category and is licensed for the pest control business. Each business location must have a certified operator in charge.

Registered employee

A registered employee performs pest control under the direction and supervision of a certified operator. The department issues an identification card that must be carried while working.

Written contract

A pest control contract must be in writing and state the services, terms, amount to be paid, and any guarantee. The customer must receive a copy.

Unlicensed activity

Performing pest control without a license violates Chapter 482 and subjects the person to department enforcement. The licensed business may also be disciplined for allowing it.

License renewal and CE

Certified operators must renew their licenses and complete continuing education as set by department rule. A lapsed license prohibits pest control activity until it is reinstated.