ACE ACE Urban & Structural Pest Management 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which structural pest is most commonly associated with causing damage to wooden building components in the United States?
- German cockroach
- Eastern subterranean termite (Correct answer)
- American house spider
- Cigarette beetle
Correct answer: Eastern subterranean termite
The Eastern subterranean termite (Reticulitermes flavipes) is the most economically significant wood-destroying pest in the US.
Question 2: Which of the following is the PRIMARY inspection tool used to detect termite activity in wood?
- UV black light
- Moisture meter (Correct answer)
- CO2 detector
- Thermal camera only
Correct answer: Moisture meter
Moisture meters detect elevated moisture in wood, which is a strong indicator of termite activity or conducive conditions.
Question 3: German cockroaches (Blattella germanica) are best described as:
- Outdoor pests that occasionally enter buildings
- Obligate indoor pests rarely surviving outdoors (Correct answer)
- Agricultural pests that damage crops
- Wood-boring pests of structural lumber
Correct answer: Obligate indoor pests rarely surviving outdoors
German cockroaches are primarily indoor pests that are rarely found outdoors, thriving in warm, humid indoor environments.
Question 4: What is 'mud tubing' and which pest produces it?
- Protective tunnels made of soil and saliva, produced by subterranean termites (Correct answer)
- Fungal growth associated with wood rot and carpenter ants
- Silk tubes made by spider mites to protect eggs
- Sawdust tubes produced by wood-boring beetles
Correct answer: Protective tunnels made of soil and saliva, produced by subterranean termites
Subterranean termites construct mud tubes from soil, saliva, and feces to maintain moisture and travel between soil and wood.
Question 5: Which pest management strategy focuses on sealing entry points to prevent pests from entering a structure?
- Baiting
- Exclusion (Correct answer)
- Fumigation
- Chemical barrier treatment
Correct answer: Exclusion
Exclusion involves physical modifications such as caulking gaps and installing door sweeps to prevent pest entry.
Question 6: Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) are most effectively detected in early infestations by:
- Checking for wing fragments in mattress seams
- Inspecting harborage areas for live bugs, shed skins, and fecal spots (Correct answer)
- Using CO2 traps in the center of the room
- Looking for mud tubes along the baseboard
Correct answer: Inspecting harborage areas for live bugs, shed skins, and fecal spots
Early bed bug infestations are best confirmed by visually inspecting seams, tufts, and harborage areas for physical evidence.
ACE ACE Urban & Structural Pest Management 1
Which structural pest is most commonly associated with causing damage to wooden building components in the United States?