Wood Destroying Organism (WDO) Home Inspection Practice Exam

What principle do baits work on in termite treatment?

1. Chemical injections

2. Adhesive products

3. Feeding on treated cellulose material

4. Foams

The correct answer is: Feeding on treated cellulose material

Baiting systems for termite treatment operate on the principle of delivering a substance that the termites will consume. When termites feed on the treated cellulose materials, which are usually incorporated into the bait stations, they ingest a slow-acting insecticide. This allows the termites to return to their colony, where they can share the toxin through social interactions such as grooming and feeding on each other. This method effectively targets the entire colony over time, eventually leading to its decline. The other options involve different pest control strategies that do not utilize the feeding behavior of termites in the same way. While chemical injections are a method of directly applying insecticides into the soil or wood, they do not rely on the termites consuming treated materials. Adhesive products typically involve trapping pests rather than a method of control that focuses on feeding. Foams are often used for localized treatment and do not involve baiting or colony management like the feeding on treated cellulose does. Thus, the effectiveness of baiting systems lies in how termites naturally feed and interact within their colonies.