Wood Destroying Organism (WDO) Home Inspection Practice Exam

When examining a shelter tube or piece of wood, what type of termites are typically seen first?

1. Queens

2. Alates

3. Workers

4. Soldiers

The correct answer is: Workers

When examining a shelter tube or a piece of wood, it is primarily the worker termites that are typically seen first. Workers are responsible for the majority of the foraging, feeding, and establishing the colony’s structure, which includes building shelter tubes for protection and connecting their nesting sites to food sources. Their presence is crucial for the survival and development of the colony, and they are often the first termites to interact with their environment. Queens, although vital for reproduction, remain within the colony and are not commonly encountered during wood inspections. Alates, or winged reproductive termites, are seen primarily during periods of swarm and are not typically found in shelter tubes or infested wood. Soldiers, while important for defense, are less numerous than workers and are usually present to protect the colony rather than to engage in foraging or feeding activities. Thus, the worker termites are generally the first to be observed in these scenarios, making them the most likely group encountered.