Exterminetics
Master Glossary™

Licensed individual authorized to apply pesticides under a Branch 2 or Branch 3 operator.

Holder of a Structural Pest Control Operator license — legally responsible for the company's pest work.

Licensed inspector authorized to identify wood-destroying organisms and write WDO reports.

IPM — combines inspection, exclusion, sanitation, and targeted treatment to minimize pesticide use.

Pesticide application engineered to remain active on a surface for extended pest control.

Soil-dwelling termite that builds mud tubes; the most destructive termite in California.

Termite living entirely inside dry wood with no soil contact; treated by fumigation or local treatment.

Wood-Destroying Organism inspection report required for many California real estate transactions.

Pencil-width earthen tunnel built by subterranean termites between soil and wood.

Number of stops per square mile on a technician route — a key efficiency KPI.

Return visit at no charge to address a pest issue between scheduled services.

Periodically swapping bait active ingredients to prevent pest aversion and resistance.

Pesticide labeled specifically for termite control, applied as a soil or wood treatment.

Personal Protective Equipment — respirators, gloves, eyewear, coveralls required by label and OSHA.

Safety Data Sheet — manufacturer document detailing hazards, handling, and first aid for a chemical.

Combination of two or more pesticide products mixed in the spray tank per label directions.

Any sheltered area where pests hide, breed, or rest — cracks, clutter, voids.

Sealing entry points and harborages to physically block pest access — core IPM tactic.

Small tan roach with two dark stripes — the most common indoor pest cockroach.

Agile climbing rat (Rattus rattus) common in California attics, palms, and citrus.

Wingless insect that feeds on starches and paper; thrives in humid voids.

Large ant that excavates wood for nesting — does not eat wood like termites.

Pellet-like droppings pushed out of wood by drywood termites or carpenter ants.

Reproductive winged termites that emerge to start new colonies — a key infestation sign.

Whole-structure tent treatment using a gas fumigant to eliminate drywood termites.

WDO inspection performed during a real estate transaction; often required by lenders.

Daily ordered list of stops assigned to a technician's vehicle.

Logging fuel use per vehicle to control costs and detect inefficiencies.

Assigning service calls to technicians in real time based on location and skill.

Automated periodic charges for ongoing pest service contracts.

Percentage of customers kept over a period — a leading indicator of service quality.

Customer-authorized automatic charge of a stored payment method on each invoice.

Automated notification of a license, insurance, or pesticide-use deadline.

General pest control category licensed by the California Structural Pest Control Board.

Termite and wood-destroying organism category licensed by the SPCB.

Structural Pest Control Board — California's regulatory agency for the industry.

Federal registration number identifying every legal pesticide product.

Class of synthetic insecticides modeled on natural pyrethrins; common in residual sprays.

Insect Growth Regulator — disrupts pest development from larva to adult.

Tamper-resistant device holding rodent or insect bait in a controlled environment.

Termiticide application to soil before a slab is poured during construction.

Localized pesticide application to a specific harborage rather than broadcast.

Accessible under-floor area inspected for moisture, fungus, and termite activity.

WDO report categories: Section 1 = active infestations/damage; Section 2 = conditions likely to lead to them.

Field slang for diluted pesticide mix in the tank.

A single customer visit on a route.

Free resource offered to capture potential customer contact info.

Customer Relationship Management software — the operational backbone of a pest company.

Virtual perimeter that triggers actions when a vehicle enters or exits.