Hi:

I've got a couple of questions here but need to describe the situation
a bit.

I've got some pretty severe termite and dry rot problems around a tub
area. The interior of the bathroom has been completely removed and
I'm looking at the studs on the exterior wall that forms the tub
area. In a couple of areas the sole plate is completely gone and the
studs are just hanging from the top plate.

The exterior wall is stucco and, based on what I've read on the
Internet, I should also be looking at sheathing that's been nailed to
the exterior studs to provide a base for the building paper, spacers
and wire mesh to which the stucco is applied. But I'm not.

What I'm seeing is the building paper and wire mesh and, in some
places where the building paper is gone, the "backside" of the
stucco. No sheathing. I assume this is some sort of alternate method
of applying stucco to an exterior wall. Is that the case?

I can slightly rock the studs that have no sole plate from side to
side but no more. I assume they're being held in place by the nails/
staples/whatever that were used to attach the building paper and wire
mesh to the studs.

What's the best way to remove these studs from the exterior wall
without damaging the stucco? If the studs were nailed to sheathing
I'd be tempted to simply pry them loose but that seems risky given the
situation.

TIA.

Tom Young