HIC Vector Control & Pest Management 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A food establishment has a gap under the exterior door large enough to slide a quarter through. Under pest exclusion standards, what is the maximum allowable gap?
- 1/4 inch (6 mm) (Correct answer)
- 1/2 inch (12 mm)
- 3/8 inch (9 mm)
- 1/8 inch (3 mm)
Correct answer: 1/4 inch (6 mm)
Gaps greater than 1/4 inch can allow rodent entry; door sweeps or thresholds must reduce the gap to no more than 1/4 inch.
Question 2: Which pesticide application method poses the GREATEST risk of food contamination in a licensed food facility?
- Crack-and-crevice gel bait application
- Space spraying or fogging while food is unprotected (Correct answer)
- Snap trap placement along walls
- Bait station installation in a dry storage room
Correct answer: Space spraying or fogging while food is unprotected
Space spraying or fogging disperses pesticide particles that can settle on exposed food surfaces, utensils, and equipment, posing a direct contamination risk.
Question 3: An inspector finds a glue board covered with German cockroach adults near a food prep area. Which conclusion is MOST accurate?
- The infestation is under control because traps are catching pests
- Active monitoring is occurring but the infestation requires immediate corrective action (Correct answer)
- German cockroaches prefer glue boards over food, so food is safe
- The glue boards are the sole required control measure under IPM
Correct answer: Active monitoring is occurring but the infestation requires immediate corrective action
Glue boards confirm active infestation monitoring but a high catch rate of German cockroaches near food prep indicates a significant ongoing infestation requiring corrective action.
Question 4: Which of the following is a disease transmitted by the deer tick (Ixodes scapularis)?
- Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
- Lyme disease (Correct answer)
- Murine typhus
- Plague
Correct answer: Lyme disease
Ixodes scapularis (the black-legged or deer tick) is the primary vector for Lyme disease caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi.
Question 5: A health inspector observes a pest control technician applying rodenticide bait blocks in open trays along the interior walls of a grocery store. What is the MAIN regulatory concern?
- Bait blocks are ineffective against Norway rats
- Open bait placement indoors is prohibited; tamper-resistant bait stations are required (Correct answer)
- The technician should be using snap traps instead
- Rodenticides cannot be used inside occupied buildings
Correct answer: Open bait placement indoors is prohibited; tamper-resistant bait stations are required
Federal and most state regulations require that rodenticide bait used indoors be placed in tamper-resistant bait stations to protect children, non-target animals, and food.
Question 6: What term describes the ability of a pest population to survive previously effective concentrations of a pesticide?
- Tolerance
- Resistance (Correct answer)
- Immunity
- Adaptation
Correct answer: Resistance
Pesticide resistance is the heritable, evolved ability of a pest population to survive exposure to a pesticide that previously caused mortality at that concentration.
Question 7: During a routine inspection, an inspector notices the facility's pest control log book has not been updated in four months. What does this PRIMARILY indicate?
- The facility has been pest-free for four months
- Required documentation and monitoring may not be occurring (Correct answer)
- The pest control contractor is billing fraudulently
- The facility switched to an IPM program and no longer needs logs
Correct answer: Required documentation and monitoring may not be occurring
An outdated pest control log suggests that routine monitoring visits and documentation — both required elements of an effective pest management program — may not be taking place.
HIC Vector Control & Pest Management 3
A food establishment has a gap under the exterior door large enough to slide a quarter through.
Under pest exclusion standards, what is the maximum allowable gap?