NYS PCO NYS PCO Pest Identification 2

Question 1

A PCO identifies small, reddish-brown insects with a flattened oval body and a musty odor in a mattress seam. The pest is most likely:

Accepted Answer

Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius)

Answer

Bed bugs are reddish-brown, flat, oval insects that hide in mattress seams and produce a characteristic musty, sweet odor.

Question 2

Which of the following is the primary structural difference between house mice droppings and rat droppings?

Accepted Answer

Mouse droppings are small (~3-6mm) with pointed ends; rat droppings are larger (>10mm)

Answer

Mouse droppings are small (3–6 mm) with pointed ends, while Norway rat droppings are larger (up to 20 mm) and blunt-ended, which helps distinguish them in the field.

Question 3

The American dog tick is a vector for which disease in New York State?

Accepted Answer

Rocky Mountain spotted fever

Answer

The American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) is the primary vector of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in the eastern US.

Question 4

Which ant species is known for nesting in wall voids and electrical outlets, requiring special treatment strategies in NY?

Accepted Answer

Odorous house ant (Tapinoma sessile)

Answer

Odorous house ants readily colonize wall voids and electrical outlets, making targeted baiting preferable to spraying which can scatter the colony.

Question 5

Carpenter bees differ from bumblebees primarily by having:

Accepted Answer

A shiny, hairless abdomen

Answer

Carpenter bees have a smooth, shiny black abdomen while bumblebees have a fuzzy, yellow-and-black banded abdomen.

NYS PCO Test Practice Test

NYS PCO Test Practice Test

NYS PCO NYS PCO Pest Identification 2