NYS PCO NYS PCO Pesticide Application Techniques 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which application method delivers pesticide as fine droplets suspended in air, typically used for flying insect control?
- Crack and crevice treatment
- Space spray or fogging (Correct answer)
- Spot treatment
- Bait placement
Correct answer: Space spray or fogging
Space spraying or fogging disperses pesticide as fine airborne droplets to contact and kill flying insects in the treated area.
Question 2: When applying a pesticide in a crack and crevice treatment, where should the nozzle be directed?
- At the center of the room
- Into cracks, crevices, and voids where pests hide (Correct answer)
- Onto all exposed surfaces
- Toward ceiling corners only
Correct answer: Into cracks, crevices, and voids where pests hide
Crack and crevice treatments target the harborage areas where pests live and breed, maximizing efficacy while minimizing human exposure.
Question 3: What is the primary purpose of a pre-application site inspection before treating a structure?
- To determine the customer's budget
- To identify pest species, harborage areas, and conducive conditions (Correct answer)
- To select the most expensive product
- To satisfy advertising requirements
Correct answer: To identify pest species, harborage areas, and conducive conditions
A thorough pre-application inspection identifies the pest, its harborage, and conditions that support it, enabling an effective and targeted treatment plan.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes a 'spot treatment' application?
- Treating the entire floor surface of a room
- Applying pesticide only to specific small areas where pests are present or likely to occur (Correct answer)
- Broadcasting pesticide across all interior surfaces
- Fogging the entire building
Correct answer: Applying pesticide only to specific small areas where pests are present or likely to occur
A spot treatment limits pesticide application to small, targeted areas, reducing overall pesticide use and non-target exposure.
Question 5: What factor most directly affects the droplet size produced by a spray nozzle?
- Color of the pesticide formulation
- Nozzle type, orifice size, and spray pressure (Correct answer)
- Label storage temperature requirements
- Time of day the application is made
Correct answer: Nozzle type, orifice size, and spray pressure
Nozzle design, orifice size, and operating pressure together determine droplet spectrum, which affects coverage, drift, and efficacy.
Question 6: When using a compressed air sprayer indoors, what is the maximum label-permitted application pressure for most indoor crack and crevice products?
- 150 psi
- 75 psi
- 25 psi or as specified on the label (Correct answer)
- 300 psi
Correct answer: 25 psi or as specified on the label
Labels for most indoor pesticides specify low pressures (often 25 psi or less) to minimize misting and aerosol drift that could expose occupants.
Question 7: Which application technique is most appropriate for treating ant trails along a baseboard?
- Broadcast spray of the entire room
- Directed residual spot or band treatment along the trail pathway (Correct answer)
- Space fog treatment
- Soil injection
Correct answer: Directed residual spot or band treatment along the trail pathway
A directed residual treatment along ant trails places the pesticide exactly where ants will contact it, providing efficient control with minimal off-target exposure.
NYS PCO NYS PCO Pesticide Application Techniques 1
Which application method delivers pesticide as fine droplets suspended in air, typically used for flying insect control?