QAC CATEGORY B LANDSCAPE
MAINTENANCE CERTIFICATION
SCRIPT 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ Why is identifying pests correctly important?.
Answer: Allows you to better determine how best to control the pest
populationAllows you to pick the correct pesticide to treat the pest
◍ Why is it important to identify the plant(s) affected by the pest?.
Answer: Help you identify the pests infesting the plant based on common
issues for the plantHelps you distinguish between symptoms of infestation
and general plant appearance Helps you determine the best course if action
for treating said plant- including which pesticides you can use on it
◍ Main groups of common pests and their identifying features.
Answer: Weeds- any unwanted plant in a given location Invertebrates-
physical presence, chewing damage to leaves, exit holes from trunks of
trees, frassVertebrates- mounds near tunnels, girdling of trees, droppings,
nestsPathogens- discolored leaves, splotching and mosaic patterns on leaves,
root issues, wilting, physical signs of fungi
◍ Different types of characteristic plant damage caused or nuisance created by
insects and other arthropods.
Answer: Insects/arthropods have distinctive patterns of feeding. Can be
anything from "tunnels" of eaten tissue under the leaf cuticle (in things like
leaf miners), missing leaf material (in the case of biting and chewing insects
like caterpillars), presence of sooty mold (from honeydew left behind by
piercing and sucking insects)Insects/arthropods like cockroaches, crickets,
spiders, silverfish/firebrats, termites, etc. can infest homes and cause all
, sorts of damage to paper goods, food stores, and lumber (among other
goods) and cause general nuisances to residents
◍ Why is knowing pest life cycles important to effective pest identification
and management?.
Answer: It can help you identify the most effective times to treat for them,
recognize them in different stages, and overall improve your treatment plans
◍ What are the differences between broadleaf weeds, grassy weeds, and
sedges?.
Answer: Broadleaf: weeds that are dicots Grassy: weeds that are
monocotsSedges: weeds that resemble grasses but have triangular stems
◍ What are the different types of plant damages cased by abiotic factors and
pathogens?.
Answer: Abiotics: poor growth, chlorosis, necrosis ,deformed plant parts
Pathogens: chlorosis, necrosis, poor growth, deformed plant parts, wilt,
shoot blight, cankers, galls, leaf spots, soft rots, scabs, discoloration or
mosaic pattern on leavesNOTE: Big difference between abiotic and
pathogen damage is that pathogens often have physical signs- like mycelium
for fungus, or presence of bacterium or viruses on tests- that help
differentiate between the two. Lab testing helps out a lot with identifying
biotic factors and determining if you have a biotic issue or an abiotic issue
when no physical signs are present
◍ Ants belong to what insect order?.
Answer: Hymenoptera
◍ Which insect order includes species known to transmit some plant diseases?.
Answer: Thysanoptera (thrips)
◍ Which feature characterizes vertebrates?.
Answer: A backbone
◍ What animals are Arthropods?.
Answer: An invertebrate animal (such as a spider or mite)
, ◍ Which pests cause leaf stippling?.
Answer: Mites
◍ Common vertebrate pests of landscapes and turfgrass and the damage they
cause.
Answer: Birds and MammalsMammals include things like rats, mice,
ground squirrels, gophers, molesthey cause many types of damage: - birds:
nests, droppings, eat fruits and veggies, damage plant material- mammals:
carry disease causing fleas, mites, lice and ticks; damage turf and plants,
infest homes, large mammals can prey on pets, create mounds or burrows
that are safety hazards, infest homes and food stores
◍ What resources are available for identifying pests, symptoms of infestation,
and damage caused by pests?.
Answer: Online guides, illustrations, photos, labs, experts
◍ An insect that passes through complete metamorphosis would have what life
stages?.
Answer: Egg, larva, pupa and adult
◍ Mowing weeds.
Answer: An example of cultural and mechanical control
◍ Removing weeds before they produce seed is what type of pest control?.
Answer: Sanitation
◍ Growing plants that resist insects would be what type of pest control?.
Answer: Prevention
◍ The toxicity of a pesticide is the....?.
Answer: Capacity to cause injury
◍ Define IPM in a landscape maintenance context.
Answer: Ecosystem based strategy that focuses on long-term prevention of
pests or their damage through a combination of techniques such as
biological control, habitat manipulation, modification of cultural practices,
and use of resistant varieties
MAINTENANCE CERTIFICATION
SCRIPT 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ Why is identifying pests correctly important?.
Answer: Allows you to better determine how best to control the pest
populationAllows you to pick the correct pesticide to treat the pest
◍ Why is it important to identify the plant(s) affected by the pest?.
Answer: Help you identify the pests infesting the plant based on common
issues for the plantHelps you distinguish between symptoms of infestation
and general plant appearance Helps you determine the best course if action
for treating said plant- including which pesticides you can use on it
◍ Main groups of common pests and their identifying features.
Answer: Weeds- any unwanted plant in a given location Invertebrates-
physical presence, chewing damage to leaves, exit holes from trunks of
trees, frassVertebrates- mounds near tunnels, girdling of trees, droppings,
nestsPathogens- discolored leaves, splotching and mosaic patterns on leaves,
root issues, wilting, physical signs of fungi
◍ Different types of characteristic plant damage caused or nuisance created by
insects and other arthropods.
Answer: Insects/arthropods have distinctive patterns of feeding. Can be
anything from "tunnels" of eaten tissue under the leaf cuticle (in things like
leaf miners), missing leaf material (in the case of biting and chewing insects
like caterpillars), presence of sooty mold (from honeydew left behind by
piercing and sucking insects)Insects/arthropods like cockroaches, crickets,
spiders, silverfish/firebrats, termites, etc. can infest homes and cause all
, sorts of damage to paper goods, food stores, and lumber (among other
goods) and cause general nuisances to residents
◍ Why is knowing pest life cycles important to effective pest identification
and management?.
Answer: It can help you identify the most effective times to treat for them,
recognize them in different stages, and overall improve your treatment plans
◍ What are the differences between broadleaf weeds, grassy weeds, and
sedges?.
Answer: Broadleaf: weeds that are dicots Grassy: weeds that are
monocotsSedges: weeds that resemble grasses but have triangular stems
◍ What are the different types of plant damages cased by abiotic factors and
pathogens?.
Answer: Abiotics: poor growth, chlorosis, necrosis ,deformed plant parts
Pathogens: chlorosis, necrosis, poor growth, deformed plant parts, wilt,
shoot blight, cankers, galls, leaf spots, soft rots, scabs, discoloration or
mosaic pattern on leavesNOTE: Big difference between abiotic and
pathogen damage is that pathogens often have physical signs- like mycelium
for fungus, or presence of bacterium or viruses on tests- that help
differentiate between the two. Lab testing helps out a lot with identifying
biotic factors and determining if you have a biotic issue or an abiotic issue
when no physical signs are present
◍ Ants belong to what insect order?.
Answer: Hymenoptera
◍ Which insect order includes species known to transmit some plant diseases?.
Answer: Thysanoptera (thrips)
◍ Which feature characterizes vertebrates?.
Answer: A backbone
◍ What animals are Arthropods?.
Answer: An invertebrate animal (such as a spider or mite)
, ◍ Which pests cause leaf stippling?.
Answer: Mites
◍ Common vertebrate pests of landscapes and turfgrass and the damage they
cause.
Answer: Birds and MammalsMammals include things like rats, mice,
ground squirrels, gophers, molesthey cause many types of damage: - birds:
nests, droppings, eat fruits and veggies, damage plant material- mammals:
carry disease causing fleas, mites, lice and ticks; damage turf and plants,
infest homes, large mammals can prey on pets, create mounds or burrows
that are safety hazards, infest homes and food stores
◍ What resources are available for identifying pests, symptoms of infestation,
and damage caused by pests?.
Answer: Online guides, illustrations, photos, labs, experts
◍ An insect that passes through complete metamorphosis would have what life
stages?.
Answer: Egg, larva, pupa and adult
◍ Mowing weeds.
Answer: An example of cultural and mechanical control
◍ Removing weeds before they produce seed is what type of pest control?.
Answer: Sanitation
◍ Growing plants that resist insects would be what type of pest control?.
Answer: Prevention
◍ The toxicity of a pesticide is the....?.
Answer: Capacity to cause injury
◍ Define IPM in a landscape maintenance context.
Answer: Ecosystem based strategy that focuses on long-term prevention of
pests or their damage through a combination of techniques such as
biological control, habitat manipulation, modification of cultural practices,
and use of resistant varieties
