NATIONAL PESTICIDE APPLICATOR
CERTIFICATION CORE MANUAL 2026
REVISION NOTES AND STRUCTURED PEST
MANAGEMENT OVERVIEW GUIDE
◉ Making use of plant varieties that are naturally resistant to insect
feeding is an example of which type of pest management method?
Answer: Genetic
◉ Define biological control Answer: The use of natural enemies
(predators, parasites, pathogens and competitors) to control pests
and their damage.
◉ Sealing cracks and crevices and small openings in buildings is an
example of which type of past management method Answer:
Physical
◉ Define cultural control Answer: Practices that reduce pest
establisment, reproduction, dispersal and survival. (Ex: mowing)
◉ Monitoring pests at airports that pose a serious threat to public
health or widespread damage to crops/animals is an example of
which type of pest management method Answer: Regulatory
,◉ What is integrated pest management (IPM) Answer: A pest
management strategy that utilizes a wide range of pest control
methods/tactics. The goal of this strategy is to prevent pests from
reaching damaging levels with least risk to thr environment
◉ Why practice IPM Answer: Helps keep a balanced ecosystem,
pesticides can be ineffective, saves money, promotes healthy
environment, maintains good public image
◉ Give an example of a preventative pest management stratedy
Answer: Planting weed and disease free seed on an athletic field,
cultural controls to prevent seedy plants from reproducing, choosing
plant and harvest times to lessen pest problems, using practices that
conserve natural enemies
◉ Define action threshold Answer: The pest lebel at which some
type of pest management action must be taken. It can be zero (i.e. No
presence of the pest is tolerated, ex. Mosquitos and the west nile
virus)
◉ What increases the likelihood of pesticide resistance Answer:
Continual use of pestocides from the same chemical class
, ◉ What is FIRFA Answer: Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act. Federal law that regulates the production,
transportation, sale, use and disposal of pesticides.
◉ What can trained and certified applicators do Answer: They may
apply and/or supervise the application of restriced-use pesticides
(RUP)
◉ What is the purpose of the pesticide registration and
reregistration process Answer: To provide evidence that the
pesticide will not cause unreasonable risks to human health or the
environment
◉ Federal pesticide regulation means that Answer: Approved
pesticide labels have the force of law
◉ What criteria is used by EPA in establishing pesticide tolerances
(maximum residue limit allowed to stay on food) Answer: The
toxicity of the pesticide and its breakdown products, how much of
the pesticide is applied and how often, how much of the pesticide
remains on/in food by the time it's marketed and prepared
◉ Under federal law, what is unlawful to do to pesticides Answer:
Detach, alter, deface or destroy any part of a RUP container or label
CERTIFICATION CORE MANUAL 2026
REVISION NOTES AND STRUCTURED PEST
MANAGEMENT OVERVIEW GUIDE
◉ Making use of plant varieties that are naturally resistant to insect
feeding is an example of which type of pest management method?
Answer: Genetic
◉ Define biological control Answer: The use of natural enemies
(predators, parasites, pathogens and competitors) to control pests
and their damage.
◉ Sealing cracks and crevices and small openings in buildings is an
example of which type of past management method Answer:
Physical
◉ Define cultural control Answer: Practices that reduce pest
establisment, reproduction, dispersal and survival. (Ex: mowing)
◉ Monitoring pests at airports that pose a serious threat to public
health or widespread damage to crops/animals is an example of
which type of pest management method Answer: Regulatory
,◉ What is integrated pest management (IPM) Answer: A pest
management strategy that utilizes a wide range of pest control
methods/tactics. The goal of this strategy is to prevent pests from
reaching damaging levels with least risk to thr environment
◉ Why practice IPM Answer: Helps keep a balanced ecosystem,
pesticides can be ineffective, saves money, promotes healthy
environment, maintains good public image
◉ Give an example of a preventative pest management stratedy
Answer: Planting weed and disease free seed on an athletic field,
cultural controls to prevent seedy plants from reproducing, choosing
plant and harvest times to lessen pest problems, using practices that
conserve natural enemies
◉ Define action threshold Answer: The pest lebel at which some
type of pest management action must be taken. It can be zero (i.e. No
presence of the pest is tolerated, ex. Mosquitos and the west nile
virus)
◉ What increases the likelihood of pesticide resistance Answer:
Continual use of pestocides from the same chemical class
, ◉ What is FIRFA Answer: Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act. Federal law that regulates the production,
transportation, sale, use and disposal of pesticides.
◉ What can trained and certified applicators do Answer: They may
apply and/or supervise the application of restriced-use pesticides
(RUP)
◉ What is the purpose of the pesticide registration and
reregistration process Answer: To provide evidence that the
pesticide will not cause unreasonable risks to human health or the
environment
◉ Federal pesticide regulation means that Answer: Approved
pesticide labels have the force of law
◉ What criteria is used by EPA in establishing pesticide tolerances
(maximum residue limit allowed to stay on food) Answer: The
toxicity of the pesticide and its breakdown products, how much of
the pesticide is applied and how often, how much of the pesticide
remains on/in food by the time it's marketed and prepared
◉ Under federal law, what is unlawful to do to pesticides Answer:
Detach, alter, deface or destroy any part of a RUP container or label
