CO TURF QS TEST ASSESSMENT TEST 2026
TESTED QUESTIONS WITH FULL SOLUTION
GRADED A+
◉ How do contact insecticides impact a pest? Answer: Penetrate
through the exoskeleton of the insect
◉ How do stomach poison insecticides impact a pest? Answer: Must
be eaten by the insect to be effective
◉ How do fumigant insecticides impact a pest? Answer: Primarily
enter through the breathing openings (spiracles) of insects
◉ Systemic insecticide Answer: A product that can move through a
plant and be contained in their leaves or other edible parts. The
insect can then be poisoned when ingesting that plant part
◉ Three most common insecticide classes used in turfgrass Answer:
Pyrethroids
Neonicotinoids
Anthranilic diamides
,◉ Botanical insecticides Answer: Insecticides that are extracted
from plants
◉ Microbial insecticides Answer: Insecticides that are derived from
microbes
◉ What should you base insecticide selection on? (5) Answer: Turf
species
Pest species
Life cycle of the pest
Efficacy of the insecticide
Chemical characteristics of the insecticide
◉ What is one of the most important performance characteristics of
insecticides applied to turfgrass that an applicator should know?
Answer: The water solubility of the product they want to use
◉ How can alkalinity in water influence efficacy of insecticides?
Answer: Some products break down very quickly in high pH water
(alkaline - usually municipal water sources) so a buffer or an
acidifier needs to be added to decrease the pH of the water
,◉ Insecticide application timing Answer: A very important part of
the application being successful. Needs to happen with the pest is
present and in a vulnerable stage
◉ How can you protect pollinators from insecticide applications? (3)
Answer: Read the label for Bee Hazard Statements
Never apply insecticide to turf with blooming weeds
Mow blooming weeds prior to an application
◉ What insects do Pyrethroids target? (4) Answer: Cutworms
Sod webworms
Most above ground insects
Some activity against spider mites
◉ What insects do Neonicotinoids target? (2) Answer: Root feeding
beetle larvae
Some control on caterpillars
◉ What is important to know about Neonicotinoids? (1) Answer:
They are systemic and will persist in the plants for weeks after the
application
◉ What insects do Anthranilic diamides target? (2) Answer: Root
feeding beetles
, Caterpillars
◉ What is important to know about anthranilic diamides? (2)
Answer: Very low mammalian toxicity
Some systemic activity
◉ Signs of white grub turf damage (5) Answer: Lawn appears
drought stressed or dying (in late summer or early fall)
Roots are clipped by larval feeding
Soil under the damaged turfgrass has been loosened
Skunks or other vertebrate predators are digging up the turf
Distinctive C-shaped larvae may be found when examining the root
zone
◉ Control options for white grubs in turf (5) Answer: Irrigate prior
to treatment to move insects closer to surface
Applications must reach root zone
Immediately water treated area after application of an insecticide
Among chemical insecticides, choose products that more readily
penetrate the root zone
Grow a healthy lawn to better tolerate damage that occurs
TESTED QUESTIONS WITH FULL SOLUTION
GRADED A+
◉ How do contact insecticides impact a pest? Answer: Penetrate
through the exoskeleton of the insect
◉ How do stomach poison insecticides impact a pest? Answer: Must
be eaten by the insect to be effective
◉ How do fumigant insecticides impact a pest? Answer: Primarily
enter through the breathing openings (spiracles) of insects
◉ Systemic insecticide Answer: A product that can move through a
plant and be contained in their leaves or other edible parts. The
insect can then be poisoned when ingesting that plant part
◉ Three most common insecticide classes used in turfgrass Answer:
Pyrethroids
Neonicotinoids
Anthranilic diamides
,◉ Botanical insecticides Answer: Insecticides that are extracted
from plants
◉ Microbial insecticides Answer: Insecticides that are derived from
microbes
◉ What should you base insecticide selection on? (5) Answer: Turf
species
Pest species
Life cycle of the pest
Efficacy of the insecticide
Chemical characteristics of the insecticide
◉ What is one of the most important performance characteristics of
insecticides applied to turfgrass that an applicator should know?
Answer: The water solubility of the product they want to use
◉ How can alkalinity in water influence efficacy of insecticides?
Answer: Some products break down very quickly in high pH water
(alkaline - usually municipal water sources) so a buffer or an
acidifier needs to be added to decrease the pH of the water
,◉ Insecticide application timing Answer: A very important part of
the application being successful. Needs to happen with the pest is
present and in a vulnerable stage
◉ How can you protect pollinators from insecticide applications? (3)
Answer: Read the label for Bee Hazard Statements
Never apply insecticide to turf with blooming weeds
Mow blooming weeds prior to an application
◉ What insects do Pyrethroids target? (4) Answer: Cutworms
Sod webworms
Most above ground insects
Some activity against spider mites
◉ What insects do Neonicotinoids target? (2) Answer: Root feeding
beetle larvae
Some control on caterpillars
◉ What is important to know about Neonicotinoids? (1) Answer:
They are systemic and will persist in the plants for weeks after the
application
◉ What insects do Anthranilic diamides target? (2) Answer: Root
feeding beetles
, Caterpillars
◉ What is important to know about anthranilic diamides? (2)
Answer: Very low mammalian toxicity
Some systemic activity
◉ Signs of white grub turf damage (5) Answer: Lawn appears
drought stressed or dying (in late summer or early fall)
Roots are clipped by larval feeding
Soil under the damaged turfgrass has been loosened
Skunks or other vertebrate predators are digging up the turf
Distinctive C-shaped larvae may be found when examining the root
zone
◉ Control options for white grubs in turf (5) Answer: Irrigate prior
to treatment to move insects closer to surface
Applications must reach root zone
Immediately water treated area after application of an insecticide
Among chemical insecticides, choose products that more readily
penetrate the root zone
Grow a healthy lawn to better tolerate damage that occurs
