Wisconsin Pesticide Applicator EXAM
(COMPLETE ANSWERS elaborations)
answers 100% satisfaction guarantee
2025 UPDATE!!
Wisconsin Pesticide Applicator Exam: 100 Sample Study Questions by Category
I. Pesticide Labeling & Laws (Q1-20)
1. What is the most important legal document for a pesticide applicator? Answer: The
pesticide label.
2. Who has the ultimate responsibility for applying a pesticide according to the
label? Answer: The applicator.
3. What does the signal word "Danger-Poison" indicate? Answer: Highly toxic product (skull
& crossbones).
4. What is the purpose of a "Precautionary Statement" on a label? Answer: To inform of
hazards to humans, animals, and the environment.
5. What is the difference between a "Warning" and "Caution" signal word?
6. What does FIFRA stand for and what is its primary purpose?
7. What is the difference between "Restricted Use" and "General Use" pesticides?
8. What is the purpose of Wisconsin's pesticide certification program?
9. What are the potential penalties for misuse of a pesticide?
10. When must you maintain records of a pesticide application in Wisconsin?
11. What information is required on Wisconsin pesticide application records?
12. What is pesticide registration?
13. What is meant by the "label is the law"?
14. Where on the label do you find first aid instructions?
, 15. What is a "Use Classification" statement?
16. Define "misuse" under FIFRA.
17. What is the role of the EPA in pesticide regulation?
18. What is the role of Wisconsin DATCP?
19. When can you use a pesticide on a site not listed on the label?
20. What is a "Special Local Need" (SLN) registration?
II. Safety (Personal & Environmental) (Q21-40)
21. What are the four routes of pesticide exposure? Answer: Dermal (skin), Inhalation, Oral
(ingestion), Ocular (eyes).
22. Which route of exposure is most common for applicators? Answer: Dermal (skin).
23. What is the purpose of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)? Answer: To minimize exposure
to pesticides.
24. What should you do FIRST if a pesticide is spilled on your skin? Answer: Immediately wash
with plenty of water and soap.
25. How should you clean pesticide-contaminated PPE?
26. What are the symptoms of mild pesticide poisoning?
27. What should you do if someone ingests a pesticide?
28. What is pesticide sensitization?
29. What is the purpose of a pesticide Safety Data Sheet (SDS)?
30. How can you protect groundwater from pesticide contamination?
31. What is spray drift and how can it be minimized?
32. What is volatility and how does it cause exposure?
33. What is the "REI" (Restricted Entry Interval) and where is it found?
34. What is the "PHI" (Pre-Harvest Interval)?
35. How should you dispose of empty pesticide containers?
36. How should you store pesticides securely?
37. What is an endangered species protection statement on a label?
38. What is the danger of mixing different pesticides in a tank without checking compatibility?
39. Why should you avoid draining spray equipment or rinsate into a drain or ditch?
40. What is the purpose of a pesticide spill kit?
III. Pest Management (Q41-60)
41. What is the definition of an "economic threshold" in IPM? Answer: The pest density at
which control action must be taken to prevent economic loss.
42. What does IPM stand for? Answer: Integrated Pest Management.
, 43. What are the four main tactics of IPM? Answer: Biological, Cultural, Mechanical/Physical,
Chemical.
44. What is the goal of pest prevention?
45. Give an example of a cultural control practice.
46. What is biological control?
47. Why is accurate pest identification critical?
48. What is pesticide resistance?
49. How can you help manage or delay pesticide resistance?
50. What is a "mode of action"?
51. Why should you rotate pesticides with different modes of action?
52. What is the difference between a "contact" and a "systemic" pesticide?
53. What is a "selective" vs. "non-selective" herbicide?
54. What is a "weed"?
55. What is the difference between an insect and a mite?
56. What are the main parts of an insect (head, thorax, abdomen)?
57. What are the life stages of a weed (seed, seedling, mature)?
58. What factors influence pest population growth?
59. What is monitoring/scouting?
60. What is a "key pest"?
IV. Pesticide Formulations & Chemistry (Q61-80)
61. What is an "active ingredient" (a.i.)? Answer: The chemical in the product that controls the
pest.
62. What is an "inert ingredient"? Answer: The carrier, solvent, or other component with no
pesticidal activity.
63. What does "LD50" measure? Answer: The dose that kills 50% of test animals (measure of
acute toxicity).
64. What does "LC50" measure?
65. What is the difference between toxicity and hazard?
66. What is an "Emulsifiable Concentrate" (EC) formulation?
67. What is a "Wettable Powder" (WP) formulation?
68. What is a "Soluble Powder" (SP)?
69. What is a "Granular" (G) formulation and where is it commonly used?
70. What is a "Ready-to-Use" (RTU) formulation?
71. What does "adjuvant" mean?
72. What is a "surfactant"?
73. What is a "compatibility agent"?
74. What is a "buffering agent" or "acidifier"?
(COMPLETE ANSWERS elaborations)
answers 100% satisfaction guarantee
2025 UPDATE!!
Wisconsin Pesticide Applicator Exam: 100 Sample Study Questions by Category
I. Pesticide Labeling & Laws (Q1-20)
1. What is the most important legal document for a pesticide applicator? Answer: The
pesticide label.
2. Who has the ultimate responsibility for applying a pesticide according to the
label? Answer: The applicator.
3. What does the signal word "Danger-Poison" indicate? Answer: Highly toxic product (skull
& crossbones).
4. What is the purpose of a "Precautionary Statement" on a label? Answer: To inform of
hazards to humans, animals, and the environment.
5. What is the difference between a "Warning" and "Caution" signal word?
6. What does FIFRA stand for and what is its primary purpose?
7. What is the difference between "Restricted Use" and "General Use" pesticides?
8. What is the purpose of Wisconsin's pesticide certification program?
9. What are the potential penalties for misuse of a pesticide?
10. When must you maintain records of a pesticide application in Wisconsin?
11. What information is required on Wisconsin pesticide application records?
12. What is pesticide registration?
13. What is meant by the "label is the law"?
14. Where on the label do you find first aid instructions?
, 15. What is a "Use Classification" statement?
16. Define "misuse" under FIFRA.
17. What is the role of the EPA in pesticide regulation?
18. What is the role of Wisconsin DATCP?
19. When can you use a pesticide on a site not listed on the label?
20. What is a "Special Local Need" (SLN) registration?
II. Safety (Personal & Environmental) (Q21-40)
21. What are the four routes of pesticide exposure? Answer: Dermal (skin), Inhalation, Oral
(ingestion), Ocular (eyes).
22. Which route of exposure is most common for applicators? Answer: Dermal (skin).
23. What is the purpose of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)? Answer: To minimize exposure
to pesticides.
24. What should you do FIRST if a pesticide is spilled on your skin? Answer: Immediately wash
with plenty of water and soap.
25. How should you clean pesticide-contaminated PPE?
26. What are the symptoms of mild pesticide poisoning?
27. What should you do if someone ingests a pesticide?
28. What is pesticide sensitization?
29. What is the purpose of a pesticide Safety Data Sheet (SDS)?
30. How can you protect groundwater from pesticide contamination?
31. What is spray drift and how can it be minimized?
32. What is volatility and how does it cause exposure?
33. What is the "REI" (Restricted Entry Interval) and where is it found?
34. What is the "PHI" (Pre-Harvest Interval)?
35. How should you dispose of empty pesticide containers?
36. How should you store pesticides securely?
37. What is an endangered species protection statement on a label?
38. What is the danger of mixing different pesticides in a tank without checking compatibility?
39. Why should you avoid draining spray equipment or rinsate into a drain or ditch?
40. What is the purpose of a pesticide spill kit?
III. Pest Management (Q41-60)
41. What is the definition of an "economic threshold" in IPM? Answer: The pest density at
which control action must be taken to prevent economic loss.
42. What does IPM stand for? Answer: Integrated Pest Management.
, 43. What are the four main tactics of IPM? Answer: Biological, Cultural, Mechanical/Physical,
Chemical.
44. What is the goal of pest prevention?
45. Give an example of a cultural control practice.
46. What is biological control?
47. Why is accurate pest identification critical?
48. What is pesticide resistance?
49. How can you help manage or delay pesticide resistance?
50. What is a "mode of action"?
51. Why should you rotate pesticides with different modes of action?
52. What is the difference between a "contact" and a "systemic" pesticide?
53. What is a "selective" vs. "non-selective" herbicide?
54. What is a "weed"?
55. What is the difference between an insect and a mite?
56. What are the main parts of an insect (head, thorax, abdomen)?
57. What are the life stages of a weed (seed, seedling, mature)?
58. What factors influence pest population growth?
59. What is monitoring/scouting?
60. What is a "key pest"?
IV. Pesticide Formulations & Chemistry (Q61-80)
61. What is an "active ingredient" (a.i.)? Answer: The chemical in the product that controls the
pest.
62. What is an "inert ingredient"? Answer: The carrier, solvent, or other component with no
pesticidal activity.
63. What does "LD50" measure? Answer: The dose that kills 50% of test animals (measure of
acute toxicity).
64. What does "LC50" measure?
65. What is the difference between toxicity and hazard?
66. What is an "Emulsifiable Concentrate" (EC) formulation?
67. What is a "Wettable Powder" (WP) formulation?
68. What is a "Soluble Powder" (SP)?
69. What is a "Granular" (G) formulation and where is it commonly used?
70. What is a "Ready-to-Use" (RTU) formulation?
71. What does "adjuvant" mean?
72. What is a "surfactant"?
73. What is a "compatibility agent"?
74. What is a "buffering agent" or "acidifier"?
