PRIVATE PESTICIDE APPLICATOR LICENSE
EXAM 2026 EXAM Q&A STUDY GUIDE
◉ Pathogens. Answer: Disease causing organisms
◉ Four Main Groups of Pest Organisms. Answer: 1. Weeds
2. Invertebrates
3. Pathogens
4. Vertebrates
◉ Weed. Answer: Undesirable plant
◉ Invertebrate Examples. Answer: Insects, mites, ticks, spiders,
snails, slugs
◉ Pathogen Examples. Answer: Bacteria, viruses, fungi, nematodes,
mycoplasmas, and other microorganisms
◉ Vertebrate Examples. Answer: Birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish,
rodents, and other mammals
,◉ Importance of Pest Identification. Answer: Applicators can learn
about its life cycle, behavior, characteristic damage, factors that favor
its development, susceptible life stages, and known control methods.
Could cause pest control success or failure.
◉ 6 Pest Management Methods. Answer: 1. Biological
2. Chemical
3. Cultural
4. Genetic
5. Mechanical/Physical
6. Regulatory
◉ Biological Control. Answer: Use of natural enemies to control
pests.
◉ Avicide. Answer: Control or repel pest birds
◉ Bactericide. Answer: Control bacteria
◉ Chemosterilants. Answer: Sterilize insects or pest vertebrates
◉ Defoliants. Answer: Causes leaves to drop from plants
,◉ Desiccants. Answer: Promote drying or loss of moisture from
plant tissues and insects
◉ Disinfectants. Answer: Control microorganisms
◉ Fungicide. Answer: Control fungi
◉ Growth Regulators. Answer: Alter growth or development of plant
or animal
◉ Herbicide. Answer: Control weeds
◉ Insecticide. Answer: Control insects and related arthropods
◉ Miticide. Answer: (Acaricide) Control mites
◉ Molluscicides. Answer: Control snails and slugs
◉ Nematicides. Answer: Control nematodes
◉ Ovicides. Answer: Destroy eggs
, ◉ Pheromone. Answer: Attract insects
◉ Piscicides. Answer: Control pest fish
◉ Predacides. Answer: Control predatory vertebrates
◉ Repellants. Answer: Repel insects, mites, ticks, pest vertebrates,
invertebrates, birds, and mammals
◉ Rodenticides. Answer: Controls rodents
◉ Selective Pesticide. Answer: Toxic to some pests, but have little or
no effect on others
◉ Systemic Pesticide. Answer: Absorbed and translocated within a
plant or animal
◉ Contact Pesticide. Answer: Must directly touch the pest or a site
the pest frequents
◉ Persistence. Answer: How long a pesticide remains actives to
control pest
EXAM 2026 EXAM Q&A STUDY GUIDE
◉ Pathogens. Answer: Disease causing organisms
◉ Four Main Groups of Pest Organisms. Answer: 1. Weeds
2. Invertebrates
3. Pathogens
4. Vertebrates
◉ Weed. Answer: Undesirable plant
◉ Invertebrate Examples. Answer: Insects, mites, ticks, spiders,
snails, slugs
◉ Pathogen Examples. Answer: Bacteria, viruses, fungi, nematodes,
mycoplasmas, and other microorganisms
◉ Vertebrate Examples. Answer: Birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish,
rodents, and other mammals
,◉ Importance of Pest Identification. Answer: Applicators can learn
about its life cycle, behavior, characteristic damage, factors that favor
its development, susceptible life stages, and known control methods.
Could cause pest control success or failure.
◉ 6 Pest Management Methods. Answer: 1. Biological
2. Chemical
3. Cultural
4. Genetic
5. Mechanical/Physical
6. Regulatory
◉ Biological Control. Answer: Use of natural enemies to control
pests.
◉ Avicide. Answer: Control or repel pest birds
◉ Bactericide. Answer: Control bacteria
◉ Chemosterilants. Answer: Sterilize insects or pest vertebrates
◉ Defoliants. Answer: Causes leaves to drop from plants
,◉ Desiccants. Answer: Promote drying or loss of moisture from
plant tissues and insects
◉ Disinfectants. Answer: Control microorganisms
◉ Fungicide. Answer: Control fungi
◉ Growth Regulators. Answer: Alter growth or development of plant
or animal
◉ Herbicide. Answer: Control weeds
◉ Insecticide. Answer: Control insects and related arthropods
◉ Miticide. Answer: (Acaricide) Control mites
◉ Molluscicides. Answer: Control snails and slugs
◉ Nematicides. Answer: Control nematodes
◉ Ovicides. Answer: Destroy eggs
, ◉ Pheromone. Answer: Attract insects
◉ Piscicides. Answer: Control pest fish
◉ Predacides. Answer: Control predatory vertebrates
◉ Repellants. Answer: Repel insects, mites, ticks, pest vertebrates,
invertebrates, birds, and mammals
◉ Rodenticides. Answer: Controls rodents
◉ Selective Pesticide. Answer: Toxic to some pests, but have little or
no effect on others
◉ Systemic Pesticide. Answer: Absorbed and translocated within a
plant or animal
◉ Contact Pesticide. Answer: Must directly touch the pest or a site
the pest frequents
◉ Persistence. Answer: How long a pesticide remains actives to
control pest
