Category-7A-General-and-Household-Pest-Control Questions and Answers

The most common cause of pesticide poisoning for applicators is dermal exposure, where pesticides contact the skin during mixing, application, or cleanup. TheGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 3: Pesticide Safety) highlights that skin exposure often occurs during mixing procedures or application, especially if proper protective equipment is not used. Option A (inhalation) is the second most common cause (see Question 16). Option B (oral ingestion) is less common, typically occurring through accidental ingestion or poor hygiene practices.

For cracks and crevices, a handheld compressed air sprayer is recommended because it allows precise application of pesticide into small, hard-to-reach areas where pests like roaches orants hide. TheGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 5: Pesticide Application) notes that these sprayers are ideal for targeted treatments in household pest control. Option B (cold fogger) and Option C (thermal fogger) are used for larger areas or space treatments, not precise crack-and-crevice applications.

Pigeons are known to cause building damage through their droppings, which are acidic and can corrode structures, and they carry diseases like histoplasmosis and salmonellosis. TheGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 8: Vertebrate Pests) identifies pigeons as a major pest in urban areas. Option B (starlings) and Option C (house finches) can cause some damage but are less associated with disease transmission to humans.

Cultural controls in IPM involve modifying the environment to make it less favorable for pests. Garbage elimination is a cultural control because it removes food sources that attract pests like roaches or flies, as noted in theGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 4: IPM). Option A (caulking) is a mechanical control, as it physically blocks pest entry. Option B (threshold numbers elevation) refers to monitoring, not a cultural practice.

Applying pesticides for roaches or flies inside a school building falls under Category 7A (General and Household Pest Control), which covers the management of pests like roaches, flies, and other household insects in structures, including schools. Additionally, because the application is in a school, Category 13 (School IPM) certification is required in New Jersey to comply with the School Integrated Pest Management Act (N.J.A.C. 7:30-13). Category 13 ensures applicators follow specific IPM protocols and notification requirements in educational settings. Option A (3B or 7B) is incorrect because 3B is for turf pest control, and 7B is for termites/wood-destroying insects, neither of which apply to roaches or flies. Option B (3A and 3B) involves ornamental and turf pest control, which is irrelevant here. Option D (7B) is also incorrect as it does not cover general pests like roaches or flies.

Bottle or blow flies are known for their metallic green or blue color, which distinguishes them from other flies. TheGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 7: Flies) describes these flies as common in structures, often attracted to decaying organic matter. Option A (cluster flies) are dull grayish-brown and often found in attics. Option B (house flies) are gray with black stripes, not metallic.

NJDEP regulations (N.J.A.C. 7:30-9.13) require that multi-family residences receive notice prior to treatment, but the exact timeframe is not specified as 24 or 48 hours in the regulation. Best practice, as noted in theGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 2: Notification Requirements), is to provide notice in advance, typically at least 24 hours, but the regulation itself uses the general term “prior.” Option B (24 hours) and Option C (48 hours) are specific timeframes not mandated by the regulation.

Cockroaches undergo gradual metamorphosis, which includes three stages: egg, nymph, and adult. Nymphs hatch from eggs and resemble smaller, wingless adults, molting several times before reaching maturity. TheGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 7: Cockroaches) confirms this life cycle for common species like the German cockroach. Option B (complete metamorphosis) applies to insects like flies or beetles. Option C (total metamorphosis) is not a recognized term and is incorrect.

Effective rat control with poison baits requires reducing or eliminating food sources to ensure rats are attracted to the bait rather than alternative food. TheGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 8: Rodents) emphasizes this IPMapproach, as rats will ignore baits if other food is available. Option A and Option B (placing/removing baits at specific times) are impractical and less effective, as rats are nocturnal but may feed at other times.

Earwigs are outdoor pests that enter structures, often hiding in debris near foundations. TheGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 7: Earwigs) recommends exterior treatment (e.g., perimeter spraying) combined with debris removal to eliminate harborage sites. Option A (fogging) is not a standard method for earwigs. Option B (interior baseboard spray) may be used but is less effective without addressing outdoor sources.

Pests like roaches, ants, or bedbugs tend to concentrate in specific areas where conditions are favorable, such as kitchens (food sources), bathrooms (moisture), or bedrooms (for bedbugs). TheGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 7: Pest Behavior) explains that infestations are focused on specific areas based on pest biology and environmental factors. Option A (uniformly distributed) is incorrect, as pests do not spread evenly. Option B (restrained to entryways) is too limited, as infestations often occur deeper inside structures.

The second most common cause of pesticide poisoning for applicators is inhalation, as pesticides can be inhaled as vapors, mists, or dusts during mixing or application, especially in enclosed spaces. TheGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 3: Pesticide Safety) notes that inhalation exposure often follows dermal exposure (the most common cause, see Question 18) in frequency. Option A (fire) is not a common cause of poisoning, though it poses other risks. Option C (dermal exposure) is the most common cause, not the second.

Contact lenses can trap pesticide residues against the eye, increasing the risk of irritation or injury if exposure occurs. TheGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 3: Pesticide Safety) advises applicators to not wear contact lenses when handling pesticides to avoid this risk. Option A (face shield) and Option B (goggles) are protective measures for the eyes but do not address the specific hazard of contact lenses trapping chemicals.

Lyme disease is transmitted by the blacklegged tick, and both the nymph and adult stages can transfer the disease to humans if infected with the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. TheGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 7: Ticks) notes that nymphs are more likely to transmit due to their small size and longer feeding time, but adults can also transmit. Option A (nymph only) and Option C (adult only) are incorrect, as both stages are capable.

Yellow jackets are aggressive social wasps and are the most likely to sting, especially when their nest is disturbed. TheGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 7: Wasps) notes their defensive behavior. Option A (honeybee) can sting but typically only once, as they die after stinging. Option C (mud dauber) is a solitary wasp and less likely to sting unless provoked.

Under the New Jersey School IPM Act (N.J.A.C. 7:30-13), commercial pesticide applicators in schools (Category 7A and 13) are required to inform students and personnel of pesticide applications, including providing advance notice and posting signs. This ensures safety and compliance with school IPM regulations. Option B (onsite supervisory personnel) is not a specific requirement for school applications. Option C (superintendent as liaison) is incorrect; the applicator or IPM coordinator typically handles notifications.

In New Jersey, the NJDEP Pesticide Control Program outlines the responsibilities of a certified commercial pesticide applicator supervising a pesticide operator. According to NJDEP regulations (N.J.A.C. 7:30-6.2), a certified applicator must be able to respond to the application site within a "reasonable amount of time" if they are not physically present. The definition of "reasonable" in this context is clarified in training materials and NJDEP guidance as being within three hours to ensure proper oversight, especially in case of emergencies or issues during application. This aligns with the need for timely supervision to ensure compliance with safety and application standards for general and household pest control under Category 7A. Eight hours or 24 hours would be too long to address potential issues effectively, such as spills, misapplications, or safety concerns.

Norway rats leave dark, greasy smears along walls from body oils and a musty odor from their urine, as they travel along established runways. TheGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 8: Rodents) lists these as key signs of infestation. Option A (eggs) is incorrect, as rats are mammals and do not lay eggs. Option C (ceiling void nests) is more typical of squirrels or birds, not Norway rats, which nest in burrows or lower areas.

Norway rats require a daily water source to survive, often living near water or in areas with high moisture. TheGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 8: Rodents) notes this as a key characteristic, making water sources a target for control. Option B (house mouse) and Option C (deer mouse) can survive on moisture from food and do not require a daily water source.