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Quizzes > Science

Pest Control Quiz: Test Your Know-How

Quick, free pest control multiple choice quiz. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Aisha ClementsUpdated Aug 26, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
Questions: 20
Learning OutcomesStudy Material
Colorful paper art depicting various pests for a Pest Control Knowledge Quiz

This pest control quiz helps you check skills in spotting infestations, using integrated pest management, and choosing safe control methods, with instant feedback. If you want more practice, try our pest control questions and answers, or go specific with a rat quiz or an ant quiz to sharpen species knowledge. Use these quick tests to find gaps before field work or study and build confidence in real-world decisions.

Which common household pest is most likely responsible for grease marks and droppings found near kitchen appliances?
Spider
Ant
Termite
Cockroach
Cockroaches often forage in kitchens and leave grease smears and small, dark droppings near warm appliances. These signs are classic indicators of cockroach activity.
Which pest infests wood and produces sawdust-like frass?
Silverfish
Termite
Carpenter Ant
Bed Bug
Termites tunnel through wood and excrete frass that resembles fine sawdust. Carpenter ants excavate galleries but push out larger wood shavings rather than fine frass.
What is the primary feeding behavior of bed bugs?
Wood tunneling
Sap consumption
Nocturnal blood feeding
Diurnal leaf damage
Bed bugs are nocturnal hematophages that feed on the blood of sleeping humans. They hide in cracks and crevices during the day and emerge at night.
What is an effective first step to prevent rodents from entering a home?
Seal entry points with steel wool and caulk
Leave food out overnight
Install bright lights
Increase indoor humidity
Rodents can chew through many materials but are deterred by steel wool, which plugs gaps effectively when sealed with caulk. Sealing entry points is a key exclusion strategy.
Which monitoring technique is commonly used to detect cockroach activity?
Ultrasonic devices
Pheromone sprays
Sticky traps
Rodent chew blocks
Sticky traps capture cockroaches moving along walls and under appliances, providing a clear indicator of presence and infestation levels. They are widely used for monitoring.
Which method is most effective for controlling kitchen ant infestations?
Boric acid baits
Glue boards under cabinets
Ultrasonic repellents
Broadcast insecticide spray
Boric acid baits exploit the social feeding behavior of ants, allowing workers to carry poison back to the colony. Broadcast sprays often miss nests and can be less effective.
Which environmental factor most significantly influences termite infestation risk?
Moisture levels in wood
Light intensity indoors
Carbon dioxide concentration
Ambient noise levels
Termites require damp or moist wood to survive, so high moisture content greatly increases infestation risk. Dry wood is much less attractive to subterranean termites.
Which of the following best describes the principle of integrated pest management (IPM)?
Combining cultural, biological, and chemical controls
Relying solely on traps
Eliminating all wildlife on a property
Using only chemical pesticides
IPM emphasizes the integration of multiple control strategies - cultural, biological, and chemical - to manage pests sustainably. It avoids reliance on a single method.
Which biological control agent is commonly used to manage aphid populations outdoors?
Spiders
Nematodes
Lady beetles
Earthworms
Lady beetles are voracious predators of aphids and are frequently released or conserved in gardens for aphid suppression. Other options are not targeted aphid predators.
Which pesticide class targets the insect nervous system by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase?
Organophosphates
Herbicides
Rodenticides
Fungicides
Organophosphates inhibit acetylcholinesterase, leading to uncontrolled nerve impulses and insect death. They are distinct from herbicides, fungicides, and rodenticides.
What structural sign is most indicative of subterranean termite activity around a building?
Web-like structures in corners
Mud tubes on foundations
Sawdust piles near windows
Damaged drywall paper
Subterranean termites build mud tubes as moisture-retaining pathways from soil to wood. This distinctive signature differs from other pests.
Using pheromone traps in a greenhouse primarily reflects which IPM component?
Pesticide rotation
Eradication
Exclusion
Monitoring
Pheromone traps capture or indicate pest presence and population levels, which is a core monitoring practice in IPM. They do not by themselves eradicate pests.
When is the best time to inspect for German cockroach activity?
Late afternoon in garden
Early morning in kitchen trash
Nighttime under sinks and appliances
Midday in living room
German cockroaches are nocturnal and hide in dark, humid areas during the day. Inspecting at night under sinks and behind appliances yields the best detection.
Sound detection devices are most useful for monitoring which type of pest?
Ants
Rodents
Termites
Bed bugs
Ultrasonic or acoustic sensors can detect the gnawing and movement sounds of rodents within walls. Other pests produce minimal detectable noise.
What is the primary goal of preventive pest management?
Tolerate minor pest damage
Increase chemical usage
Eliminate food, water, and shelter sources
Propagate pest predators
Preventive management focuses on altering the environment to make it unsuitable for pests by removing their vital resources. This reduces the need for chemical controls.
A homeowner discovers termite mud tubes on a foundation wall. Which integrated approach best addresses the problem?
Install physical barriers, fix moisture issues, and apply targeted baiting
Spray the entire foundation weekly with pyrethroids only
Increase ventilation, remove insulation, and use broad-spectrum fungicides
Set glue boards around the perimeter and use ultrasonic devices
An effective IPM plan combines exclusion (barriers), habitat modification (moisture control), and targeted chemical baiting. Reliance on a single method is less sustainable.
Despite repeated pyrethroid sprays, a cockroach infestation persists. What is the most likely cause?
Lack of food sources
Insufficient indoor humidity
Development of chemical resistance
Increased sunlight exposure
Cockroaches can develop resistance to pyrethroids after repeated exposure, making sprays less effective. Resistance management through rotation and integrated tactics is required.
In IPM, what does the term "economic threshold" refer to?
Maximum allowable pesticide dosage
Total pest population remaining after treatment
Pest density at which control action is needed to prevent economic loss
Time interval between monitoring visits
The economic threshold is the pest level at which the cost of damage exceeds the cost of control. Decisions are made when pest populations reach this level.
Which of these thresholds would indicate action is needed when using fly traps in a greenhouse?
One termite tube per foot
Two rodents per basement
Ten spiders per chamber
Five flies per trap per day
A threshold of five flies per trap per day is a common economic or action threshold for flies in enclosed environments. Other thresholds do not relate to fly monitoring.
How do insect growth regulators (IGRs) differ from broad-spectrum adulticides?
IGRs enhance plant growth, adulticides suppress it
IGRs work only against bacteria, adulticides work on insects
IGRs repel pests, adulticides attract them
IGRs disrupt development and reproduction while adulticides kill existing adults immediately
IGRs interfere with insect growth stages and prevent reproduction but do not kill adults instantly. Adulticides provide immediate knockdown of adult pests.
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Learning Outcomes

  1. Identify common household pests and their behaviors.
  2. Evaluate effective treatment methods for different infestations.
  3. Apply integrated pest management principles safely.
  4. Analyze environmental factors influencing pest outbreaks.
  5. Demonstrate knowledge of prevention and monitoring techniques.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Four-Tiered IPM Approach - Integrated Pest Management uses a clever four-step recipe: set action thresholds, monitor sneaky invaders, prevent problems, and control only when necessary. It's like having a pest-fighting playbook that prioritizes safety and efficiency.
  2. Identifying Common Household Pests - Become a detective for cockroaches, rodents, and ants by learning their secret hideouts and habits. Accurate identification means you can deploy targeted tactics - no more wasted effort or surprise invasions!
  3. Monitoring and Action Thresholds - Tracking pest numbers is like checking your favorite game scores - it tells you when to spring into action. Setting thresholds prevents overuse of chemicals and ensures you step in only when truly needed.
  4. Cultural Control Methods - Think of cultural controls as lifestyle makeovers for your space - proper sanitation, decluttering, and habitat tweaks keep pests uninvited. These tweaks make your home a hostile fortress for critters.
  5. Biological Control Techniques - Team up with nature's superheroes like ladybugs, nematodes, or beneficial fungi to tackle pest populations the eco-friendly way. This method reduces chemical reliance while letting predators do the dirty work.
  6. Mechanical and Physical Controls - Traps, barriers, and sleek door sweeps are your mechanical MVPs to block or capture pests without any chemistry. These straightforward tactics keep bugs out and give you a clear head start.
  7. Judicious Use of Chemical Controls - When chemicals are a must, pick low-toxicity options and apply them precisely to minimize environmental impact. Following label instructions and timing treatments correctly ensures maximum effect with minimal fuss.
  8. Environmental Factors and Pest Dynamics - Climate, humidity, and local habitat can turn up the heat on pest outbreaks or cool them off. Adapting your IPM tactics to these changing conditions keeps you one step ahead of critter chaos.
  9. Regular Inspection and Early Detection - Think of biweekly pest patrols as health check-ups for your home - they catch trouble before it multiplies. Early detection means swift, focused action and fewer surprises down the road.
  10. Benefits of Integrated Pest Management - Embracing IPM saves money, reduces reliance on harsh chemicals, and promotes a healthier environment for all. By blending multiple strategies, you get a well-rounded defense that's as kind to your budget as it is to the planet.
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