ID Core | Applicator Training Flashcards
The key to minimizing the hazard of pesticide use to the applicator is to avoid exposure.
True. Avoid exposure!
Physical Control methods kill pests, disrupt their life cycle, or make the environment unfavorable. An example would be changing the temperature in a room.
True. Examples of physical control:
- Heat treatment for bed bugs
- Putting lights in the attic to keep bats from nesting there
Cultural Control disrupts the relationship between a pest and it’s host through routine management practices.
True. Examples of cultural control:
- Pruning plants
- Varying the time you plant crops
Genetic Control involves the use of parasites or predators to a pest.
False. Genetic Control involves creating or introducing animals and plants resistant to attack. Examples:
- GMO crops (Genetically modified organisms) that won’t be eaten by insects
- Sterilizing male flies and introducing them back into the population to mate with females who will later lay sterile eggs, meaning the fly population goes down
Biological Control involves the introduction or increase of parasites or predators to a pest.
True. Examples include:
- Introducing more wasps to eat an invasive beetle species that was harming crops
- Introducing a parasite to eat the eggs of an invasive species of fly, reducing the population
Mechanical Control means building a machine to kill pests.
False. Mechanical Control means using screens, nets and fences to destroy pests or keep them out. Examples:
- Putting a screen over your attic vent to keep rats out
- Building a fence to keep deer away from a garden
- Putting a mesh bag over apples tree branches to keep insects off the fruit
Legal Control means preventing people from becoming pesticide applicators if they have a criminal history.
False. Legal Control means making rules to control human activities. Example:
- Setting up quarantine zones to prevent the spread of pests
Chemical Control involves using pesticides to kill, attract, repel, or change pests.
True. Examples include:
- Rodenticides to kill rodents
- Herbicides to kill weeds
- Insecticides to kill insects
- And many more!
Pesticide drift can be reduced by spraying upwind from a sensitive area.
False. Reduce drift by spraying large droplets of product. Avoid fine mists that float along the breeze.
Emulsifiable concentrates need constant agitation.
False. These milky white liquids mix well with water, are easy to transport, and don’t clog sprayers. They don’t need to be shaken to stay emulsified. They’re easy!
Emulsifiable concentrates are very concentrated oil-based products, meaning you only need a small amount of product mixed into your sprayer.
True. Because they’re so concentrated…
- You don’t have much margin for error when mixing
- They’re easily absorbed into human skin
- They’re flammable
- They can damage painted surfaces and cause corrosion
Soluable powders and wettable powders both dissolve in water
False.
Soluable powders DO dissolve in water. Imagine stirring sugar into hot coffee until the sugar dissolves.
Wettable powders DON’T dissolve in water. Your tank must be agitated constantly to prevent settling. They tend to clog sprayers. Imagine stirring flour into your coffee and it clumping on the bottom of your cup.
Flowables are very similar to wettable powders
True. Flowables are wettable powders that have been engineered to flow better in water and with less clogging and less stirring.
Water dispersible granules are sand-like versions of wettable powders.
True. They aren’t as dusty since the particles are bigger.
Most pesticide dusts require mixing with a clay powder in the field before application.
False. Pesticide dusts come ready to use out of the package, usually with the active ingredient contained within clay or talcum powder.
A disadvantage of dust pesticide is that it drifts around easily
True. It blows around a lot!
Water dispersible granules and Granular pesticides are the same thing.
False. A Water dispersible granule must be mixed with water and sprayed on. Granular pesticides are ready to go out of the package and usually just spread on the ground.
Baits can be dangerous to kids and pests because they contain attractants and edible substances.
True
Baits can be ineffective if there are other food sources nearby for the pest.
True
Ultra-low volume applications are safer than high volume applications.
False. Ultra-low volume sprays use very little water, meaning you’re spraying a very small amount of product. This means that the product is VERY concentrated and therefore more dangerous if it comes into contact with human skin or drifts to a non target area.
Microencapsulated pesticides have active ingredient encapsulated in a tiny capsule which slowly releases the active ingredient over time.
True. They last a really long time and the re-entry interval is longer for applicators. They pose a special risk to pollinators since a bee can carry the product back to the hive by accident when collecting pollen.
Bug bombs and mosquito foggers are examples of aerosol pesticides.
True.
It can be difficult to get good coverage with an aerosol pesticide.
False. The small droplets in a spray can or fogger spread small droplets easily and evenly, providing great coverage.
Cons to aerosols are:
- Easy to accidentally inhale product
- Tough to contain the product to the target area
All pesticide applicators in the State of Idaho can apply fumigants.
False. Fumigants are the most hazardous form of pesticides the EPA has placed special regulations on who can purchase and apply these products.
Flea collars are a common example of a Pesticide impregnated material.
True. A plastic or rubber material is impregnated with pesticide and slowly released to the animal wearing the collar or ear tag.
The WALE method of pesticide mixing helps you remember the order for adding products into your tank.
Start with a half a tank of water, then add…
1. Wettable powders and granules
2. Agitate to mix
3. Liquid pesticides
4. Emulsifiable concentrates
…Top off with water
True. Note that the W in WALE doesn’t stand for “water” despite it being the first step which is very confusing!
Having a mixture of pesticides clump, create globules, or separate into layers are all examples of a compatible mixture.
False. Clumps, globules, or separating into layers are all examples of INcompatible pesticide mixtures.
When a pesticide mixture looks incompatible (globules, clumps, separation of layers) it can lose effectiveness and increase hazards to people and animals.
True.
If you’re mixing two pesticides together for the first time you should perform a small mixing test in a clear jar before making a large batch in your tank.
True. Use the WALE method to ensure you add products in the right order.
An adjuvant is a product added to rodenticide to make it taste better to rats.
False. An adjuvant is an additive that modifies a pesticide’s physical properties to enhance performance. They’re most commonly used on foliage to get the pesticide product to stick properly on the leaves.
Surfactants, stickers, penetrants, thickening agents, and safeners are all examples of adjuvants.
True. For example a thickening might be added to a crop spray to reduce drift.
The EPA and ISDA (Idaho State Department of Agriculture) are the only agencies that regulate pesticides.
False.
All formulations with the same active ingredient carry the same signal word.
False. Some formulations are more hazardous than others. For example a fumigant is much more hazardous than a granule.
The safest way to dispose of a pesticide is to rinse it down the drain.
False. Follow the label instructions. The label is the law!
Every pesticide must include a signal word.
True.
- ☠️ DANGER POISON with a skull and crossbones = Highly toxic
- WARNING = Moderately toxic
- CAUTION = Slightly toxic
An EPA registration number is only required for pesticides that carry the skull and crossbones symbol and the signal word DANGER POISON
False. All pesticides have an EPA registration number on the label.
The following are examples of “Precautionary Statements” found on a pesticide label:
- Route of Entry (mouth, skin, lungs)
- Specific Action (do not get in eyes, avoid breathing dust)
- Protective Clothing (wear tightly fitted goggles when applying overhead)
True. There are three main types of precautionary statements found on labels. You might find all three types or none at all depending on the product.
- Route of Entry
- Specific Action
- Protective Clothing
A pesticide label has a Route of Entry statement that reads “Fatal if swallowed. Corrosive severe skin burns.” You would expect this label to have the signal word “CAUTION.”
False. The signal word would be DANGER POISON ☠️ because it is potentially fatal. The word CAUTION indicates a product is only slightly toxic.
You’ve ingested a pesticide. The poison control hotline is the only resource for getting information on the right type of medical care.
False. The label contains a section called “Practical Treatments” that outlines medical care for poisoning emergencies. Physicians and field staff can refer to this section for help.
General environmental statements appear on most pesticide labels. They are common sense instructions like “do not contaminate water” and “do not apply when bees are in the area.”
True. Preventing water pollution, limiting drift, and protecting pollinators are all common sense instructions on almost every pesticide label.
The re-entry interval (REI) tells you how much time must pass before people can reenter a treated area without wearing PPE.
True.
If a pesticide label doesn’t state a re-entry interval, people can walk through a pesticide application immediately.
False. Always wait until sprays have dried and dusts have settled.
To dispose of a pesticide container legally, you must read the label and follow local laws.
True.
Killing an endangered species with a pesticide is illegal under the Endangered Species Act.
True.
The following are all examples of product restrictions:
- Cannot be applied to sandy soil
- Must be applied with a specific type of sprayer
- Cannot be applied in freezing temperatures
True.
The “Directions for Use” section of a label is the longest portion of the label and provides extensive instructions on:
- Type of pests you can treat
- How much product to use
- Where and when you can use the product
- Equipment for applying product
- And much more!
True.
It’s legal to apply a product for a non-target pest if the site or plant you’re applying it to is listed on the label.
True. If a product is labeled for aphid control on apples trees, you can generally use it for ant control on apple trees (even if ants are not specifically mentioned on the label).
The pre-harvest interval is a suggestion made by a pesticide manufacturer.
False. The EPA sets pre-harvest intervals to make sure a pesticide has broken down to safe levels before food is harvested and eaten by people.
A pesticide label is a legal document.
True. The label is the law!
Regardless of the signal word they bear, all pesticide labels must carry the words “KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN”
True.
Labels should be removed from pesticide containers and kept in a notebook so they remain clean and legible.
False! Never remove a pesticide label. Keep copies in your safety binder.
An active ingredient often has many names:
- The chemical compound’s technical name (1-naphthyl N-nethyl cabamate)
- A common name (Carbaryl)
- Product or brand names that contain that ingredient (Sevin 50WP Insect Killer)
True. Know the difference between a technical name, a common name, and a product name.
Pesticide residue is counted in PPM (parts per million)
True
The EPA writes pesticide labels.
False. The company producing the pesticide writes the label and the EPA reviews it.
Inert ingredients are carriers for the active ingredient. For example an insecticide dust may contain .5% active ingredient and 99.5% clay dust.
True.
A General Use Pesticide can be sold to the general public because it does not pose a large risk to the public.
True. General Use Pesticides are widely available to everyone.
A Restricted Use Pesticide has a high potential to harm the public and can only be sold to people with a pesticide license.
The ISDA has the right to classify a pesticide as “Restricted Use” in the State of Idaho even if the EPA has classified it as a “General Use.”
True.
A certain active ingredient has a chemical compound name and one accepted common chemical name, but may be in products with several different trade/brand
names.
True.
If you notice a pesticide bottle is missing it’s label you should store the damaged bottle with a new bottle with the same label to avoid confusion.
False. Order a replacement label from the manufacturer.
There are six major components to IPM (integrated pest management)
1. Pest identification
2. Monitoring pest numbers and damage
3. Guidelines for when management is needed
4. Prevention
5. Combining biological/cultural/physical/mechanical and chemical control
6. Assessing your results
True.
Pest monitoring should be done along field borders, doorways and other natural boundaries where pests hide.
False. Monitoring should be random to make sure you get a good idea of pest populations.
Pest monitoring can be impacted by temperature. The “degree-day” or “heat unit” approach will help you choose the right time of year or time of day for monitoring.
True. Monitoring for ant activity in January will give very different results compared to July.
The Economic Injury Level or Economic Threshold helps you compare the cost of pest damage to the cost of pest control. When you reach that level it makes sense to control the pest vs doing nothing.
True. For example, losing 1% of your crop to insects may be acceptable but losing 10% of your crop may be more expensive than hiring a pest control applicator to spray your field. You’ve reached the Economic Threshold to take action.
The Aesthetic Injury Level or Aesthetic Threshold for each pest can be looked up in a table on the ISDA website.
False. Aesthetic Injury is very subjective and based on the whims of the customer. A lady who sees one ant in her kitchen may want the entire house fumigated. As a pesticide applicator we must educate customers and use IPM best practices to prevent over-applying pesticides.
One of the earliest uses of chemicals as a pesticide was the burning of sulfur.
True.
Cultivation and pruning plants are considered natural pest control methods.
False. Rain, wind, sunshine, heat and other naturally occurring changes in climate are considered natural pest control. Example: Every winter wasps are no longer a problem due to the cold.
All pesticides kill only the target pests.
False.
The goal of all pest management programs is to eradicate the pest.
False.
Fertilizer is considered a pesticide in the State of Idaho.
False.
A systemic pesticide is absorbed into the plant and moved around through the root and leaves. This process is known as translocation.
True. Systemic insecticides provide coverage on the entire plant, not just the leaves it’s applied to.
DDT, a World War II pesticide that was incredibly effective, was banned because it did not break down quickly. It was persistent and built up in animals.
True.
Piscicides control spiders.
False. Piscicides control fish.
Herbicides are pesticides.
True.
DDT was one of the first synthetic organic pesticides.
True.
Organophosphates, carbamates, and chlorinated hydrocarbons and pyrethriods are all synthetic organic insecticides.
True.
Acaricides control rodents.
False. Acaricides control mites and spiders.
Phytotoxic chemicals are toxic to plants.
True. Herbicides are a type of phytotoxic chemical. The products prevent the plant from photosynthesis and the plant dies.
Fungicides are more effective in large, active fungus colonies.
False. Fungicides are best for young plants and preventing fungus.
Nematicides are usually fumigants. They control nematodes.
True.
There are two main types of rodenticide; anticoagulants and acute compounds.
True.
Anticoagulants typically take longer to work and require several feedings.
Acute compounds work for fast knockdown but are more toxic and dangerous.
Growth regulators, defoliants and desiccants are not pesticides but they are regulated as pesticides in the State of Idaho.
True.
Wood preservatives/pressure-treated wood are generally considered safe for use as firewood.
False. Wood preservatives/pressure-treated wood are resistant to fungus and insects. The treatment makes them unsafe to burn. Wear PPE when sawing it.
Synthetic organic insecticides include chlorinated hydrocarbons.
True.
The four routes of pesticide exposure are:
1. Skin (dermal)
2. Lungs (inhalation)
3. Mouth (oral)
4. Genital transfer
False. The four ways pesticides enter the body are:
1. Skin (dermal)
2. Lungs (inhalation)
3. Mouth (oral)
4. Eyes
Your scrotum and your head absorb pesticide easily. But it’s a type of skin exposure.
Lung inhalation is the most common route of entry for pesticide poisonings.
False. Skin absorption is about 97% of all exposures.
It takes an average of 3 exposures to an acutely toxic product to have a harmful effect.
False. Products are considered acutely toxic if they are harmful with just one exposure.
A product with an LD50 of 2 MG/KG is more toxic than a product with an LD50 of 10 KG/MG.
True. The LOWER the number, the HIGHER the toxicity.
This is because it takes a small amount to be toxic.
It’s best to scrub your skin vigorously if it’s been exposed to a pesticide.
False. Gently rinse your skin and follow label instructions.
If a person ingests a pesticide you should induce vomiting immediately
False. Read the label. Vomiting is often non recommended.
Organophosphates are responsible for most pesticide poisonings.
True. It impacts the nervous system:
- Headache/dizziness
- Trouble breathing
- Nausea
- Pale/sweating
- Pupils that don’t respond to light
If you regularly work with organophosphates you can have your blood tested regularly to monitor your “Cholinesterase” exposure levels.
True. Blood tests look for Cholinesterase.
There are antidotes for organophosphate exposure.
True
Toxic and hazardous are synonyms.
False.
Toxicity = The potential to cause harm. Is this product poisonous?
Hazard = The likelihood to cause harm. How is it applied?
Because of the protective nature of eye tissues, very little pesticide that contacts the eyes is actually absorbed.
False. Eyes absorb a lot of pesticide.
Symptoms of pesticide poisoning always occur immediately after exposure
False. Symptoms may be immediate or delayed.
Chronic toxicity from a pesticide is from small, repeated exposure over time.
True.
The lungs are the quickest and most direct route of pesticide exposure
True.
Rubber raincoats and aprons may be necessary when mixing and applying highly toxic chemicals.
True
A leather or cloth hat is great for protecting your head while mixing pesticides.
False. Leather/cloth absorbs pesticides and cannot be cleaned easily. Your PPE should be easily cleaned with soap and water or disposable.
Respirators should be NIOSH or MSHA approved.
True.
Both of these agencies approve respirators:
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
- Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)
If breathing through your respirator becomes difficult or you begin to smell pesticides through your mask, you likely need to replace the filter
True
UNlined rubber is best for gloves and boost since cotton linings can absorb pesticides
True.
Clean protective equipment and clothing should be kept with pesticides in the locked pesticide storage area.
False. Store clean PPE away from pesticides
Pesticide-contaminated clothing should be washed separately from the family laundry in hot water with laundry detergent.
True. Do not use bleach!
Backsiphoning occurs when a pesticide mixture in a tank is sucked back up the water hose. Prevent this by using an anti-backflow device, keeping the hose above the water level in the tank, and watching closely as you fill.
True.
Waste rinse water from mixing pesticides is called “rinsate.” It can be disposed of in two ways:
1. Add it to the tank for a future pesticide application
2. Diluting it down with more water and spraying it over the current treatment area
True
It’s best to mix large amounts of pesticide at once so you don’t have to mix them as often.
False. Only mix the amount you need.
A closed handling system allows the applicator to open a pesticide container, rinse
it, and transfer the pesticide and rinsewater to the spray tank without contacting the pesticide.
True. They can greatly reduce exposure to pesticides
Pesticide storage requires a 6ft fence and highly visible warning signs. No smoking signs should be posted.
True.
If a nozzle becomes clogged while spraying you should move to an untreated area and use a soft brush to clean the nozzle.
True.
A well lighted storage area with lots of direct sun is best for pesticide storage
False. Keep pesticides out of direct light.
Shipping unused pesticides to the EPA is the best way to dispose of unwanted products.
False. Use it in a way consistent with the label. If you can’t use it, give it back to the distributor or find another applicator in your area who needs it.
Triple rinsing is the best way to clean an empty pesticide container. Always collect the rinsewater
True.
Hosing pesticides down a storm drain is the best way to clean up a spill.
False.
- Do not leave spills unattended
- Keep pesticides out of waterways
- Absorb the liquid with your spill kit, scoop the materials, and treat as pesticide waste
Application records should be kept for no less than 2 years
True
To control a pesticide spill:
1. Keep people at least 30 ft away
2. Call the Idaho emergency response commission
3. Use a shovel or rake to make a dam out of dirt and stop the flow and protect water sources!
4. Absorb the spill with a spill kit
5. Clean your equipment and clothing
True
Wind speed of 10 mph or more are likely to cause drift
True
The riskiest time of day for pesticide drift is noon, when the sun is hottest and creates a temperature inversion.
False.
Temperature inversion happens in early evening or early morning because air at ground level is cooler than the air up high. This temperature difference creates a lot of air movement and the potential for drift.
Volitization is when a pesticide turns into a gas. Hot weather makes volitization more likely.
True.
Adsorption and Absorption are the same thing
False.
Adsorption: When a pesticide molecule binds to soil.
Absorption: When a plant sucks up a pesticide.
Adsorption is most common in soil that’s full of clay and compost.
True. Clay-like soil sucks up pesticides. Coarse, sandy soil does not adsorb as much.
The risk of pesticide runoff is highest if an application is done right before it rains.
True.
Leaching and runoff are both common ways for pesticides to enter waterways.
True.
- Runoff: When a pesticide rolls on the top of the soil
- Leaching: When a pesticide sucks down through the soil
Pesticide leaching is common in clay-like soil.
False. Clay-like soil adsorbs pesticides. It sucks the pesticide in and doesn’t allow it to move through the soil into the water below. Leaching is more common in coarse, sandy soil.
Microbial degredation is when fungi and bacteria eat the pesticide
True
Chemical degredation is when a pesticide breaks down over time
True
Photodegredation is when a pesticide breaks down the plant it was applied to.
False. Photodegredation is when the pesticide itself breaks down in sunlight and becomes less effective
Runoff is usually more likely from a water-saturated soil
than from an unsaturated soil.
True. The soil can’t adsorb any more water and the pesticide just rolls right over it and spreads.
The water table sits above ground and is visible to the naked eye.
False. The water table is the upper-level of the water zone that’s underground. We access it via wells. The water we see in rivers, lakes, and streams is called surface water.
It is very difficult to clean/purify ground water that is contaminated with pesticides
True
Leaching is the main way pesticides reach ground water
True
Pesticide properties have little if any effect on whether a chemical will reach groundwater.
False
Dust formulations are the safest type of product for bees.
False. Avoid dusts to keep pollinators safe.
Fish kills most commonly result from pollution of water by insecticides.
True
Drift can be reduced by spraying downwind of a sensitive area and leaving
an untreated border
True
Agricultural sprays that have the potential to harm bees should be done at midday.
False. During the times crops and/or weeds are in bloom, pesticide applications that
are toxic to bees may only be made from three hours before sunset until three hours
after sunrise
Directed-spray maximizes coverage of the target organism and minimizes coverage to the protected plant or animal.
True
Foliar applications are those applications that spray solutions are injected into the ground and are trans located to the foliage
False
Cut stump treatments are injections of pesticides made directly into a tree
False. Cut-stump treatments are applied immediately after the tree is cut down
A stopwatch is needed to properly calibrate the delivery rate of a large spray rig.
True. You should also use flags to mark out the area and have accurate measuring devices. You will likely need a calculator.
The two most important variables in sprayer output are:
- Nozzle flow rate
- Ground speed of the sprayer
True
Doubling the sprayer’s pressure will double the flow rate
False. Changing nozzle tips will change the flow rate.
Band treatments usually require less actual pesticide applied per acre when compared to broadcast treatments.
True
Chemigation is the application of fertilizer or pesticide through sprinklers, gravity drip irrigation, or well irrigation systems.
True.
Early season weed control is a great use case for a low-pressure hydraulic sprayer
True
A high-pressure hydraulic sprayer is great for spot applications (not broad applications)
True
An air-blast sprayer would work well for a fungicide treatment on a fruit orchard.
True
It is always a good idea to operate a pump dry for a few minutes to completely drain any liquid out of the sprayer system.
False
Plastic nozzles can be dissolved easily and should not be used with solvents. Use brass or ceramic instead
True
