ILLINOIS PESTICIDE APPLICATOR EXAM SCRIPT
2026 TEST PAPER QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◉ aesthetic injury level. Answer: The number of pests that cause
enough damage to the appearance of a plant to warrant the cost of
control.
◉ scouting. Answer: The owner, grower, maintenance technician, or
a hired individual who regularly monitors pest populations and
plant or crop conditions.
◉ Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Answer: An approach to plant
protection that is recommended for efficient pest control with
minimal environmental impact
◉ cultural control. Answer: improves crop health in order to make
the crop better able to compete against pests.
examples: mulches-to control weeds, smother crops-to control
weeds growing in oats, grass or ground cover, crop rotation,
selecting resistant plants, soil preparation
◉ mechanical control. Answer: physically eliminates the pest
,-handpulling, hoeing, rotary hoeing, cultivating, mowing and aquatic
weed harvesting, pruning
◉ biological control. Answer: uses living organisms to reduce pest
populations to economically acceptable levels
-predators, parasites, pest diseases
◉ Preventive control. Answer: helps prevent the entry and spread of
pests
-quarantines, inspections, certified seed, cleaning equipment,
controlling before seed production, nutrient control
◉ chemical control. Answer: Use of pesticides or herbicides to
manage an unwanted organism(s)
-herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, repellents, fumigants
◉ pests. Answer: insects and other animals, weeds, and diseases
that may negatively impact a human goal
◉ Proleg. Answer: False leg; any appendage that serves the purpose
of a leg, as with the abdominal "legs" of caterpillars and sawflies.
◉ incomplete development/simple metamorphosis. Answer: Insects
with 3 life stages
, -egg, nymph, adult
◉ complete development. Answer: Insects with 4 life stages
-egg, larva, pupa, adult
◉ Auricles. Answer: earlike extensions from the base of the leaf base
blade around the shoot
◉ rhizome. Answer: creeping underground stem
◉ stolon. Answer: creeping aboveground stem
◉ active ingredient. Answer: part of the formulation that is effective
against the targeted pest
◉ inert ingredient. Answer: does not have a direct effect on the pest
◉ formulation. Answer: Saleable forms of a pesticide including
active and inert ingredients
◉ Soluble Powders (SP). Answer: mix with water and form a true
solution
2026 TEST PAPER QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◉ aesthetic injury level. Answer: The number of pests that cause
enough damage to the appearance of a plant to warrant the cost of
control.
◉ scouting. Answer: The owner, grower, maintenance technician, or
a hired individual who regularly monitors pest populations and
plant or crop conditions.
◉ Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Answer: An approach to plant
protection that is recommended for efficient pest control with
minimal environmental impact
◉ cultural control. Answer: improves crop health in order to make
the crop better able to compete against pests.
examples: mulches-to control weeds, smother crops-to control
weeds growing in oats, grass or ground cover, crop rotation,
selecting resistant plants, soil preparation
◉ mechanical control. Answer: physically eliminates the pest
,-handpulling, hoeing, rotary hoeing, cultivating, mowing and aquatic
weed harvesting, pruning
◉ biological control. Answer: uses living organisms to reduce pest
populations to economically acceptable levels
-predators, parasites, pest diseases
◉ Preventive control. Answer: helps prevent the entry and spread of
pests
-quarantines, inspections, certified seed, cleaning equipment,
controlling before seed production, nutrient control
◉ chemical control. Answer: Use of pesticides or herbicides to
manage an unwanted organism(s)
-herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, repellents, fumigants
◉ pests. Answer: insects and other animals, weeds, and diseases
that may negatively impact a human goal
◉ Proleg. Answer: False leg; any appendage that serves the purpose
of a leg, as with the abdominal "legs" of caterpillars and sawflies.
◉ incomplete development/simple metamorphosis. Answer: Insects
with 3 life stages
, -egg, nymph, adult
◉ complete development. Answer: Insects with 4 life stages
-egg, larva, pupa, adult
◉ Auricles. Answer: earlike extensions from the base of the leaf base
blade around the shoot
◉ rhizome. Answer: creeping underground stem
◉ stolon. Answer: creeping aboveground stem
◉ active ingredient. Answer: part of the formulation that is effective
against the targeted pest
◉ inert ingredient. Answer: does not have a direct effect on the pest
◉ formulation. Answer: Saleable forms of a pesticide including
active and inert ingredients
◉ Soluble Powders (SP). Answer: mix with water and form a true
solution
