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NYC Commercial Pesticide Applicator Category 7A
– Structural and Rodent Control exam COMPLETE
QUESTIONS AND DETAILED SOLUTIONS LATEST
UPDATE THIS YEAR-JUST RELEASED
NYC Commercial Pesticide Applicator Category 7A – Structural and Rodent Control exam
SUMMARIZED EXAM TOPIC COVERAGE (Point Form)
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM): prevention, monitoring, action thresholds, combination of
chemical/non-chemical methods
• Rodent identification & biology: Norway rat, roof rat, house mouse – habits, nesting
preferences, lifespan, reproduction, signs (droppings, gnaw marks, rub marks, burrows)
• Rodent control methods: bait stations (tamper-resistant), anticoagulants (1st & 2nd generation),
acute toxicants (zinc phosphide), snap traps, glue boards, tracking powder, exclusion
• Structural pests: termites (subterranean, drywood), carpenter ants, cockroaches (German,
American, Oriental), bed bugs, silverfish, stored product pests, fabric pests
• Pesticide safety & regulations: FIFRA, 6 NYCRR Part 325, signal words (Danger, Warning,
Caution), PPE, label comprehension, storage, disposal, recordkeeping
• Application methods: dusts for wall voids, baits, perimeter treatments, non-repellent
insecticides, insect growth regulators (IGRs)
• Vertebrate pests: birds (pigeons, starlings, sparrows), bats, squirrels – control methods,
regulations
• Pest identification & signs: frass, mud tubes, galleries, blood spots, shed skins, odors
• Environmental & health risks: hantavirus, leptospirosis, Lyme disease, West Nile virus, avian
influenza, allergies from cockroach allergens
• Legal & ethical responsibilities: notification requirements, inspection documentation, proper
handling of pesticides
1. A restaurant manager reports small, dark droppings and gnaw marks on food packaging in the dry
storage area. Which rodent is most likely responsible?
, Page 2 of 119
A) Norway rat
B) Roof rat
C) House mouse
D) Meadow vole
Answer: C – House mice produce small (1/8–1/4 inch) droppings and gnaw on packaging; they are
common in food storage areas.
2. During a structural inspection, you find 1/2-inch droppings with blunt ends, burrows under the
building foundation, and greasy rub marks along the baseboards. What is the most likely pest?
A) Roof rat
B) Norway rat
C) House mouse
D) Eastern chipmunk
Answer: B – Norway rats have blunt-ended droppings, burrow near foundations, and leave heavy rub
marks.
3. What is the primary reason tamper-resistant bait stations are required when using rodenticides in
accessible urban areas?
, Page 3 of 119
A) To keep bait dry and fresh longer
B) To prevent children, pets, and non-target wildlife from accessing poison
C) To reduce the amount of bait needed
D) To make the bait more attractive to rats
Answer: B – Tamper-resistant stations safeguard non-target organisms while allowing rodents to feed.
4. A customer in a high-rise apartment hears scratching sounds in the ceiling at night and finds gnawed
electrical wires. Which rodent is likely nesting in the attic?
A) Norway rat
B) Roof rat
C) House mouse
D) Vole
Answer: B – Roof rats are excellent climbers and prefer elevated nesting sites like attics and rafters.
5. An IPM program for a school cafeteria emphasizes sealing cracks and installing door sweeps before
any pesticide application. This approach primarily targets which component of pest management?
A) Chemical control
B) Biological control
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C) Exclusion
D) Monitoring
Answer: C – Exclusion physically prevents pest entry; sealing gaps is a non-chemical IPM tactic.
6. A technician finds small, reddish-brown insects with flattened bodies in the seams of a mattress. The
client reports waking up with itchy bites in a linear pattern. What is the pest?
A) Fleas
B) Bed bugs
C) Cockroach nymphs
D) Spider beetles
Answer: B – Bed bugs hide in mattress seams and leave characteristic linear bite patterns.
7. A food warehouse has a heavy infestation of German cockroaches. Which insect growth regulator
(IGR) would be most appropriate to disrupt their life cycle?
A) Bifenthrin
B) Hydramethylnon
C) Pyriproxyfen
D) Zinc phosphide
NYC Commercial Pesticide Applicator Category 7A
– Structural and Rodent Control exam COMPLETE
QUESTIONS AND DETAILED SOLUTIONS LATEST
UPDATE THIS YEAR-JUST RELEASED
NYC Commercial Pesticide Applicator Category 7A – Structural and Rodent Control exam
SUMMARIZED EXAM TOPIC COVERAGE (Point Form)
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM): prevention, monitoring, action thresholds, combination of
chemical/non-chemical methods
• Rodent identification & biology: Norway rat, roof rat, house mouse – habits, nesting
preferences, lifespan, reproduction, signs (droppings, gnaw marks, rub marks, burrows)
• Rodent control methods: bait stations (tamper-resistant), anticoagulants (1st & 2nd generation),
acute toxicants (zinc phosphide), snap traps, glue boards, tracking powder, exclusion
• Structural pests: termites (subterranean, drywood), carpenter ants, cockroaches (German,
American, Oriental), bed bugs, silverfish, stored product pests, fabric pests
• Pesticide safety & regulations: FIFRA, 6 NYCRR Part 325, signal words (Danger, Warning,
Caution), PPE, label comprehension, storage, disposal, recordkeeping
• Application methods: dusts for wall voids, baits, perimeter treatments, non-repellent
insecticides, insect growth regulators (IGRs)
• Vertebrate pests: birds (pigeons, starlings, sparrows), bats, squirrels – control methods,
regulations
• Pest identification & signs: frass, mud tubes, galleries, blood spots, shed skins, odors
• Environmental & health risks: hantavirus, leptospirosis, Lyme disease, West Nile virus, avian
influenza, allergies from cockroach allergens
• Legal & ethical responsibilities: notification requirements, inspection documentation, proper
handling of pesticides
1. A restaurant manager reports small, dark droppings and gnaw marks on food packaging in the dry
storage area. Which rodent is most likely responsible?
, Page 2 of 119
A) Norway rat
B) Roof rat
C) House mouse
D) Meadow vole
Answer: C – House mice produce small (1/8–1/4 inch) droppings and gnaw on packaging; they are
common in food storage areas.
2. During a structural inspection, you find 1/2-inch droppings with blunt ends, burrows under the
building foundation, and greasy rub marks along the baseboards. What is the most likely pest?
A) Roof rat
B) Norway rat
C) House mouse
D) Eastern chipmunk
Answer: B – Norway rats have blunt-ended droppings, burrow near foundations, and leave heavy rub
marks.
3. What is the primary reason tamper-resistant bait stations are required when using rodenticides in
accessible urban areas?
, Page 3 of 119
A) To keep bait dry and fresh longer
B) To prevent children, pets, and non-target wildlife from accessing poison
C) To reduce the amount of bait needed
D) To make the bait more attractive to rats
Answer: B – Tamper-resistant stations safeguard non-target organisms while allowing rodents to feed.
4. A customer in a high-rise apartment hears scratching sounds in the ceiling at night and finds gnawed
electrical wires. Which rodent is likely nesting in the attic?
A) Norway rat
B) Roof rat
C) House mouse
D) Vole
Answer: B – Roof rats are excellent climbers and prefer elevated nesting sites like attics and rafters.
5. An IPM program for a school cafeteria emphasizes sealing cracks and installing door sweeps before
any pesticide application. This approach primarily targets which component of pest management?
A) Chemical control
B) Biological control
, Page 4 of 119
C) Exclusion
D) Monitoring
Answer: C – Exclusion physically prevents pest entry; sealing gaps is a non-chemical IPM tactic.
6. A technician finds small, reddish-brown insects with flattened bodies in the seams of a mattress. The
client reports waking up with itchy bites in a linear pattern. What is the pest?
A) Fleas
B) Bed bugs
C) Cockroach nymphs
D) Spider beetles
Answer: B – Bed bugs hide in mattress seams and leave characteristic linear bite patterns.
7. A food warehouse has a heavy infestation of German cockroaches. Which insect growth regulator
(IGR) would be most appropriate to disrupt their life cycle?
A) Bifenthrin
B) Hydramethylnon
C) Pyriproxyfen
D) Zinc phosphide
