Wisconsin Structural Pest Control Learning Objectives
Questions with Well Elaborated Solutions
Describe the structural features of insects - Answer three regions: head, thorax, abdomen. three pairs
attached to thorax. wings differ from 0 to 2. one pair of antenna on head
explain how to distinguish insects from other arthropods - Answer spiders, mites, etc. have two body
regions: a fused head and thorax, and abdomen; four pairs of legs attached to head/thorax region; no
wings; no antennae; has an exoskeleton
describe the kinds of damage arthropod pests can cause - Answer feed on stored products; contaminate
raw and processed commodities; weaken structural timbers; damage furniture, carpeting, and clothing;
carry pathogens that cause disease in people and animals; create a nuisance; cause anxiety and reduce
quality of life
simple metamorphosis - Answer three stages: egg, nymph, and adult. must molt because exoskeleton
cannot enlarge
complete metamorphosis - Answer four stages: egg, larva, pupa (cocoon), and adult
list of common species of cockroaches you might find in Wisconsin - Answer german, brown-banded,
oriental , american, australian, and wood
treatment methods for cockroach control - Answer IGR (insect growth regulators), baits, crack-and-
crevice, and spraying
IGR (insect growth regulators) - Answer synthetic chemicals designed to mimic the activity of natural
insect hormones. affects
list the ant species - Answer carpenter, larger yellow or citronella, thief or grease, pavement, cornfield,
and pharoah
,list the ant species for which baits do or do not provide effective control - Answer pharaoh, thief,
worker, and fire ants
describe how you would make an effective perimeter treatment for ants - Answer spray under sliding
door frames, cracks and crevices. seal door frames
describe how to treat both outdoor and indoor ant nests - Answer outdoor: use enough liquids to
drench the material down into the nest. indoor: dusting cracks and crevices, spraying liquids also works
carpenter ant control - Answer find the main nesting colony and kill the queen. use perimeter treatment
to keep the ants outside
specify where to concentrate flea control efforts in the animal's environment - Answer eat and sleep
areas, wash animal. focus on where the pet spends most of its time, vacuum and cleaning up their area.
check chimneys, attics, and crawl spaces if no animal is a pet
list the advantages of IGRs and describe how they fit into a flea management program - Answer IGRs
prevent fleas from developing and hatching, they also have low human and animal toxicity
describe the limitations of aerosols, flea "bombs," ultrasonic devices, and flea traps - Answer these
materials can cause explosions or fires if access fumes build up in enclosed areas, they won't penetrate
through furniture or other items
outline the key to effective control of flies and food pests - Answer find and eliminate food source, short
term bomb
describe the options for controlling powder post beetle infestations - Answer surface-treat the infested
wood with pesticide. spray or paint borates onto exposed surfaces
describe what can make perimeter treatments for occasional invaders especially effective and why some
treatments fail - Answer treating cracks and openings around windows, plumbing, doors, spaces
between the foundation and siding are effective. Some treatments may fail because some insects might
have gotten past the perimeter treatment before you applied it
, describe the life cycle of bed bugs and the importance of proper inspection - Answer individual bed bugs
can lay 200 to 250 eggs in her lifetime. The eggs hatch in about 6 to 10 days. Adults live for about 2 to 4
months. If you don't properly inspect for bed bugs, then the infestation will not be controlled
describe some control methods for bed bugs including limitations of chemical control - Answer
temperature below freezing or heat treatments. non-repellant products are primarily used
list physical differences between the Norway rat - Answer weighs 7-17 ounces, 12-18 inches long, tail is
5-8 inches, ears are close set, short, thick with short fine hairs, hind foot over an inch, 12 teats on
female, grayish belly fur
physical differences of the house mouse - Answer weighs 0.5-1 ounce, 5-8 inches long, tail is 2-4 inches,
ears are large relative to head with some hairs, hind foot is under 3/4 inch, 10 teats on females,
brownish belly fur
distinguish the physical differences of a deer or white-footed mice - Answer weighs 0.4-1.25 ounces, 5-
8.5 inches long, tail is 2-4 inches, ears are equal to body length and sharply bi-colored: darker above,
paler below, larger ears and eyes than house mouse, females have 6 teats, whitish belly fur, white feet
explain how rodent signs can provide clues to the species, size, and vitality of a rodent population -
Answer droppings can show you what kind of rodent it is, marks along the wall can help identify the
relative size of populations and activity level, tracks can help identify the species of rodents present,
burrows can show recent activity, and gnawing marks can also help identify the species
outline the range and limitations of rodents' senses and how they can influence management practices -
Answer rodents have an acute sense of smell, rodents have highly developed taste, because they are
nocturnal their sense of touch is important, rodents have good hearing and react to sound, rodents are
very sensitive to light and have poor vision
describe some of the physical abilities of rodents - Answer walk horizontal wires and pipes, climb vines,
shrubs, trees, brick, or other rough exterior walls, climb inside vertical pipes with inside diameter, climb
outside vertical pipes with outside diameter up to 3 inches, reach up to 18 inches, jump vertically 3 feet
from a flat surface
Questions with Well Elaborated Solutions
Describe the structural features of insects - Answer three regions: head, thorax, abdomen. three pairs
attached to thorax. wings differ from 0 to 2. one pair of antenna on head
explain how to distinguish insects from other arthropods - Answer spiders, mites, etc. have two body
regions: a fused head and thorax, and abdomen; four pairs of legs attached to head/thorax region; no
wings; no antennae; has an exoskeleton
describe the kinds of damage arthropod pests can cause - Answer feed on stored products; contaminate
raw and processed commodities; weaken structural timbers; damage furniture, carpeting, and clothing;
carry pathogens that cause disease in people and animals; create a nuisance; cause anxiety and reduce
quality of life
simple metamorphosis - Answer three stages: egg, nymph, and adult. must molt because exoskeleton
cannot enlarge
complete metamorphosis - Answer four stages: egg, larva, pupa (cocoon), and adult
list of common species of cockroaches you might find in Wisconsin - Answer german, brown-banded,
oriental , american, australian, and wood
treatment methods for cockroach control - Answer IGR (insect growth regulators), baits, crack-and-
crevice, and spraying
IGR (insect growth regulators) - Answer synthetic chemicals designed to mimic the activity of natural
insect hormones. affects
list the ant species - Answer carpenter, larger yellow or citronella, thief or grease, pavement, cornfield,
and pharoah
,list the ant species for which baits do or do not provide effective control - Answer pharaoh, thief,
worker, and fire ants
describe how you would make an effective perimeter treatment for ants - Answer spray under sliding
door frames, cracks and crevices. seal door frames
describe how to treat both outdoor and indoor ant nests - Answer outdoor: use enough liquids to
drench the material down into the nest. indoor: dusting cracks and crevices, spraying liquids also works
carpenter ant control - Answer find the main nesting colony and kill the queen. use perimeter treatment
to keep the ants outside
specify where to concentrate flea control efforts in the animal's environment - Answer eat and sleep
areas, wash animal. focus on where the pet spends most of its time, vacuum and cleaning up their area.
check chimneys, attics, and crawl spaces if no animal is a pet
list the advantages of IGRs and describe how they fit into a flea management program - Answer IGRs
prevent fleas from developing and hatching, they also have low human and animal toxicity
describe the limitations of aerosols, flea "bombs," ultrasonic devices, and flea traps - Answer these
materials can cause explosions or fires if access fumes build up in enclosed areas, they won't penetrate
through furniture or other items
outline the key to effective control of flies and food pests - Answer find and eliminate food source, short
term bomb
describe the options for controlling powder post beetle infestations - Answer surface-treat the infested
wood with pesticide. spray or paint borates onto exposed surfaces
describe what can make perimeter treatments for occasional invaders especially effective and why some
treatments fail - Answer treating cracks and openings around windows, plumbing, doors, spaces
between the foundation and siding are effective. Some treatments may fail because some insects might
have gotten past the perimeter treatment before you applied it
, describe the life cycle of bed bugs and the importance of proper inspection - Answer individual bed bugs
can lay 200 to 250 eggs in her lifetime. The eggs hatch in about 6 to 10 days. Adults live for about 2 to 4
months. If you don't properly inspect for bed bugs, then the infestation will not be controlled
describe some control methods for bed bugs including limitations of chemical control - Answer
temperature below freezing or heat treatments. non-repellant products are primarily used
list physical differences between the Norway rat - Answer weighs 7-17 ounces, 12-18 inches long, tail is
5-8 inches, ears are close set, short, thick with short fine hairs, hind foot over an inch, 12 teats on
female, grayish belly fur
physical differences of the house mouse - Answer weighs 0.5-1 ounce, 5-8 inches long, tail is 2-4 inches,
ears are large relative to head with some hairs, hind foot is under 3/4 inch, 10 teats on females,
brownish belly fur
distinguish the physical differences of a deer or white-footed mice - Answer weighs 0.4-1.25 ounces, 5-
8.5 inches long, tail is 2-4 inches, ears are equal to body length and sharply bi-colored: darker above,
paler below, larger ears and eyes than house mouse, females have 6 teats, whitish belly fur, white feet
explain how rodent signs can provide clues to the species, size, and vitality of a rodent population -
Answer droppings can show you what kind of rodent it is, marks along the wall can help identify the
relative size of populations and activity level, tracks can help identify the species of rodents present,
burrows can show recent activity, and gnawing marks can also help identify the species
outline the range and limitations of rodents' senses and how they can influence management practices -
Answer rodents have an acute sense of smell, rodents have highly developed taste, because they are
nocturnal their sense of touch is important, rodents have good hearing and react to sound, rodents are
very sensitive to light and have poor vision
describe some of the physical abilities of rodents - Answer walk horizontal wires and pipes, climb vines,
shrubs, trees, brick, or other rough exterior walls, climb inside vertical pipes with inside diameter, climb
outside vertical pipes with outside diameter up to 3 inches, reach up to 18 inches, jump vertically 3 feet
from a flat surface
