VIRGINIA COMMERCIAL PESTICIDE APPLICATORS CORE
EXAM STUDY GUIDE LATEST VERSION 2026
Explain the difference between key pests, occasional pests and secondary pests -ANSWER-
Key pests are nearly always present and require regular control. occasional pests are
migratory or cyclical and require intermittent control. secondary pests require control only
under certain conditions, such as the elimination of a key pest or the absence of a natural
host.
what should you do first if you see damage to a plant, animal, or valuable product -ANSWER-
identify the cause
what should you do first if you discover a pest that may need to be controlled? -ANSWER-
make sure the pest is actually responsible for the damage. then accurately identify the pest
how can pest identification help you develop a good pest control strategy? -ANSWER-it
allows you to determine basic information about the pest, including its life-cycle and when it
is most susceptible to control measures.
name the 5 basic pest groups -ANSWER-weeds, parasites and diseases, mollusks,
arthropods, and vertebrates.
why do weeds present such a challenge to pest managers? -ANSWER-weeds are often hardy,
aggressive, and tolerant of harsh conditions. many produce large numbers of seeds which
can spread over a wide area and remain dormant for a long time.
how can you tell a monocot from a dicot? -ANSWER-monocots (sedges and grasses) have
one cotyledon, parallel leaf veins, flower parts in multiples of 3 and fibrous roots. Dicots
have 2 cotyledons, broad leaves with netted veination, and flower parts in multiples of 4 and
5 and usually have taproots.
, name the pathogens that cause most plant and animal diseases -ANSWER-fungi, bacteria,
mycoplasma, and viruses
what are the symptoms of viral plant diseases -ANSWER-stunting, yellow rings on leaves,
wilting, and mosaic patterns
how do plant parasitic nematodes harm plants? -ANSWER-by attacking the roots, stems and
leaves. nematode root feeding interferes with a plants ability to take up water and nutrients.
infected plants wilt and seem to be suffering from a lack of water or nutrients.
how do mollusks harm plants? -ANSWER-by feeding on foliage and fruit. mollusks reduce the
value of commercial produce if they feed on harvested plants and fruit.
what are arthropods? how do they differ from vertebrates? -ANSWER-arthropods are
animals with segmented bodies and jointed appendages. Arthropods have an external
skeleton and may have specialized appendages such as sucking tubes, chewing mouth parts,
antennae, and pincers. they have no backbones like vertebrates
what is the difference between gradual and complete metamorphosis? why is it important
to know the life cycle stage of an insect? -ANSWER-gradual metamorphosis includes 3
stages: egg, nymph and adult. there is no pupa stage. complete metamorphosis includes 4
stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. insects that develop via complete metamorphosis change
body form. larvae may not look at all like adults within the same species.it is very important
to recognize the damaging stage for best treatment results. many insect are pests in one
stage but not another. especially larval form.
what are beneficial insects? and why are they important to agriculture? -ANSWER-insects
that are pollinators (bees and butterflies) or pest predators (ladybeetles and lacewings). with
out pollinators many types of plants could not reproduce and beneficial predators feed on
harmful insects, mites, and weeds.
how do mites harm plants? -ANSWER-They suck the plant juices, eat the underside of leaves,
and disfigure the plants they feed on.
EXAM STUDY GUIDE LATEST VERSION 2026
Explain the difference between key pests, occasional pests and secondary pests -ANSWER-
Key pests are nearly always present and require regular control. occasional pests are
migratory or cyclical and require intermittent control. secondary pests require control only
under certain conditions, such as the elimination of a key pest or the absence of a natural
host.
what should you do first if you see damage to a plant, animal, or valuable product -ANSWER-
identify the cause
what should you do first if you discover a pest that may need to be controlled? -ANSWER-
make sure the pest is actually responsible for the damage. then accurately identify the pest
how can pest identification help you develop a good pest control strategy? -ANSWER-it
allows you to determine basic information about the pest, including its life-cycle and when it
is most susceptible to control measures.
name the 5 basic pest groups -ANSWER-weeds, parasites and diseases, mollusks,
arthropods, and vertebrates.
why do weeds present such a challenge to pest managers? -ANSWER-weeds are often hardy,
aggressive, and tolerant of harsh conditions. many produce large numbers of seeds which
can spread over a wide area and remain dormant for a long time.
how can you tell a monocot from a dicot? -ANSWER-monocots (sedges and grasses) have
one cotyledon, parallel leaf veins, flower parts in multiples of 3 and fibrous roots. Dicots
have 2 cotyledons, broad leaves with netted veination, and flower parts in multiples of 4 and
5 and usually have taproots.
, name the pathogens that cause most plant and animal diseases -ANSWER-fungi, bacteria,
mycoplasma, and viruses
what are the symptoms of viral plant diseases -ANSWER-stunting, yellow rings on leaves,
wilting, and mosaic patterns
how do plant parasitic nematodes harm plants? -ANSWER-by attacking the roots, stems and
leaves. nematode root feeding interferes with a plants ability to take up water and nutrients.
infected plants wilt and seem to be suffering from a lack of water or nutrients.
how do mollusks harm plants? -ANSWER-by feeding on foliage and fruit. mollusks reduce the
value of commercial produce if they feed on harvested plants and fruit.
what are arthropods? how do they differ from vertebrates? -ANSWER-arthropods are
animals with segmented bodies and jointed appendages. Arthropods have an external
skeleton and may have specialized appendages such as sucking tubes, chewing mouth parts,
antennae, and pincers. they have no backbones like vertebrates
what is the difference between gradual and complete metamorphosis? why is it important
to know the life cycle stage of an insect? -ANSWER-gradual metamorphosis includes 3
stages: egg, nymph and adult. there is no pupa stage. complete metamorphosis includes 4
stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. insects that develop via complete metamorphosis change
body form. larvae may not look at all like adults within the same species.it is very important
to recognize the damaging stage for best treatment results. many insect are pests in one
stage but not another. especially larval form.
what are beneficial insects? and why are they important to agriculture? -ANSWER-insects
that are pollinators (bees and butterflies) or pest predators (ladybeetles and lacewings). with
out pollinators many types of plants could not reproduce and beneficial predators feed on
harmful insects, mites, and weeds.
how do mites harm plants? -ANSWER-They suck the plant juices, eat the underside of leaves,
and disfigure the plants they feed on.
