STRUCTURAL PEST CONTROL BOARD APPLICATORS EXAM QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE 2025/2026
What are the identifying features of a female black widow spider? - Answers Glossy black, globe
-like abdomen with a deep red hour glass on her stomach.
What are the identifying features of a black widow web? - Answers It is irregular with no distinct
pattern and very strong in comparison to most other spiders.
What does the term 'Ballooning' mean? - Answers When spiderlings (newly hatched spiders)
climb to a high place, spin a piece of web, throw it out into the breeze and float away.
What are chelicera? - Answers Fangs of a spider.
What color is a male black widow spider? - Answers Brown
What is the Toxicity Category 1 signal word? And what does it signify? - Answers Danger. It
signifies 'Highly Toxic'.
Danger LD50 = 0 -50
What is the Toxicity Category 2 signal word? And what does it signify? - Answers Warning. It
signifies 'Moderately Toxic'.
Warning LD50=50-500
What is the Toxicity Category 3 signal word? And what does it signify? - Answers Caution. It
signifies 'Slightly Toxic'.
Caution LD50= 500-5000
What is the Toxicity Category 4 signal word? And what does it signify? - Answers No signal word
is required. It signifies 'Relatively Non-toxic'.
What are the 11 key parts of a pesticide label? - Answers 1. Classification of pesticide use
2. Product name
3. Type of formulation
4. Ingredient statement
5. Net contents of container
,6. Signal word
7. Name of manufacturing company
8. EPA registration and establishment numbers
9. Directions for use
10. Hazard Statement
11. Storage and disposal information.
What species of recluse spider is found in the Southwest? - Answers The Desert Recluse
What are the identifying features of a recluse spider? - Answers Brown with a violin shape
behind its head. Usually found in dark places; wood piles, under rocks, closets and stored boxes.
What is the largest native spider in the U.S.? - Answers The Tarantula
What does Tarantula mean? - Answers Big, hairy spider
How does a tarantula live? - Answers They live in burrows or gaps under rocks. They will often
utilize an abandoned rodent hole which they will at least partially line with silk.
What is the most persistent and troublesome ant that invades houses? - Answers The Argentine
Ant.
What are some identifying features of an argentine ant colony? - Answers Argentine ants live in
shallow galleries in the ground, often only a few inches deep.
One colony will have multiple queens.
They feed off of aphid honeydew, and will often defend the aphids.
What are some identifying features of the imported fire ant and of the black fire ant? - Answers
Usually found to live in large mounds in fields, woodlands and other open spaces.
Will eat pretty much anything organic; other insects, seeds, fruits, meats, vegetables, flowers,
honeydew, etc.
One prominent queen.
,Have a stinger and can bite.
Very hostile to other ants.
What are the identifying features of a Wolf Spider? - Answers Large, hairy spider.
Had three rows of eyes when most other spiders have two rows.
Three tiny claws on the end of each leg
Will prey on their victims instead of weaving webs. Will even prey on black widows.
Can inflict serious bites on humans.
What are the identifying features of a Orb Weaver Spider? - Answers The spider is know to have
beautiful spoke-patterned webs you see hanging between trees or shrubs.
They are medium to large-sized, with a body of about a half-inch to an inch.
There are many kinds of web (or orb) weaver spiders, most have a large abdomen and fairly
long legs. They range in body size up to about an inch, and many have color markings. At least
two varieties can inflict bites on humans, notably the Common Orb Weaver and the Jeweled
Araneus.
What are the identifying features of a Funnel Spider? - Answers It is know to builds its web in a
funnel shape.
The spider hides at the back of the funnel when disturbed. They actually prey upon the Black
Widow Spider along with other insects on the ground.
What are some identifying features of the thief ant? - Answers Tiny, pale brownish ant.
, Eats meats, cheeses, grease foods, and other dead insects.
Nest in galleries in dirt. Often very near another colony of ants so they can raid and steal food
from the other colony (hence the name).
They will build colonies in houses; walls, cupboards, cracks and crevices.
They can host diseases and tapeworms which can be an additional problem for humans.
What are some identifying features of the velvety tree ant? - Answers Red and black in color.
Abdomen appears velvety.
Colonies live in trees, old stumps, and underground.
Found in foothill and mountain areas, and they will invade homes.
Will commonly tend to aphids
Will bring dead insects and other food back their nests.
Will bite and inject poison into the wound.
What some identifying features of the odorous house ant? - Answers Very small, brown to black
in color.
Rotten coconut- like smell when crushed.
Nest just about anywhere, under stones, pavement, inside houses.
ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE 2025/2026
What are the identifying features of a female black widow spider? - Answers Glossy black, globe
-like abdomen with a deep red hour glass on her stomach.
What are the identifying features of a black widow web? - Answers It is irregular with no distinct
pattern and very strong in comparison to most other spiders.
What does the term 'Ballooning' mean? - Answers When spiderlings (newly hatched spiders)
climb to a high place, spin a piece of web, throw it out into the breeze and float away.
What are chelicera? - Answers Fangs of a spider.
What color is a male black widow spider? - Answers Brown
What is the Toxicity Category 1 signal word? And what does it signify? - Answers Danger. It
signifies 'Highly Toxic'.
Danger LD50 = 0 -50
What is the Toxicity Category 2 signal word? And what does it signify? - Answers Warning. It
signifies 'Moderately Toxic'.
Warning LD50=50-500
What is the Toxicity Category 3 signal word? And what does it signify? - Answers Caution. It
signifies 'Slightly Toxic'.
Caution LD50= 500-5000
What is the Toxicity Category 4 signal word? And what does it signify? - Answers No signal word
is required. It signifies 'Relatively Non-toxic'.
What are the 11 key parts of a pesticide label? - Answers 1. Classification of pesticide use
2. Product name
3. Type of formulation
4. Ingredient statement
5. Net contents of container
,6. Signal word
7. Name of manufacturing company
8. EPA registration and establishment numbers
9. Directions for use
10. Hazard Statement
11. Storage and disposal information.
What species of recluse spider is found in the Southwest? - Answers The Desert Recluse
What are the identifying features of a recluse spider? - Answers Brown with a violin shape
behind its head. Usually found in dark places; wood piles, under rocks, closets and stored boxes.
What is the largest native spider in the U.S.? - Answers The Tarantula
What does Tarantula mean? - Answers Big, hairy spider
How does a tarantula live? - Answers They live in burrows or gaps under rocks. They will often
utilize an abandoned rodent hole which they will at least partially line with silk.
What is the most persistent and troublesome ant that invades houses? - Answers The Argentine
Ant.
What are some identifying features of an argentine ant colony? - Answers Argentine ants live in
shallow galleries in the ground, often only a few inches deep.
One colony will have multiple queens.
They feed off of aphid honeydew, and will often defend the aphids.
What are some identifying features of the imported fire ant and of the black fire ant? - Answers
Usually found to live in large mounds in fields, woodlands and other open spaces.
Will eat pretty much anything organic; other insects, seeds, fruits, meats, vegetables, flowers,
honeydew, etc.
One prominent queen.
,Have a stinger and can bite.
Very hostile to other ants.
What are the identifying features of a Wolf Spider? - Answers Large, hairy spider.
Had three rows of eyes when most other spiders have two rows.
Three tiny claws on the end of each leg
Will prey on their victims instead of weaving webs. Will even prey on black widows.
Can inflict serious bites on humans.
What are the identifying features of a Orb Weaver Spider? - Answers The spider is know to have
beautiful spoke-patterned webs you see hanging between trees or shrubs.
They are medium to large-sized, with a body of about a half-inch to an inch.
There are many kinds of web (or orb) weaver spiders, most have a large abdomen and fairly
long legs. They range in body size up to about an inch, and many have color markings. At least
two varieties can inflict bites on humans, notably the Common Orb Weaver and the Jeweled
Araneus.
What are the identifying features of a Funnel Spider? - Answers It is know to builds its web in a
funnel shape.
The spider hides at the back of the funnel when disturbed. They actually prey upon the Black
Widow Spider along with other insects on the ground.
What are some identifying features of the thief ant? - Answers Tiny, pale brownish ant.
, Eats meats, cheeses, grease foods, and other dead insects.
Nest in galleries in dirt. Often very near another colony of ants so they can raid and steal food
from the other colony (hence the name).
They will build colonies in houses; walls, cupboards, cracks and crevices.
They can host diseases and tapeworms which can be an additional problem for humans.
What are some identifying features of the velvety tree ant? - Answers Red and black in color.
Abdomen appears velvety.
Colonies live in trees, old stumps, and underground.
Found in foothill and mountain areas, and they will invade homes.
Will commonly tend to aphids
Will bring dead insects and other food back their nests.
Will bite and inject poison into the wound.
What some identifying features of the odorous house ant? - Answers Very small, brown to black
in color.
Rotten coconut- like smell when crushed.
Nest just about anywhere, under stones, pavement, inside houses.
