Pest Control Technician Practice Exam

What type of pesticide is used to control pests that come into contact with it?

1. Fumigants

2. Systemics

3. Contact pesticides

4. Repellents

The correct answer is: Contact pesticides

Contact pesticides are specifically formulated to control pests that come into direct contact with them. These pesticides work by targeting the pest when it lands on or touches the treated surface. The mode of action for contact pesticides typically involves affecting the nervous system or disrupting the biological functions of the pest, leading to its demise. Fumigants, on the other hand, are gases that kill pests in a contained space; they penetrate through surfaces to control pests that may be hiding in cracks and crevices. While they can be effective for deep infiltration, they do not act through contact in the same way that contact pesticides do. Systemic pesticides are absorbed by the plant and then moved throughout its tissues, affecting pests that feed on those plants. This action means that systemic products primarily target pests indirectly rather than through contact. Repellents serve a different purpose; they are designed to deter pests from approaching a treated area rather than killing them upon contact. Their primary function is to make the environment less attractive or accessible to pests, rather than to eliminate them. In summary, contact pesticides are the only category among the choices that directly affects pests when they touch the pesticide, making them the correct answer to the question.