Bottle or blow flies are known for their metallic green or blue color, which distinguishes them from other flies. TheGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 7: Flies) describes these flies as common in structures, often attracted to decaying organic matter. Option A (cluster flies) are dull grayish-brown and often found in attics. Option B (house flies) are gray with black stripes, not metallic.

Ants are identified by their elbowed antennae, which bend at an angle, and a narrow, pinched waist. TheGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 7: Ants) lists this as a key characteristic. Option B (wings of equal length) applies to termites, not ants (ant wings are unequal in length). Option C (no waist) also describes termites, not ants.

In New Jersey, a commercial pesticide applicator is defined as anyone applying pesticides as a service, whether for hire or as part of their job (N.J.A.C. 7:30-1.2). This includes both general use and restricted use pesticides (RUPs). A Category 7A applicator must be licensed to apply any pesticide, as their work may involve both types depending on the pest and situation. Option A is incorrect because it excludes RUPs, which applicators may need to use. Option B is incorrect because it excludes general use pesticides, which are commonly used in household pest control.

Lice infestations (e.g., head lice) are a public health concern and are best treated by a doctor or public health official using FDA-approved pediculicides or non-chemical methods like combing. TheGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 7: Lice) notes that lice treatments are typically medical, not structural pest control, and fall outside the scope of Category 7A applicators. Option B (residual pesticide treatment) is not appropriate for lice on humans. Option C (heat treatment) may be used for items like bedding but not directly for lice infestations on people.

The first step in any pest control program, especially under IPM, is an inspection to identify the pest, assess the infestation’s extent, and determine contributing factors. TheGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 4: IPM) emphasizes that inspection guides the development of a targeted control strategy. Option A (pesticide application) should only occur after inspection and other methods are considered. Option C (alteration of the habitat) is a control method that follows inspection.

NJDEP regulations (N.J.A.C. 7:30-6.8) require commercial pesticide applicators to maintain application records for a minimum of three years. These records must include details like the date, location, pesticide used, amount applied, and target pest. This applies to Category 7A applications for general and household pest control. Option A (five years) is incorrect, though some states may have longer requirements. Option C (two years) is too short for New Jersey standards.

Silverfish are known to feed on starch materials like paper, books, and wallpaper, as well as starchy foods. TheGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 7: Silverfish) notes that they are common in damp areas and can damage household items containing starch or glue. Option A (grain) is more typical of pantry pests like weevils. Option B (wool or cotton) is associated with clothes moths, not silverfish.

Power sprayers are designed for high-volume applications over large areas, such as exterior perimeter and lawn applications (Option B) or termite applications (Option C), where large amounts of pesticide are needed. However, they are not suitable for interior house ant and roach applications (Option A), as these require precise, low-volume treatments (e.g., crack-and-crevice applications) using handheld sprayers, as noted in theGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 5: Pesticide Application).

The TEMPRID SC label explicitly states that applicators should not spray bed linens or other materials that come in direct contact with people, such as mattresses, pillows, or clothing, to prevent human exposure to the pesticide. This is a critical safety instruction for indoor use in Category 7A applications. Option A (broadcast treatment to floors) is incorrect, as TEMPRID is typically applied as a spot or crack-and-crevice treatment indoors, not a broadcast application, unless specified. Option C (high-pressure system) is incorrect, as high-pressure systems can disperse pests like bedbugs and are not recommended for indoor use; low-pressure, targeted applications are preferred.

Carpenter ants often have multiple colonies, including satellite colonies inside structures and parent colonies outside near the building. Effective control, as outlined in theGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 7: Ants), requires eliminating both inside and near building colonies to prevent reinfestation. Option B (outside colony only) is insufficient, as satellite colonies inside will persist. Option C (inside colonies and perimeter control) is part of the strategy but does not address the parent colony outside.

NJDEP regulations (N.J.A.C. 7:30-9.10) require that pesticide service vehicles have a storage area for pesticides that is physically separate from the driver or passenger compartment to prevent exposure in case of spills or leaks. This is a safety measure to protect the driver and ensure compliance with transportation regulations. Option B is incorrect because, while the business registration number is required on the vehicle (see Question 8), the applicator’s license number is not. Option C is incorrect because, although having Safety Data Sheets (SDS, formerly MSDS) on board is a best practice, it is not a strict requirement under NewJersey law for service vehicles; SDS sheets must be available at the business location or application site.

NJDEP requires commercial pesticide applicators to recertify every five years. For Category 7A applicators, this involves earning 8 credits in Core (general pesticide safety and regulations) and 16 credits in each category (e.g., 7A) within that five-year period (N.J.A.C. 7:30-6.4). Option A is incorrect because the category credits are 16, not 24, and the timeframe is five years, not three. Option B (80 dollars per year) is irrelevant to recertification credits, though there may be fees for licensing.

NJDEP regulations (N.J.A.C. 7:30-9.13) require that multi-family residences receive notice prior to treatment, but the exact timeframe is not specified as 24 or 48 hours in the regulation. Best practice, as noted in theGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 2: Notification Requirements), is to provide notice in advance, typically at least 24 hours, but the regulation itself uses the general term “prior.” Option B (24 hours) and Option C (48 hours) are specific timeframes not mandated by the regulation.

A carcinogen is a substance that can cause cancer, as defined in theGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 3: Pesticide Safety). Some pesticides are classified as carcinogens due to their potential to cause cancer with long-term exposure. Option B (birth defects) is associated with teratogens, not carcinogens. Option C (teratogen) is incorrect because a teratogen is a substance that causes birth defects, not cancer, and the term itself is not the definition.

Yellow jackets are aggressive social wasps and are the most likely to sting, especially when their nest is disturbed. TheGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 7: Wasps) notes their defensive behavior. Option A (honeybee) can sting but typically only once, as they die after stinging. Option C (mud dauber) is a solitary wasp and less likely to sting unless provoked.

The German cockroach is identified by two dark, parallel bands on the pronotum (shield) directly behind its head. TheGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 7: Cockroaches) provides this as a key identifying feature. Option A (Oriental cockroach) is uniformly dark brown or black. Option C (Wood cockroach) is not a common indoor species and lacks these bands. Option D (American cockroach) has a different pattern, often with a yellowish figure-eight marking.

Disposing of rinsate (rinse water from cleaning equipment) or unused pesticide material improperly can lead to environmental contamination. NJDEP regulations (N.J.A.C. 7:30-9.12) and theGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 3: Pesticide Safety) prohibit disposal on the soil (which can contaminate groundwater) or into a drain or sewer (which can pollute water systems). Both methods are illegal and environmentally harmful, making Option C correct. Rinsate should be applied to a labeled site or disposed of at a designated facility.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) focuses on sustainable pest control by minimizing pesticide use and integrating multiple control methods (e.g., cultural, mechanical, biological). TheGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 4: IPM) highlights that IPM aims for a reduction of pesticide use through prevention and non-chemical methods. Option A (pre-established applications) contradicts IPM’s reactive, need-based approach. Option B (one-time reactive applications) may be part of IPM but does not capture its broader goal of reducing pesticide reliance.

Pesticide resistance occurs when pests develop tolerance to a pesticide due to overuse. IPM strategies, as outlined in theGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 4: IPM), recommend using multiple components (e.g., rotating pesticide classes, incorporating non-chemical methods like sanitation or traps) to control pests and reduce resistance risk. Option A (routine spraying) increases resistance by overexposing pests to the same chemical. Option C (increased dosage) can exacerbate resistance and is not an IPM practice.

Lyme disease is transmitted by the blacklegged tick, and both the nymph and adult stages can transfer the disease to humans if infected with the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. TheGeneral Pest Management: Guide for Commercial Applicators - Category 7A(Chapter 7: Ticks) notes that nymphs are more likely to transmit due to their small size and longer feeding time, but adults can also transmit. Option A (nymph only) and Option C (adult only) are incorrect, as both stages are capable.