NYS PCO NYS PCO Pest Identification 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A PCO identifies small, reddish-brown insects with a flattened oval body and a musty odor in a mattress seam. The pest is most likely:
- Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) (Correct answer)
- Fleas
- Bat bugs
- Carpet beetles
Correct answer: Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius)
Bed bugs are reddish-brown, flat, oval insects that hide in mattress seams and produce a characteristic musty, sweet odor.
Question 2: Which of the following is the primary structural difference between house mice droppings and rat droppings?
- Mouse droppings are small (~3-6mm) with pointed ends; rat droppings are larger (>10mm) (Correct answer)
- Rat droppings are black; mouse droppings are white
- Mouse droppings are capsule-shaped; rat droppings are spiral
- There is no reliable difference
Correct answer: Mouse droppings are small (~3-6mm) with pointed ends; rat droppings are larger (>10mm)
Mouse droppings are small (3–6 mm) with pointed ends, while Norway rat droppings are larger (up to 20 mm) and blunt-ended, which helps distinguish them in the field.
Question 3: The American dog tick is a vector for which disease in New York State?
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever (Correct answer)
- Lyme disease
- Ehrlichiosis
- Babesiosis
Correct answer: Rocky Mountain spotted fever
The American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) is the primary vector of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in the eastern US.
Question 4: Which ant species is known for nesting in wall voids and electrical outlets, requiring special treatment strategies in NY?
- Odorous house ant (Tapinoma sessile) (Correct answer)
- Pavement ant (Tetramorium caespitum)
- Fire ant (Solenopsis invicta)
- Leafcutter ant
Correct answer: Odorous house ant (Tapinoma sessile)
Odorous house ants readily colonize wall voids and electrical outlets, making targeted baiting preferable to spraying which can scatter the colony.
Question 5: Carpenter bees differ from bumblebees primarily by having:
- A shiny, hairless abdomen (Correct answer)
- A fuzzy, banded abdomen
- A longer stinger
- Smaller size
Correct answer: A shiny, hairless abdomen
Carpenter bees have a smooth, shiny black abdomen while bumblebees have a fuzzy, yellow-and-black banded abdomen.
Question 6: Which stored product pest creates silken webbing inside grain and flour containers?
- Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella) (Correct answer)
- Drugstore beetle
- Sawtoothed grain beetle
- Grain weevil
Correct answer: Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella)
Indian meal moth larvae spin silken webbing in infested food products, which is a key identification sign of this common pantry pest.
NYS PCO NYS PCO Pest Identification 2
A PCO identifies small, reddish-brown insects with a flattened oval body and a musty odor in a mattress seam.
The pest is most likely: