Structural Pest Control Applicator Practice Exam

What are the two main types of tactics involved in the basic steps of IPM?

1. Preventative and remedial

2. Mechanical and chemical

3. Biological and physical

4. Scouting and assessment

The correct answer is: Preventative and remedial

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a comprehensive approach that utilizes various strategies to manage pest populations effectively while minimizing risks to human health and the environment. The correct focus on the two main types of tactics involved in the basic steps of IPM highlights the significance of both preventive and remedial approaches. Preventative tactics are aimed at reducing the likelihood of pest infestations from occurring in the first place. This can include practices such as maintaining proper sanitation, sealing entry points, and implementing crop rotation or habitat manipulation to create less favorable conditions for pests. By focusing on prevention, IPM seeks to mitigate the need for intervention once pests have established. Remedial tactics come into play when pests do manage to establish themselves, requiring action to control or eliminate the pest population. This can involve a range of methods including the application of pesticides, biological control agents, or physical removal. The use of remedial tactics after prevention strategies is crucial to maintaining balance and ensuring that pest populations remain below damaging levels. The other options, while important components of pest management, do not encapsulate the primary strategies of IPM as effectively. For example, mechanical and chemical refer to specific methods rather than overarching tactics. Biological and physical also pertain more to methods rather than the foundational approach