PUBLIC HEALTH PEST MANAGEMENT Study Guide for Pesticide Application and Safety Category 8 Utah Department of Agriculture and Food Division of Plant Industry 350 North Redwood Road Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-6500 Revised April 2007 Format Revised for Printing 1/22/2009 ii STUDY GUIDE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PEST MANAGEMENT The educational material in this study guide is practical information to prepare you to meet the written test requirements. It doesn’t include all the things you need to know about this pest-control subject or your pest-control profession. It will, however, help you prepare for your test. Contributors include the Utah Department of Agriculture and Utah State University Extension Service. This study guide is based on a similar one published by the Colorado Department of Agriculture. Materials for that guide were prepared by Colorado State Extension Service. Other contributors include: University Extension Service personnel of California, Kansas, Nebraska and Wyoming. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region VIII Office. The information and recommendations in this study guide are based on data believed to be correct, however, no endorsement, guarantee or warranty of any kind, expressed or implied, is made with respect to the information contained herein. Additional topics that may be covered in your examinations include First Aid, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Protecting the Environment, Pesticide Movement, Groundwater, Endangered Species, Application Methods and Equipment, Equipment Calibration, Insecticide Use, Application, Area Measurements, and Weights and Measures. Information on these topics can be found in the following books: 1. National Pesticide Applicator Certification Core Manual, Published by the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Research Foundation. 2. The Workers Protection Standard for Agricultural Pesticides – How to Comply: What Employers Need to Know. U.S. EPA, Revised September 2005, Publication EPA/735-B-05-002. These books can be obtained from the Utah Department of Agriculture or Utah State University Extension Service. Please contact your local Utah Department of Agriculture Compliance Specialist or Utah State University extension agent. iii The following individuals at Utah State University Extension contributed to the writing of this manual: F.R. Beard, H.M. Deer, A,H. Roe, and C.V. Bagley. Additional editing was provided by S. Dickson. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................1 II. MOSQUITO PESTS............................................................................7 III. TICK PESTS.....................................................................................21 IV. SPIDER PESTS................................................................................25 V. OTHER BITING AND STINGING PESTS ........................................29 VI. COCKROACH PESTS.....................................................................37 VII. DOMESTIC RODENT PESTS..........................................................41 VIII. WORKER PROTECTION STANDARD ...........................................47 IX. PROTECTING GROUNDWATER AND ENDANGERED SPECIES 49 X. CALIBRATION INFORMATION ......................................................53 GLOSSARY OF TERMS ...........................................................................57 v This page should be blank. vi I. INTRODUCTION TOPIC PAGE STUDY GUIDE ................................................................................... 1 BASIC STRATEGIES......................................................................... 2 INSECTS AND INSECT RELATIVES.............................................. 3 HOW INSECTS AFFECT HUMANS................................................ 4 PESTICIDES....................................................................................... 5 PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENT.................................................... 6 STUDY GUIDE Public health considerations remain the This study guide provides information basis for most vector management programs, specific to the control of common pests but other factors may also be important. related to public health. These pests include Voters approving taxes to support a pest mosquitoes, ticks, spiders, other biting or management program may place greater stinging pests, stored food pests, and importance on the immediate control of domestic rodents. This guide does not nuisance mosquitoes, flies, and rodents than discuss the many desirable attributes of on the more remote public health insects and insect relatives. implications. Severe nuisance problems may have economic effects such as Public health pest management involves the discouraging tourism or outdoor activities. control of insects or other animals that Damage to agriculture may result when transmit diseases to man. The animals that vectors weaken livestock or transmit disease are capable of carrying a disease organism to the animals. or parasite from one host to another are called vectors. Public health pest Successful control of a vector pest involves management programs are usually directed several steps. The pest must first be against these vectors with the belief that correctly identified and its biology controlling the vectors will control the understood. Next, the pest infestation disease. The success of this approach is should be evaluated and finally, the evident by the eradication of malaria and selection of a control strategy may be yellow fever from many parts of the world implemented. If pest control is to be through control of the mosquito vectors. successful, it must be based on knowledge 1 and understanding of the pest’s biology, pest as spilled food or the presence of other items management technology, and environmental that attract pests. Once the pest is located, it safety concerns. must be positively identified to proceed The communities supporting a vector effectively. Many times identification must management program will be more be made from indirect clues such as damage cooperative if they understand the general or droppings. After the pest is identified it is methods and goals of the program. A easier to identify shelter areas and the means mosquito control program must reflect by which the pest gained entry. Some current legal conditions and community knowledge of the biology of the pest is very concerns. Community concerns should be useful for thorough diagnosis. Failure to reflected in vector control and public properly identify the pest can result in opinion should not be ignored. wasted time, money, pesticides, and labor. BASIC STRATEGIES PRESCRIPTION INSPECTION Prescription includes how, when, where, and what control techniques are needed to Inspection includes asking questions, control the pests. Effective prescriptions are inspecting the structure or structures, and determined only after inspection and inspecting other areas thoroughly to learn as diagnosis are completed. The prescription much as possible about the pest problem. should include the appropriate control During the inspection an applicator should strategy and any modifications to the look for locations where conditions favor existing habitat that will need to occur. infestations. Note the presence of food People should clearly understand that the and/or water that will attract pests and effectiveness of any control strategy is structural defects or openings that may serve reduced if problems such as sanitation, ease as a means of pest entry. Also, look for of entry, and re-infestation are not evidence of infestation such as structural addressed. damage and pest droppings or tracks. Successful pest control strategies commonly The inspection process should provide some include a pesticide application combined idea of the control measures to use, safety with other control measures such as habitat precautions that may be necessary during the adjustments. Habitat adjustments should control effort, and the best time and method include sanitation efforts to remove sources of control. Thoroughness during the of food, water, or other attractants that the inspection is a critical component of pest needs to survive. Exclusion of pests to effective pest management. prevent re-infestation is a necessary part of any prescription. Exclusion can involve screening openings and caulking cracks and DIAGNOSIS crevices. Closing small openings in buildings can insect and rodent proof Diagnosis includes identifying the pest and structures. Habitat manipulation is an any factors contributing to infestation such effective management strategy for excluding many public health pests. 2 antennae, and two body regions known as the cephalothorax and abdomen. APPLICATION Crustaceans include crayfish, shrimp, Pesticides should be used to supplement sowbugs, and pillbugs. They have 5 to 7 other control methods against public health pairs of legs, 2 pairs of antennae, and a pests. When pesticides are used they should cephalothorax and abdomen that are the 2 target areas visited and inhabited by pests. parts of the body region. To minimize potential hazards the choice and application of a pesticide depends on the Diplopods are millipedes and they have characteristics of the site such as closeness elongate, usually rounded bodies. Typically to human food, access by children or pets, their bodies consist of 50 body segments, and air movement or ventilation. and appear to have 2 pairs of legs