Ontario Pesticide Landscape Exterminator Module Exam (Canada)

Under the Ontario Pesticides Act and O. Reg. 63/09, which of the following best describes the cosmetic pesticide ban?

• AIt prohibits the use of certain pesticides for aesthetic purposes on lawns, gardens, park…
• BIt bans the use of all chemical and biological pesticides on golf courses and agricultura…
• CIt allows the unrestricted use of commercial pesticides on residential lawns as long as s…
• DIt regulates the manufacture of cosmetic products like perfumes and lotions containing or…

Which of the following active ingredients is found on the Ontario 'Allowable List' of pesticides authorized for cosmetic uses?

• A2,4-D (2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid)
• BGlyphosate
• CIron chelate (FeHEDTA)
• DCarbaryl

A homeowner has an infestation of poison ivy along their property fence. Which statement is correct under O. Reg. 63/09?

• APesticides may be applied to control poison ivy under the public health and safety except…
• BOnly mechanical removal is permitted; no herbicides can be used because it is a residenti…
• CHerbicides may be used only if they contain active ingredients from the cosmetic Allowabl…
• DA pesticide application is allowed only if the homeowner obtains a written permit from th…

To use conventional pesticides on a golf course in Ontario, what regulatory requirement must the golf course meet under O. Reg. 63/09?

• AThe golf course must be accredited for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) by an approved bo…
• BThe golf course must close to the public for 48 hours following any pesticide application.
• CApplications can only be performed by the head golf course superintendent using domestic-…
• DThe golf course must obtain a site-specific environmental compliance approval (ECA) for e…

What colour is the public notice sign required for pesticide applications on a residential area lawn under Ontario Regulation 63/09?

• AYellow
• BGreen
• CRed
• DBlue

For a pesticide application on a non-residential lawn (e.g., a commercial shopping center lawn), where and when must the pesticide notification signs be posted?

• AAt all main access points to the property, immediately before the application starts, and…
• BOnly at the property corners, 24 hours in advance, and removed immediately after spraying.
• CDirectly in the center of the treated area, 12 hours after the application, and left for…
• DAt the entrance of the exterminator's office and kept on display for the entire spraying…

Which of the following scenarios is an example of an exception to the cosmetic pesticide ban for 'specialty turf'?

• AA home lawn bowling green or a professional cricket pitch.
• BA residential backyard turf lawn used for family recreational sports.
• CThe turf surrounds of a municipal swimming pool complex.
• DA commercial office park lawn where employees eat lunch.

Under O. Reg. 63/09, what must a residential area green 'Notice' sign (Sign C) display on its front face?

• AThe word 'NOTICE' in green letters, the product used, the date applied, and a contact num…
• BThe word 'POISON' with a skull and crossbones symbol, the SDS sheet, and emergency hospit…
• CThe word 'WARNING' in red letters, a person silhouette in a red circle, and the extermina…
• DA list of alternative mechanical weed control tools and a lawn fertilizer schedule.

Which pesticide class system was adopted in Ontario's 2020 regulatory amendments to harmonize with federal registration?

• AClasses A, B, C, D, and E
• BClasses 1 through 11
• CSchedule I, II, and III
• DCategories Red, Yellow, and Blue

An arboriculture company wants to spray a mature oak tree on a residential lawn to control an outbreak of gypsy moth (Ldd moth) that threatens the survival of the tree. Is this allowed under Ontario law?

• AYes, under the arboriculture exception, to maintain the health of a tree that is threaten…
• BNo, the cosmetic ban forbids all pesticide applications on trees located on residential l…
• CYes, but only if the chemical is injected into the soil or trunk; foliar sprays are never…
• DNo, Ldd moth is a cosmetic issue and cannot be treated with any commercial-class pesticid…

What is the primary role of the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) regarding pesticides?

• AEnforcing the Pesticides Act, issuing exterminator and operator licences, and monitoring…
• BRegistering new pesticide active ingredients and determining federally approved label tex…
• CSelling pesticides directly to commercial landscapers and golf courses.
• DDeveloping and selling biological nematode controls for white grubs.

Under O. Reg. 63/09, which of the following is true for pesticide applications on public cemeteries?

• ACemeteries are conditionally excepted from the cosmetic ban but must follow IPM requireme…
• BCemeteries have a complete exemption from all pesticide regulations and do not need licen…
• COnly domestic-class pesticides can be used in cemeteries, and no signage is ever required.
• DCemeteries are categorized as residential areas and must always use green warning signs.

Which of the following is a legal requirement for transporting commercial-class pesticides in a vehicle in Ontario?

• APesticides must not be transported in the passenger compartment of the vehicle.
• BPesticides must be kept in their original containers but can be left unsecured in an open…
• CThe vehicle must carry a minimum of 500 liters of clean water for diluting spills.
• DThe driver must hold a Class A commercial truck driver's licence regardless of the load s…

What is the requirement for pesticide storage areas under the Ontario Pesticides Act?

• AThey must be locked, ventilated to the outdoor air, display warning signage, and contain…
• BThey must be kept under constant video surveillance and registered with the local police…
• CThey must be located at least 500 meters away from any residential property line.
• DThey must be constructed of pressure-treated lumber and have gravel floors for absorption.

What is the duration of an Ontario Pesticide Exterminator Licence issued by the MECP?

• A5 years
• B1 year
• C3 years
• D10 years

In Integrated Pest Management (IPM), what does the term 'Action Threshold' (or Injury Level) mean?

• AThe point at which pest damage becomes unacceptable and pest control measures must be tak…
• BThe maximum amount of pesticide that can be applied to a specific property in a single se…
• CThe level of wind speed at which spray drift becomes a risk to neighboring properties.
• DThe number of days an applicator must wait after treatment before allowing public re-entr…

Which of the following describes a 'cultural' control method in lawn and turf IPM?

• ARaising the mowing height to shade out weed seedlings.
• BApplying an organic iron-based herbicide to control dandelion outbreaks.
• CReleasing parasitic wasps to control turf-damaging caterpillars.
• DHand-pulling broadleaf weeds in a small ornamental garden bed.

What is the first step in establishing an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program for a landscape turf?

• ACorrectly identifying the pest and understanding its biology.
• BSelecting the most cost-effective chemical pesticide available.
• CCalibrating the application equipment for a broad-spectrum treatment.
• DPosting residential green warning signs around the property perimeter.

Which type of weed completes its life cycle in two years, growing as a vegetative rosette in the first year and producing flowers and seeds in the second?

• ABiennial
• BAnnual
• CPerennial
• DEphemeral

Why are perennial weeds, such as Canada Thistle and Creeping Charlie, generally harder to control than annual weeds?

• AThey possess extensive underground structures (roots, rhizomes) that allow them to regrow…
• BThey only reproduce by seeds, which can remain dormant in the soil for over a century.
• CThey have a thick waxy cuticle that completely prevents any herbicide absorption.
• DThey grow only in winter when turf grasses are dormant and chemical applications are proh…

Which of the following broadleaf weeds is characterized by a deep taproot, bright yellow flowers, and a rosette of deeply lobed leaves?

• ADandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
• BBroadleaf Plantain (Plantago major)
• CCreeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea)
• DCommon Chickweed (Stellaria media)

Which weed is a creeping perennial with scalloped, rounded, opposite leaves, square stems, and purple flowers that thrives in shaded, moist lawn areas?

• ACreeping Charlie (Ground Ivy)
• BBlack Medic
• CYellow Woodsorrel
• DPurslane

Which of the following describes Broadleaf Plantain (Plantago major)?

• AA perennial weed with broad, egg-shaped leaves featuring prominent parallel veins and a f…
• BA summer annual with compound leaves arranged in threes and bright yellow pea-like flower…
• CA biennial weed that forms a prickly rosette in its first year and purple thistle flowers…
• DA creeping grass that spreads via long, above-ground stolons and produces purple seed hea…

Which summer annual grassy weed germinates in late spring when soil temperatures reach about 12-15°C, grows rapidly in hot summer conditions, and has a prostrate, finger-like seed head?

• ACrabgrass (Digitaria spp.)
• BQuackgrass (Elymus repens)
• CAnnual Bluegrass (Poa annua)
• DKentucky Bluegrass (Poa pratensis)

How can an applicator distinguish Quackgrass from other grassy weeds in turf?

• ABy the presence of clasping auricles at the leaf collar and aggressive, sharp-tipped whit…
• BBy its purple star-shaped flowers and thick succulent leaves.
• CBy its fine, needle-like leaves and absence of a ligule.
• DBy its root system, which consists of a single dark taproot that smells like licorice.

Which weed is a winter annual that germinates in late summer or fall, survives the winter, flowers early in the spring with small white star-shaped petals, and thrives in cool, shaded, moist environments?

• ACommon Chickweed (Stellaria media)
• BPurslane (Portulaca oleracea)
• CYellow Foxtail (Setaria pumila)
• DDandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

What is the recommended cultural practice to manage a turf area infested with Annual Bluegrass (Poa annua)?

• AAvoid frequent light watering and irrigate deeply and infrequently to dry out the shallow…
• BMow the turf extremely low (under 1.5 cm) to decapitate the annual bluegrass roots.
• CApply high amounts of nitrogen fertilizer in mid-summer when the turf is stressed.
• DKeep the soil saturated with continuous light misting during hot summer days.

Which herbicide mode of action involves absorption by plant roots or foliage and movement throughout the entire plant system to kill target weeds?

• ASystemic (Translocated)
• BContact
• CPre-emergent
• DNon-selective contact

When is the most effective time to apply a systemic post-emergent herbicide to control perennial broadleaf weeds like dandelions in Ontario turf?

• AEarly to mid-autumn (September to October), when weeds are translocating sugars to their…
• BEarly spring (March), before the weeds have started to grow active foliage.
• CMid-summer (July), during hot, dry periods when the weeds are under maximum stress.
• DLate winter (February), onto snow cover so the chemical leaches down slowly.

What is the primary risk of using a non-selective herbicide on a lawn?

• AIt will kill or damage both the target weeds and the surrounding desirable turfgrass.
• BIt will only kill broadleaf weeds, leaving grassy weeds unaffected.
• CIt requires a 14-day re-entry interval before children or pets can walk on the lawn.
• DIt can only be applied in winter, making it useless during the active growing season.

Which cultural management practice helps reduce turfgrass disease pressure by removing excess thatch and improving air and water penetration into the root zone?

• ACore Aeration
• BOver-fertilizing with quick-release nitrogen
• CFrequent, shallow daily watering
• DMowing at a very low height (scalping)

A lawn has a severe infestation of Black Medic. What does the presence of this weed typically indicate about the soil conditions?

• ALow nitrogen levels and dry, compacted soil.
• BExcessive nitrogen fertility and waterlogged soil.
• CHigh soil pH and heavy shade.
• DAcidic soil with high organic matter.

Why is mowing turf too short (known as 'scalping') detrimental to weed management?

• AIt exposes the soil surface to sunlight, encouraging weed seeds (like crabgrass) to germi…
• BIt makes the turf grass roots grow too deep, depleting soil moisture.
• CIt stimulates the broadleaf weeds to release defensive pheromones.
• DIt prevents selective herbicides from sticking to the grass leaves.

Which of the following describes the growth habit and reproduction of Creeping Bentgrass when it occurs as a weed in a Kentucky Bluegrass lawn?

• AIt spreads via stolons, forming dense, light green patches that scalp easily and are high…
• BIt produces yellow flowers and reproducing tubers that survive deep in the subsoil.
• CIt is an annual grass that dies completely in winter and relies on wind-dispersed seeds.
• DIt has a bunch-type growth habit and reproduces solely by rhizomes.

Which turf weed has trifoliate leaves, small yellow flowers in dense heads, and resembles clover but is actually a winter or summer annual in the legume family?

• ABlack Medic (Medicago lupulina)
• BWhite Clover (Trifolium repens)
• CYellow Woodsorrel (Oxalis stricta)
• DCommon Chickweed (Stellaria media)

What is the primary disadvantage of using pre-emergent herbicides to control annual grasses in turf?

• AThey must be applied before weed germination and will also prevent the germination of des…
• BThey only work when weeds are at least 10 cm tall and actively flowering.
• CThey leave a permanent yellow residue on the turfgrass foliage.
• DThey must be watered in with at least 100 mm of rain within 2 hours of application.

Which of the following weeds is a prostrate summer annual that has fleshy, reddish stems, succulent leaves, small yellow flowers, and thrives in hot, dry, sandy soils?

• ACommon Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)
• BProstrate Knotweed (Polygonum aviculare)
• CCreeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea)
• DBroadleaf Plantain (Plantago major)

What is the characteristic appearance of Yellow Woodsorrel (Oxalis stricta) leaves?

• AThey are pale green, trifoliate, and composed of three heart-shaped leaflets folded down…
• BThey are dark green, egg-shaped, and grow in a tight rosette with hairy margins.
• CThey are narrow, lance-like, and have sharp spines along the edges.
• DThey are scale-like, overlapping, and cover square, woody stems.

Which of the following is a key cultural strategy for managing broadleaf weed encroachment in sports turf?

• AMaintaining a dense, healthy turf canopy through proper fertilization, overseeding, and a…
• BApplying nitrogen fertilizer at double the recommended rate in mid-summer.
• CKeeping the soil saturated by watering daily at noon.
• DMowing the grass to the soil surface (scalping) every two weeks.

What type of weed is Crabgrass (Digitaria spp.)?

• ASummer annual grass
• BPerennial broadleaf
• CWinter annual grass
• DPerennial sedge

Which of the following pests is a major turf insect in Ontario, whose larval stage is a C-shaped white grub that feeds on turfgrass roots?

• AEuropean Chafer (Amphimallon majale)
• BHairy Chinch Bug (Blissus leucopterus)
• CSod Webworm (Crambus spp.)
• DBluegrass Billbug (Sphenophorus parvulus)

What is a classic visual symptom of a severe white grub infestation in a home lawn in late summer or autumn?

• ATurf that rolls back easily like a carpet, and damage from secondary predators (raccoons,…
• BLawn areas covered in fine, white webbing that sparkles with morning dew.
• CCircular brown patches with bright yellow margins and pink powdery spores.
• DGrass blades that are chewed off at the soil surface, leaving bare soil patches.

When is the most effective time to apply chemical or biological treatments (such as beneficial nematodes) to control white grubs in Ontario turf?

• ALate summer to early autumn (late August to September), when the young grubs are small an…
• BEarly spring (April), as soon as the ground thaws and the mature grubs resume feeding.
• CLate autumn (November), when grubs migrate deep into the subsoil to hibernate.
• DMid-winter (January), when the beetles are dormant inside the pupal casing.

Which sampling method is used to monitor and estimate the population of Hairy Chinch Bugs in turfgrass?

• AThe flotation method using a metal cylinder (like a coffee can) pushed into the turf and…
• BTaking soil cores 15 cm deep and sorting through them with a magnifying glass.
• CShaking the grass blades over a sheet of black construction paper.
• DHanging pheromone sticky traps on nearby tree branches.

A lawn shows localized patches of yellowing, thinning grass that turns straw-colored and dies during hot, dry weather in July. A flotation test reveals small insects with black bodies and white wings folded over their backs. What is the pest?

• AHairy Chinch Bug (Blissus leucopterus)
• BSod Webworm (Crambus spp.)
• CEuropean Chafer grub
• DAphids

What is the action threshold for European Chafer grubs in non-irrigated, average-health turfgrass in Ontario?

• A5 to 10 grubs per square foot (approx. 0.1 square meter)
• B1 grub per square meter
• C50 to 100 grubs per square foot
• DThere is no threshold; any presence of grubs requires immediate chemical spraying.

Which turf insect pest constructs silk-lined tubes in the lawn thatch layer and emerges at night to cut off and feed on grass blades?

• ASod Webworm (Crambus spp.)
• BHairy Chinch Bug
• CBluegrass Billbug
• DEuropean Crane Fly (Tipula paludosa)