Learning About Pesticides Trivia Quiz

Answer: Algae

Net bags full of barley straw are floated on ponds in England in an attempt to control algae. However, there is some debate about the effectiveness of this pesticide. When tested in the US, results were not encouraging.

Answer: Avicide

Sometimes birds can become a nuisance (e.g. pigeons). Sometimes avicides are used to control nuisance populations even though there are other ways to control most birds (e.g. remove nests as they are made, remove or block nesting sites, etc.). One common avacide is used with a non-lethal dosage that causes affected birds to emit a distress call that scares the flock into moving away.

Answer: True

A slimicide is an anti-slime pesticide that is used when algae, bacteria, fungi, and slime molds create a gooey substance (slime) that interferes with things. The paper-making industry is a good example. That industry regularly uses slimicides to get rid of slime that naturally occurs in the paper-making process and can damage machinery and produce inferior paper if left unchecked.

Answer: Rodenticide

Rodenticides are often designed to kill the pests after multiple doses. This is because rodents do not have the ability to vomit, so repeated doses are effective. Rat poison can be lethal to other animals such as pets, as well as animals that hunt live, or scavenge dead, rats, so its use should be carefully monitored.

Answer: Neem oil, rosemary oil and jojoba oil

Fungicides are commonly used in agriculture when fungi threaten crop yields. The crops are usually ultimately used for food for people or animals, so care must be taken to use fungicides that are not toxic. Although sulfur is toxic, it only makes up a very small portion of fungicides that are available through retail outlets.

Other non-toxic ingredients efficiently help to get rid of the fungus while not endangering the health of those who eat from the affected plants by simply coating the plants, thus preventing the growth of the fungus.

Answer: A selective herbicide kills one weed species, while a non-selective herbicide kills all plants.

Herbicides are the pesticide used to get rid of unwanted plant material. Selective herbicides are used to target one species of a problem weed. Non-selective herbicides are chosen when all plant materials are deemed unwanted. This happens in areas like abandoned parking lots that need to be cleared of weeds if the lots are set for re-use. Agent Orange, a defoliant used by the US during the Vietnam War, is an example of a non-selective herbicide.

Answer: Ticks

Ixodicides are pesticides in the acaricide group. Acaricides are designed to kill the arachnid subclass that contains ticks and mites. Acaricides are mainly used in medicine and agriculture.

Answer: Bactericide

Disinfectants, antiseptics, and antibiotics all fight a major pest - bacteria. There are many bactericides, ranging from chlorine bleach and peroxide to prescription-only antibiotics. All are designed to eliminate bacteria from our environments or, in the case of bacterial infections, from our bodies.

Answer: False

Some insecticides do target eggs and larvae. This prevents the insects from reproducing and will eventually lead to the eradication of problem nests. Other insecticides are designed to kill on contact, so adult insects that come into direct contact with the pesticide will immediately die. Still other insecticides are designed to be taken back to the nest by foraging insects.

This type of insecticide is common for ants, for example, who crawl through the insecticide, get it on their bodies, then take it back to the nest where eventually all ants in the nest will die.

Answer: Molluscicide

Molluscicides are used to help control gastropod pests in the garden (snails and slugs). Care must be taken because some types of molluscicides are very toxic to humans and pets, so be sure to read labels when purchasing this pesticide. Nematocides are used when nematodes are the pest of concern, while virucides are used for viruses and miticides are used for mites.