Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE) Practice Exam

Removing backyard objects that contain standing water is an example of which type of control?

1. Mechanical control

2. Cultural control

3. Biological control

4. Chemical control

The correct answer is: Cultural control

The action of removing backyard objects that contain standing water qualifies as cultural control because it involves modifying the environment to reduce pest habitats and breeding grounds, specifically for mosquitoes and other aquatic insect pests. Cultural controls focus on altering practices and managing cultural aspects of the environment to prevent pest problems, rather than directly targeting the pests. In this case, eliminating standing water disrupts the life cycle of mosquitoes, which require stagnant water for their larvae to develop. Therefore, by changing the environment through these management practices, the likelihood of an insect outbreak is diminished. Cultural control methods can be preventive measures that help to create an unfavorable environment for pests. While mechanical control usually involves physically removing pests or their habitats, it is less focused on the broader environmental modifications that characterize cultural practices. Biological control entails using natural enemies to curb pest populations, whereas chemical control employs pesticides or other chemicals to address pest issues directly. In this scenario, the emphasis on environmental management makes cultural control the most fitting classification.