Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE) Practice Exam

What should a pest management professional (PMP) do when placing sticky traps for crawling insects?

1. Place traps in the middle of the room

2. Place traps in corners and along the edges of walls

3. Only use traps in outdoor areas

4. Use traps exclusively in kitchens

The correct answer is: Place traps in corners and along the edges of walls

Placing sticky traps in corners and along the edges of walls is the most effective approach for capturing crawling insects. Crawling insects, such as ants, cockroaches, and silverfish, tend to follow the perimeter of a room and often take paths along walls, moldings, and baseboards. By positioning traps in these locations, the traps are more likely to intercept insects as they travel in their natural foraging patterns. This method increases the likelihood of detection and monitoring pest activity, allowing for better management decisions. The other options do not align with best practices in pest management. For instance, placing traps in the middle of a room is less effective because it does not account for the movement behavior of most crawling insects, which avoid open spaces. Limiting traps to only outdoor areas or exclusively using them in kitchens ignores the potential presence of pests in other locations within a structure where they may be nesting or travelling.