Washington Pesticide Applicator 10 Credit Bundle - Vertebrate Pest Control

This course bundle is designed for the Washington State Commercial or Applicator. The course bundle contains 10 recertification credits of training approved by the Washington State Department of Agriculture. Only 10 recertification credits may be completed in one calendar year. Please click on course details for a list of specific courses.

BUNDLE CONTENTS

Inspecting Structures for Wildlife – 2 credits
Mice: The Ubiquitous Commensal Rodent – 1 credit
Voles: Biology, Damage, and Control – 1 credit
Mole Management – 1 credit
Management of Pocket Gophers – 1 credit
Control and Management of Unprotected Birds – 1 credit
Skunks: $mell the $uccess – 1 credit
Euthanasia & Carcass Disposal: Methods & Pitfalls – 1 credit
Understanding Rodenticides and Their Labels – 1 credit

Inspecting Structures for Wildlife

Course Description

If you do not diagnose the problem correctly you will spend a lot of time treating something that is not there. Identify correctly and gather evidence and determine the extent of potential problems. This course will cover the basics of what to look for while inspecting a structure that has potentially been invaded by wildlife.

After completing this course participants will be able to:

Discuss the different health risks associated with routine wildlife inspections.
Identify common wildlife pests and their sign.
Describe the differences between domiciled and transient wildlife damage.

Mice: The Ubiquitous Commensal Rodent

Course Description

One of the challenges with house mice is that clients don’t take house mice seriously. It’s amazing how people will move heaven and earth when rats are around, but when it comes to mice they will simply say “oh, it’s just a mouse!” This course will help educate applicators on the risks of allowing house mice to remain in a structure.

After completing this course participants will be able to:

Identify preferred habitats of mice
Describe several IPM methods for controlling mice
Describe the differences in mouse traps and outline which trap is best in a given situation
Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of using rodenticides

Voles: Biology, Damage, and Control

Course Description

Voles are known by a variety of names, meadow mice or field mice for example. Voles are rodents, meaning they like to chew on things, but they rarely enter structures and are primarily a pest in landscape settings. But they are often confused with mice by many homeowners. The damage caused by voles is to the grass and other plants in the landscape and garden and is most noticeable after the snow melts in northern climates. This course will cover the basics of vole identification, biology, and damage as well as several control methods including trapping and rodenticide use.

After completing this course participants will be able to:

Correctly distinguish between a vole, a shrew, and a mouse.
Identify vole damage in grass, garden, and landscape areas.
Outline the different types of rodenticides labeled for controlling voles.
Discuss the different types of traps and how to set them.

Mole Management

Course Description

Moles can be the bane of a well-kept lawn. But is it really a mole? Moles, voles, shrews, and pocket gopher damage can look the same to the untrained eye. This course covers the physiological differences between moles and other look-alike vertebrate pests, trapping techniques, and toxicant options.

After completing this course participants will be able to:

Correctly identify mole damage.
Distinguish the differences between moles, voles, shrews, and pocket gophers.
Describe the different traps and toxicants available and when best to use each one.

Management of Pocket Gophers

Course Description

The site of a fresh mound of soil in an otherwise manicured lawn or alfalfa field can be enough to send a landowner into a tizzy. Pocket gophers can be devastating to both lawns and agricultural fields if they are not properly controlled. The damage caused by pocket gophers can sometimes be confused with either moles or ground squirrels. There are multiple control methods available to management pocket gophers. This course will cover the basics of pocket gopher management including biology, damage, trapping, and toxicant use.

After completing this course participants will be able to:

Correctly identify the difference between molehills, ground squirrel mounds, and pocket gopher mounds.
Describe the different types of toxicants labeled for pocket gopher management and the pros and cons to each.
Locate the different parts of pocket gopher burrow systems and correctly place traps in each tunnel.

Control & Management of Unprotected Birds

Course Description

Unwanted birds can pose a problem for applicators and their clients. Some people love to feed the birds and spend hours watching birds. Once birds have become established in an area they can be difficult to control or deter. Though this course will focus on the control and management of unprotected birds, some of the techniques covered will help with the management of protected birds when a permit is issued.

After completing this course participants will be able to:

Identify birds not protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918
Discuss different forms of deterrents available and when best to use each method
Discuss the different forms of toxicants and when they would be appropriate

Euthanasia & Carcass Disposal: Methods & Pitfalls

Course Description

This topic, while not often talked about, is something that everyone in wildlife control has to deal with. It is one of those unmentionables, but we need to talk about it in detail because it’s something you’re going to need to encounter if you’re going to be a full-fledged wildlife control operator. This course will cover methods for euthanizing animals, ways to dispose of the deceased animal, and pitfalls to avoid to maintain public relations and appearance.

After completing this course participants will be able to:

Define humane dispatch.
Discuss options available for euthanizing an animal.
Describe the various types of lethal sets available and when best to use each one.

Understanding Rodenticides & Their Labels

Course Description

Rodenticides are becoming a widely discussed and concerning topic in the pest control field. There is a growing public concern at the risk of secondary and non-target poisonings when rodenticides are used. As a pest control operator is it your responsibility to understand how rodenticides work and how to read their labels. This course discusses the common types of rodenticides, their appropriate application, the risks involved with the use of each type of rodenticide, and takes a look at specific label language.

After completing this course participants will be able to:

Outline and describe the primary classifications of rodenticides
Describe the differences in toxicity and risk between first-generation and second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides
Describe how to use appropriate baiting techniques and the importance of carcass removal