Academy · ACE Prep
Get your ACE. Study with the crew.
What is on the ACE exam?
The Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE) credential from the Entomological Society of America tests structural pest knowledge: insect biology, IPM principles and tools, toxicology, safety and law, and the major pest groups — cockroaches, ants, flies, biting and stinging arthropods, occasional invaders, stored product pests and wood-destroying insects.
Key factOfficial requirements and registration: ESA Certification — ACE program.
Nobody should study for this alone.
Group training is one of the things the LTK Discord is for. Bring the question that stumped you on the practice test and work through it with people who’ve sat the exam.
The eleven study modules
Each module has the must-know facts, what the exam likes to ask, field takeaways and a quiz. Exam weights are approximate, from our study guide — check the official ACE program for the current exam outline.
- Module 110%Insect Biology & Morphology10 must-know facts · 25 quiz questions
- Module 210%IPM Principles10 must-know facts · 25 quiz questions
- Module 310%IPM Tools & Practice10 must-know facts · 26 quiz questions
- Module 4~15%Toxicology, Safety & Laws14 must-know facts · 25 quiz questions
- Module 5~8%Cockroaches10 must-know facts · 25 quiz questions
- Module 6~8%Ants10 must-know facts · 25 quiz questions
- Module 7~8%Flies10 must-know facts · 25 quiz questions
- Module 8~10%Biting & Stinging Arthropods11 must-know facts · 26 quiz questions
- Module 9~5%Occasional Invaders9 must-know facts · 24 quiz questions
- Module 10~8%Stored Product Pests10 must-know facts · 25 quiz questions
- Module 11~8%Wood Destroying Insects12 must-know facts · 26 quiz questions
Study tools
- 277 questionsPractice testTake the full exam or drill one module. Graded instantly, with the reasoning behind every answer.
- 75 cardsFlashcardsFlip through ACE terms and the stored-product deck. Shuffle them for the truck.
- 31 termsGlossaryEvery term with what it means and how it shows up in the field.
- 13 episodes · 12 videos · 12 decksPodcast, videos & decksListen on the route, watch the ID walkthroughs, open the full slide decks.
How to think on exam day
IPM Logic Wins
When two answers look close, the one that starts with identification, uses the least disruptive effective tactic, and protects the environment is almost always stronger.
Species ID Changes Everything
The ACE exam tests whether you understand that different species require different approaches. Know the key ID characters (nodes, wings, frass, egg capsule shape) before you memorize control tactics.
Biology Drives Control
Every good control answer follows from the pest's biology. If you know where a pest lives, what it eats, and how it reproduces, the control method almost selects itself.
Formulation Fit
The exam tests when to use EC vs SC vs dust vs bait vs fumigant. Know which formulations leave the longest residual on porous surfaces and which penetrate or wash off.
Rotate Modes of Action
Resistance management means rotating insecticide classes with different modes of action — not just rotating brand names. Know the chemical classes (pyrethroids, OPs, carbamates, neonicotinoids, phenyl pyrazoles).
Medical Importance Is Testable
Know which pests cause necrotic bites (brown recluse, sac spider), neurotoxic stings (black widow, scorpion), transmit disease (ticks, fleas, mosquitoes), and cause allergic reactions (cockroaches, bees).
Start with the big picture
The High Standards of ACE Certification
What ACE certification means, exam structure, and what examiners are testing for.
Slide deck
ACE Certification Blueprint
7 slides covering what the certification is and how the exam is built.
View the slidesACE talk on the LTK podcast
Every episodeBeyond The Basics: A.C.E. Prep Checklist
53 min
Jorge Bedoya, ACE, breaks down how to prepare for the Entomological Society of America’s Associate Certified Entomologist exam.
Beyond the Basics: Active Ingredients
1 hr 14 min
Jorge Bedoya, ACE, on active ingredients: insecticide chemistry and the ongoing problem of resistance.
Industry Interview: Sylvia Kenmuir
56 min
Sylvia Kenmuir, BCE and senior technical representative at BASF, on her career path and what it really takes to go after ACE certification.
