Allowing pesticide drift beyond a treatment site may result in exposure to non-target species.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Only if non-target pests
• D. It helps beneficials

Answer: (A)

Pesticide drift is the movement of pesticide away from the target area during or after application, so it can travel to places you didn’t intend to treat. Because of that movement, any organisms outside the treatment site can be exposed, including pollinators, aquatic life, birds, mammals, and even people. This is exactly why drift is a major concern in pesticide use: it expands the area at risk beyond the intended target and can disrupt ecosystems or cause harm to non-target species. That’s also why labels emphasize drift-reduction practices, such as appropriate droplet sizes, calibrated equipment, suitable weather conditions, and buffer zones. The idea that drift only affects non-target pests isn’t correct, and it certainly doesn’t imply that drift benefits beneficials—the exposure can harm them as well. So the statement is true.