How does sanitation contribute to pest management?

• A. Increases food sources to attract pests.
• B. Has no effect on pest populations.
• C. Removes food sources, harborage, and nesting sites, reducing pest populations and pesticide needs.
• D. Replaces the need for pesticides entirely.

Answer: (C)

Removing food sources, harborage, and nesting sites reduces pest populations and the pesticide needs. In pest management, sanitation is a foundational practice because pests thrive where food, water, and shelter are available. When these resources are cleaned up or sealed off—such as keeping areas spotless, storing food in pest-proof containers, promptly disposing of trash, fixing leaks, eliminating standing water, and reducing clutter—you cut off the opportunities pests rely on to feed, hide, and breed. With fewer attractants and hiding spots, pests don’t reproduce as readily and existing populations decline, making any subsequent control measures more effective and less dependent on chemicals. Sanitation lowers pest pressure, but it doesn’t eliminate pests or replace pesticides entirely; it works best as part of an integrated approach.