Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE) Practice Exam

Which approach manipulates physical factors to control pests?

1. Chemical controls.

2. Biological controls.

3. Physical controls.

4. Cultural controls.

The correct answer is: Physical controls.

The approach that manipulates physical factors to control pests is centered on the concept of physical controls. This method includes techniques such as trapping, exclusion, vacuuming, heat treatments, and the use of barriers. By altering physical conditions in the environment, this strategy aims to make it less hospitable for pests or to directly remove them from an area. For instance, using screens to close off entry points to structures or employing heat to kill pests in stored products are both examples of physical controls in action. These methods are often favored because they can be very effective and may have fewer negative side effects on the ecosystem compared to chemical applications. Chemical controls would involve the use of pesticides to kill or repel pests, which does not focus on manipulating physical factors. Biological controls rely on natural predators or parasites to manage pest populations, addressing the ecological balance rather than physical manipulations. Cultural controls use agricultural practices or modifications to the environment (like crop rotation) to manage pest populations but do not primarily focus on physical manipulation of the environment itself.