Answer :
Final answer:
The best approach to control pests by denying them food and shelter is to maintain a consistent cleaning schedule and focus on sanitation practices. Integrating additional pest management strategies such as IPM techniques, including natural predators and repellent plants, can also be beneficial.
Explanation:
When seeking to deny pests food and shelter in order to control their populations, it's crucial to implement proper sanitation practices. The correct approach is B) Maintain a consistent cleaning schedule and focus on sanitation. This means cleaning regularly, storing food in sealed containers, disposing of waste properly and promptly, and minimizing clutter and other potential shelters for pests. Infrequent or haphazard cleaning, leaving food scraps around, and expecting pests to clean up after themselves will all likely lead to increased pest problems, which can, in turn, exacerbate the need for harmful pesticides and disrupt the natural pest control provided by predators and parasites of those pests. Effective pest management also involves the use of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies, which may include introducing natural predators, using plants that repel pests, and employing non-persistent pesticides as a last resort. These methods align with the objective of minimizing harm to the environment and promoting the effectiveness of natural pest enemies.