Pest populations need to be reduced so natural enemies can take over. What pest control approach should you use?

• A. Prevention
• B. Eradication
• C. Suppression
• D. Containment

Answer: (C)

When natural enemies are present, you want to lower pest numbers to a level where those beneficial organisms can do the ongoing control. This approach is suppression: reducing pest populations to a non-damaging level while avoiding complete elimination and preserving natural enemies for long-term management. In practice, you’d use selective controls and timing that decrease pest density without decimating beneficials, guided by monitoring and economic thresholds. Prevention aims to stop pests from arriving in the first place, eradication seeks to remove pests entirely, and containment focuses on keeping pests from spreading. Suppression best fits the goal of letting natural enemies take over.