What is a key example of a mechanical control in pest management?

A key example of mechanical control in pest management involves methods that physically prevent pests from accessing areas or otherwise reduce their populations without the use of chemicals. Pest proofing entry points is a strategy that demonstrates this approach effectively. By sealing gaps, cracks, and openings in buildings, you create barriers that prevent pests such as rodents and insects from entering. This method relies on physical modifications to the environment rather than chemical or biological agents, which is the hallmark of mechanical control.

In contrast, applying pesticides involves chemical methods to eliminate or manage pests, which doesn’t fit the mechanical control category. Sanitizing surfaces, while important for reducing the presence of pests and pathogens, is more of an adjunct strategy that doesn't physically keep pests out, nor does it directly manipulate their population. Similarly, using natural predators falls under biological control, which leverages living organisms to suppress pest populations instead of physical barriers or traps. Thus, pest proofing entry points represents a clear and effective method of mechanical control in pest management.