Which of the following best describes the role of traps in pest control?

Traps play a crucial role in pest control by both capturing pests and providing insights into their activity levels. By either killing or capturing pests, traps help reduce their populations effectively. This can be particularly valuable in managing infestations, as the physical removal of pests can lead to significant reductions in the overall numbers.

In addition, traps allow pest control professionals to monitor for the presence and activity levels of various pest species. This dual functionality enhances pest management strategies by allowing for timely interventions based on the captured data, facilitating an adaptive management approach.

The effectiveness of traps comes not just from their immediate action on pest populations but also from the information they can provide, which aids in understanding pest behavior and informing future control measures. This combined capability exemplifies the integral role traps have in comprehensive pest management programs.