What is the most effective method of preventing rodent population increases?

Good sanitation practices serve as the most effective method of preventing rodent population increases because they address the underlying factors that support rodent survival and reproduction. By maintaining a clean environment, food sources become less accessible to rodents, which is crucial since lack of food and shelter directly impacts their population growth.

Sanitation involves proper storage of food items, sealing trash containers, and cleaning up spills or crumbs that might attract rodents. Additionally, regularly inspecting and maintaining the premises helps to identify and eliminate potential nesting sites, further disrupting the conditions that allow rodent populations to thrive.

While using traps can help manage existing rodent populations, it does not prevent new infestations. Eliminating water sources is beneficial since rodents require a constant supply of water, but if food and shelter are still present, they may still proliferate. Increasing hunting efforts can reduce numbers temporarily but is not a sustainable long-term strategy and does not address environmental factors that lead to rodent infestations. Hence, good sanitation is the most comprehensive approach to preventing increases in rodent populations.