Utah Structural and Health Related Pest Practice Exam 2025 - Free Pest Control Practice Questions and Study Guide

The primary reason for the increase of pest populations in urban areas is the availability of food, shelter, and water. Urban environments often provide abundant resources that attract pests. For example, refuse and poorly managed food waste create food sources for various pests, while structures such as homes, buildings, and even the landscaping around them provide ideal shelter. Furthermore, urban areas often have accessible water sources from irrigation, plumbing issues, or stagnant water, which are essential for pests like cockroaches, ants, and rodents to thrive.

While decreased human activity and changes in climate can influence pest populations in various ways, they are not as direct and consistent in urban settings as the immediate availability of food, shelter, and water sources. Similarly, increased competition among species may impact certain pest dynamics, but the fundamental drivers of urban pest proliferation are primarily tied to the abundant resources that urban settings provide.