For pesticide spray application to be effective in managing a cockroach infestation, what other control strategy is necessary?

For pesticide spray application to effectively manage a cockroach infestation, sanitation and cleanliness in the affected areas is essential. When dealing with cockroaches, it's important to recognize that these pests thrive in environments where food, water, and harborage are readily available. By keeping the structure clean and sanitizing areas that may harbor food particles or moisture, you significantly reduce the resources available to cockroaches.

This creates an environment that is less conducive to their survival and reproduction, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of the pesticide application. Residual pesticide can kill cockroaches that come into contact with it, but if the pests have access to food and water, they may continue to thrive, leading to a cycle of continued infestation despite treatment.

The other methods, while potentially helpful in pest management, do not directly support the immediate control offered by sanitation. For example, applying heat treatments or using traps can help control pest populations, but they do not address the foundational issues related to food and cleanliness. Increasing humidity is generally contrary to managing cockroach populations, as damp environments can promote their habitation. Therefore, maintaining cleanliness and sanitation is the most crucial complementary strategy to pesticide application in effectively managing a cockroach infestation.