What type of pest management practice involves using barriers to prevent pest entry?

The type of pest management practice that involves using barriers to prevent pest entry is mechanical control. This approach focuses on physical methods to exclude pests from an area, such as installing screens, sealing cracks, and utilizing traps. The goal is to create a physical barrier that reduces the likelihood of pests entering a specific space or accessing resources.

Mechanical control is particularly effective because it does not rely on chemicals or biological agents, which can have side effects or require more complex management strategies. By implementing physical barriers, one can effectively manage pest populations while minimizing harm to the environment and non-target organisms.

In contrast, biological control refers to the use of natural enemies or predators to control pest populations, cultural control involves practices that improve crop health and reduce pest habitats, and chemical control relies on pesticides to manage pests. These methods each contribute to integrated pest management but do not specifically focus on the physical exclusion of pests.