Glue boards are ineffective when 1) used to monitor roach population 2) used to monitor rodent activity. Which option is correct?

• A. 1 is true, 2 is false
• B. 1 is false, 2 is true
• C. both are true
• D. both are false

Answer: (A)

Glue boards (sticky traps) function as a simple index of pest activity rather than a precise count of how many pests are present. For roaches, they’re not reliable for estimating population size because roaches hide in cracks, have uneven movement patterns, and sampling with a few traps can misrepresent the true population. A trap might catch some individuals while missing others in nearby harborage, so trap counts don’t translate into an accurate population measure. However, they’re still useful for confirming presence and tracking changes in activity across locations over time.

For rodents, glue boards are more effective as monitoring tools. Rodents tend to follow predictable runways along walls and open paths, so traps placed strategically can provide a clearer picture of activity levels and trends, especially when used consistently across time and sites.

So, it's true that glue boards are ineffective for monitoring roach populations, but not ineffective for monitoring rodent activity.