What would be a consequence of not monitoring pest levels?

Monitoring pest levels is crucial in pest management as it helps in making informed decisions regarding interventions. When pest populations are not monitored, there is a significant risk that these populations may exceed established action thresholds. Action thresholds are predetermined levels of pest populations at which management actions should be taken to prevent unacceptable damage or economic loss.

If monitoring is omitted, it is easy to overlook pest population increases or shifts in their behavior, which can lead to situations where pest numbers grow beyond manageable levels. This can result in larger outbreaks that are more challenging to control and may require more intensive and potentially expensive measures to address.

Maintaining vigilance through regular monitoring allows for timely interventions, potentially preventing pest populations from reaching levels that could cause substantial damage. Thus, the failure to monitor leads directly to the consequence of uncontrolled pest population growth, confirming the correctness of the identified answer regarding the management of pest populations.