Economic Thresholds

Economic thresholds are the levels at which the cost of controlling pests or problems equals the economic benefit gained from doing so. In other words, it’s the point at which action becomes financially justified—preventing potential damage that would cost more than the control measures. If pest population or problem severity stays below this threshold, it’s usually more cost-effective to wait or use less intensive methods. Once the threshold is exceeded, intervention is warranted to prevent costly damage, balancing costs and benefits to optimize resource use.