What is the primary function of anticoagulants in pest control?

The primary function of anticoagulants in pest control is to cause rodents to bleed to death. Anticoagulant rodenticides work by disrupting the normal blood clotting process, leading to uncontrolled bleeding in affected rodents. These compounds inhibit vitamin K recycling, which is essential for the synthesis of certain clotting factors. Consequently, when rodents ingest these substances, they suffer from internal bleeding, which ultimately results in death over a period of days.

The other options do not align with the role of anticoagulants. Inhibiting insect growth pertains more to growth regulators, enhancing protein synthesis is unrelated to pest control, and mimicking plant growth hormones relates to plant pest management rather than targeting animal pests like rodents. Therefore, anticoagulants serve a specific and critical role in effectively managing rodent populations through their lethal impact on blood coagulation.