Cockroach Control Manual

COCKROACH

CONTROL MANUAL

Barb Ogg, Extension Educator, Lancaster County

Clyde Ogg, Extension Educator, Pesticide Safety Education Program

Dennis Ferraro, Extension Educator, Douglas & Sarpy Counties

Extension is a Division of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln

cooperating with the Counties and the United States Department of Agriculture.

University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension’s educational programs abide with the nondiscrimination policies

of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture.

COCKROACH

CONTROL MANUAL

(Photo by J. Kalisch)

Table of Contents

1 Chapter 1: Introduction

5 Chapter 2: Know Your Enemy

9 Chapter 3: Cockroach Biology

15 Chapter 4: Locate Problem Areas

23 Chapter 5: Primary Control Strategies: Modify Resources

31 Chapter 6: Low-Risk Control Strategies

37 Chapter 7: Insecticide Basics

45 Chapter 8: Insecticides and Your Health

53 Chapter 9: Insecticide Applications

59 Chapter 10: Putting a Management Plan Together

Cockroach Control Manual

iiii

Preface

It has been more than 10 years since the ﬁrst edition of the Cockroach Control Manual was

completed. While the basic steps for effective and safe cockroach control are still the same, there are more

types of control products available than there were 10 years ago. This means you have even more choices

in your arsenal to help ﬁght roaches.

The Cockroach Control Manual is a practical reference for persons who have had little or no training

in insect identiﬁcation, biology or control methods. We know most people want low toxic methods used

inside their homes so we are emphasizing low-risk strategies even more than in the original edition.

We have read enough scientiﬁc literature to understand just how easy it would have been to

overwhelm you with technical information. Our goal is to translate scientiﬁc jargon into everyday English

so this manual is easy to read and understand. If you study this manual from cover to cover, you will be able

to better understand cockroach biology and behavior and will be able to conduct a successful cockroach

control program.

Author Biographies

Barbara Ogg is an Extension Educator at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) Extension Ofﬁce

in Lancaster County, Lincoln, Nebraska. She has an M.S. and Ph.D. in Entomology/Pest Management

from Iowa State University. In the Lancaster County ofﬁce, she focuses on environmental program areas,

including management of urban pests, pesticide management and safety. Other than this manual, special

projects include termite education for homeowners and pest management professionals and head lice

education.

Clyde Ogg is an Extension Educator in the Pesticide Safety Education Program at the University of

Nebraska–Lincoln. He holds an M.S. in Entomology from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He conducted

research on the biology, behavior and control of German cockroaches at UNL, and was supervisor at a pest

control ﬁrm in Denver, Colorado for ﬁve years. In addition to pesticide safety education, Clyde is actively

involved in termite educational programs and is the coordinator for the UNL Integrated Pest Management

(IPM) in Schools Program.

Dennis Ferraro, Extension Educator at the UNL Douglas-Sarpy County Extension Ofﬁce. He has an

M.S. in Zoology/Entomology from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He was Technical Advisor and

Program Director for a pest control company in Omaha for ten years.

Second Edition, July 2006

For additional copies of this manual, contact

University of Nebraska–Lincoln in Lancaster County

444 Cherrycreek Road, Suite A, Lincoln, NE 68583

(402) 441-7180

Extension is a Division of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln cooperating with

the Counties and the United States Department of Agriculture.

Extension’s educational programs abide with the nondiscrimination policies of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture.

iii

References to products or companies in the publication are for your convenience

and are not an endorsement over similar products or companies.

You are responsible for using insecticides according to the current label directions and

federal and state laws. Follow label directions exactly to protect the environment and

people from insecticide exposure. Failure to do so violates the law.

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Vicki Jedlicka and James Kalisch, who contributed to the manual layout and

provided photographs used in this edition.

We also wish to thank James Kalisch, Ami Shefﬁeld, Soni Cochran and Christine Cepuran for their

hand-drawn artwork throughout this manual.

Special thanks to Erin Bauer, Christine Weitzel and Karen Wedding who reviewed parts of this second

edition and provided valuable guidance, suggestions and contributions.

Introduction

Chapter 1 Introduction

Fig. 1-1 “Oh oh....Looks like this is gonna be tougher than I

thought! (Jim Kalisch)

Fig. 1-2 Child with aspirator (Barb Ogg)

Chapter 2 Know Your Enemy

Fig. 2-1 “Contrary to popular opinion, not all cockroaches look the

same.” (Ami Shefﬁeld)

Fig. 2-2 German cockroach live cycle, similar to other cockroach

species (Clyde Ogg)

Fig. 2-3 Structures of a cockroach body (USDA)

Fig. 2-4 Common cockroaches of the Northern U.S. (Jim Kalisch)

Chapter 3 Cockroach Biology

Fig. 3-1 “Eeek!...A cockroach in our dinner! Smash it, honey, smash

it!” (Jim Kalisch)

Fig. 3-2 German cockroach line drawing (Conn. Agr. Exp. Sta.)

Fig. 3-3 Reproductive potential of the German cockroach (Clyde

Ogg)

Fig. 3-4 Brownbanded cockroach male line drawing (Arwin V.

Provonsha)

Fig. 3-5 Oriental cockroach male and female line drawing (Conn.

Agr. Exp. Sta.)

Fig. 3-6 Oriental cockroach reproduction cycle (Clyde Ogg)

Fig. 3-7 American cockroach line drawing (Conn. Agr. Exp. Sta.)

Fig. 3-8 Wood cockroach male (Jim Kalisch)

Fig. 3-9 Fecal comparison of German, brownbanded, oriental and

American cockroaches (Clyde Ogg)

Chapter 4 Locate Problem Areas

Fig. 4-1 “Cockroaches are easily transported from infested

dwellings to new places.” (Ami Shefﬁeld)

Fig. 4-2 German cockroaches and fecal specks on a door frame,

under calendar (Barb Ogg)

Fig. 4-3 “Come and get it! (Ami Shefﬁeld)

Fig. 4-4 Roach specks in mail holder. (Barb Ogg)

Fig. 4-5 Cockroaches in the tight space of a door jam (Vicki

Jedlicka)

Fig. 4-6 Sticky trap placement (Clyde Ogg)

Fig. 4-7 Diagram of trap placements for a hypothetical cockroach

infestation (Jim Kalisch)

Chapter 5 Primary Control Strategies: Modify Resources

Fig. 5-1 “I admit I seen a few waterbugs, but I got no cockroach

problems.” (Jim Kalisch)

Fig. 5-2 Rhonda the roach, searching for a place to live. (Ami

Shefﬁeld)

Fig. 5-3 Carrying capacity (Clyde Ogg)

Fig. 5-4 Cockroaches live most comfortably in tight places (Jim

Kalisch)

Fig. 5-5 Pulling out a refrigerator drip pan (Vicki Jedlicka)

Fig. 5-6 “Yikes” (Soni Cochran)

Fig. 5-7 Vacuuming to remove food particles, cockroaches and

cockroach specs (Vicki Jedlicka)

Fig. 5-8 German cockroach and feces near stacks of papers (Barb

Ogg)

Fig. 5-9 Caulking cracks and crevices with a caulk gun (Clyde

Ogg)

Fig. 5-10 Cockroaches in void areas of a drawer (Clyde Ogg)

Chapter 6 Low Risk Control Strategies

Fig. 6-1 “Brrrr! It’s really cold in here! (Christine Cepuran)

Fig. 6-2 Female German cockroach and nymphs caught in a sticky

trap (Chris Arne, J.C. Ehrlich & Co.)

Fig. 6-3 Cockroach running from a vacuum cleaner (Ami Shefﬁeld)

Fig. 6-4 Dead cockroach (Jim Kalisch)

Fig. 6-5 Cockroach with crinkled wings (Clyde Ogg)

Fig. 6-6 “This stuff really works” (Ami Shefﬁeld)

Chapter 7 Insecticides

Fig. 7-1 Effect of sanitation, habitat modiﬁcation and control

measures on cockroach populations (Chris Arne, J.C.

Ehrlich & Co.)

Fig. 7-2 Gel bait application and cockroaches feeding on gel bait

(Vicki Jedlicka)

Fig. 7-3 Application of dust; dust covered German cockroach

(Vicki Jedlicka)

Fig. 7-4 Ready-to-use sprays (Barb Ogg)

Fig. 7-5 San Diego Union article about an explosion caused by

too many foggers (San Diego Union Tribune, Joe Hughes,

photo John Gibbons)

Fig. 7-6 Dead cockroaches (Jim Kalisch)

Chapter 8 Insecticide and Your Health

Fig. 8-1 “Let me assure you, ma’am, that these chemicals are

perfectly harmless.” (Jim Kalisch)

Fig. 8-2 Basic applicator’s uniform (Barb Ogg)

Fig. 8-3 Goggles will protect eyes (Barb Ogg)

Fig. 8-4 Wear a dust mask to avoid inhaling dusts (Barb Ogg)

Chapter 9 Insecticide Applications

Fig. 9-1 Gel bait application (Barb Ogg)

Fig. 9-2 Bellows duster application (Clyde Ogg)

Fig. 9-3 Aerosol crack and crevice application (Barb Ogg)

Chapter 10 Putting a Management Plan Together

Fig. 10-1 “Glenn’s management plan seems to be missing

something” (Jim Kalisch)

Fig. 10-2 Home remedies (Ami Shefﬁeld)

Fig. 10-3 Ultrasonic devices don’t work (Ami Shefﬁeld)

Cockroach Control Manual

Figure 1-1. “Oh oh! ... Looks like this is gonna to be tougher than I thought!”

(J. Kalisch 1995)

Chapter 1

Introduction

There are over 3,500 cockroach species existing

in the world. Thank goodness, only four species live

and breed in the northern United States! These four

species: the German, brownbanded, oriental (a.k.a.,

waterbugs), and American cockroaches, are world

travelers, living with humans nearly everywhere

across the globe.

The presence of cockroaches in the home

causes distress to home and apartment dwellers.

Part of the distress is because many people dislike

any “bugs” in the home. In addition, there is a false

belief that cockroaches only live in dirty homes, so

there is a negative stigma attached to having them.

Many people are embarrassed to admit they share

their living quarters with cockroaches.

The simple truth is cockroaches live in

dwellings belonging to all ethnic groups and all

economic classes of people. Sloppy housekeeping

does not automatically mean a person will have

an infestation; likewise, immaculate housekeeping

does not exempt you from having cockroaches.

Because they are usually brought into non-infested

residences through human activities, even clean

homes can get cockroaches.

However, a clean and tidy home will not sustain

as many cockroaches as an identical home which is

cluttered and dirty, because there is less food for the

cockroaches to eat and fewer hiding places. Other

factors like humidity, drippy faucets and other

water sources are very important in inﬂuencing

infestation levels. You will learn how to modify

these factors to suppress your cockroach infestation

in Chapter 5.

Cockroaches and Human

Health

Food Poisoning. Did you know cockroaches

have been implicated in cases of Salmonella food

poisoning? They can also carry Staphylococcus,

Streptococcus, coliform and other bacterial

pathogens on their bodies.

The main reason cockroaches harbor and

transmit disease pathogens is they will eat just

about anything, including discarded food in

our kitchen trash can and cat feces in the litter

box. After feeding, disease bacteria can remain

in the cockroach digestive system for a month or

more. Later, human food or utensils can become

contaminated with cockroach feces. Cockroaches

can mechanically transfer germs by crawling over

bacteria-laden substances and later walking over

dishes and eating utensils.

Allergies and Asthma. Some people are

allergic to cockroaches. In infested homes, proteins

in crushed cockroach body fragments and feces

become a component of house dust. After inhaling

dust in a cockroach-infested home, sensitive

children and adults develop allergic symptoms

similar to those of hay fever: runny nose, itchy eyes

and sneezing.

Some people who are allergic to cockroaches

may develop asthma, which can be a life-threatening

medical condition. Asthma is a chronic lung

disorder characterized by obstruction of airways.

Symptoms of asthma include coughing, wheezing

and difﬁculty in breathing. The most severe

Introduction

Figure 1-2. Cockroach allergen, found in

cockroach body fragments and feces causes

asthma in sensitive individuals

(B. Ogg)

Cockroach Control Manual

asthmatic attacks can lead to death.

Cockroach-Induced Asthma. An estimated

20 million Americans have asthma which has

greatly increased in the last few decades. There are

ethnic differences in the incidence and mortality

associated with asthma. Children who live in inner

city, high-density housing, particularly African

American and Hispanic children, are more likely

to have asthma. Although asthma may have several

potential causes, cockroach allergens in the indoor

environment are a major asthma trigger. Research

has shown 23 to 60 percent of urban dwellers with

asthma were allergic to cockroaches.

About 50 percent of asthma cases are caused

by allergies. Studies have shown most asthmatics

who are allergic to cockroach allergens will have an

asthma attack after a single inhalation of allergens.

Other potential asthma triggers include dust mites,

animal dander, mold and tobacco smoke. People

with asthma may react to more than one allergen so

identifying and reducing exposure to all allergens

are needed to manage asthma effectively.

For people who are sensitive to cockroach

allergens, steps to reduce or eliminate cockroach

populations will help reduce exposure to allergens

and may prevent asthma attacks.

Can I Control Cockroaches

Myself?

You may be asking yourself, “Can I treat my home

for cockroaches, or do I need an exterminator?” A

pest control service can be useful for part of your

cockroach control program, especially if you have

a severe infestation and/or do not want to handle

insecticides. The safe use of insecticides also requires

proper protective clothing and may require some

specialized equipment.

The main advantage of doing-it-yourself is the

cost savings. Another advantage is you know your

home better than a stranger does. For instance, you

know where the harborage areas are, and, because

you are there more often, you are better able to

monitor progress and evaluate control efforts. In

addition, insecticide treatments are only one aspect

of cockroach control, and pest control ﬁrms may

not emphasize other important tactics needed for

effective control.

Did you know most insecticides registered

for cockroach control are general use insecticides?

General use insecticides can be used without special

training, although it is still important to read and

follow label directions. Some manufacturers have

labeled their cockroach control insecticides “for

use only by certiﬁed applicators,” which means you

cannot use them unless you have taken training

and passed a state-licensing examination. Most

professional-use products are marketed to pest

control professionals so these products will not

be found in supermarkets, hardware or discount

stores where you might ﬁrst go to purchase them.

But, there are very effective products—some even

identical to those sold to the professional—you

may be able to ﬁnd locally.

Whether you wish to do-it-yourself or hire

a professional, you need to know what products

are most effective and how to use them safely and

effectively. You will learn about them in Chapters

6-9 of this manual. But, do not skip over Chapters

2-5. In these chapters, you will learn the tricks-of-

the-trade to make your control program a success.

Multiple Tactics Approach

Because cockroaches are very adaptable, the

most effective type of cockroach control includes

using several methods at the same time to

reduce cockroach populations. Agricultural pest

management specialists have used this approach

for years. This multiple tactics approach is called

Integrated Pest Management or IPM.

The basic components of IPM are:

1) Identify the pest.

2) Understand the biology and behavior of the

pest.

3) Determine if control is needed.

4) Identify all appropriate control measures for the

speciﬁc situation, including non-chemical and

chemical measures.

5) Implement safe and effective control tactics.

6) Evaluate the control efforts.

When managing cockroaches, this IPM

approach includes monitoring suspected

infestation areas before treatments to ﬁnd out the

pest species and where the infestation is located.

Later on, you’ll want to monitor the same areas to

see how successful your control program has been.

Preventing entry, using good sanitation practices,

sealing cracks and crevices, careful placement of

baits, using insect growth regulators with low-toxic

insecticides are tactics which will get a cockroach

problem under control.

Regardless of whether you decide to do-it-

yourself or hire a pest control company to help you

with the insecticide treatments, this handbook will

present the basic control tactics needed to suppress

cockroaches in your dwelling. If all control tactics

are used, signiﬁcant reductions in a cockroach

population can be made. Eradication is even

possible.

Introduction

Cockroach Control Manual

Figure 2-1. Contrary to popular opinion, not all cockroaches look the same.

(A. Shefﬁeld)

Chapter 2

Know Your Enemy

The ﬁrst step in insect control is to know

what pest you are dealing with. Each domestic

cockroach species prefers a different area in a

residence, so identiﬁcation is important for best

control. A cockroach infestation has individuals of

different sizes, including reproducing adults with

wings (usually) and immature individuals without

wings. Unlike some insects, butterﬂies for example,

immature and adult cockroaches live in the same

habitat and eat the same foods.

Immature cockroaches, called nymphs, are

smaller than adults, and hatch from egg cases the

adult female deposits. As the nymph grows, it

sheds its “skin” or exoskeleton so it can get larger.

Each nymphal stage is larger than the previous one,

and the adult emerges after the last nymphal stage.

Figure 2-2 shows the life cycle (egg, nymph and

adult) of the German cockroach. Although only two

nymphal stages are shown, the German cockroach

has at least six. Each cockroach species has a unique

number of immature stages (see Chapter 3).

All stages can be identiﬁed, but features of

adults are larger and more distinctive, so we will

concentrate on identifying adults. Identiﬁcation is

not difﬁcult, but you must recognize features on

the cockroach body. Refer to the body parts of a

cockroach adult in ﬁgure 2-3.

Head. On the head, cockroaches have chewing

mouthparts used to chew or scrape off food too large

for them to swallow whole. Cockroaches have a pair

of compound eyes, but have poor vision except they

can distinguish easily between light and dark. You

have probably noticed these pests are nocturnal,

(active at night and hidden during the day) because

they are repelled by light. Another structure on the

head, is a pair of long, well-developed antennae,

sensory organs used to detect odors and vibrations

in the air. Inside the head is a small brain which

coordinates the various body functions.

Know Your Enemy

Figure 2-2. German cockroach life cycle, similar to

other cockroach species.

Figure 2-3. Structures of a cockroach body.

(C. Ogg)

USDA

Cockroach Control Manual

Thorax. On the thorax, all cockroaches have

three pairs of legs. Adults of most of the domestic

species have two pairs of wings, although one

species, the oriental cockroach, has poorly-

developed wings in both sexes. Even the winged

species are poor ﬂyers, but have excellent running

abilities. Many species of cockroaches can defy the

law of gravity and crawl across the wall or ceiling.

There is a large plate-like structure on the

thorax, just behind the head. This structure, the

pronotum, has color patterns which distinguish

several cockroach species, so it is an important

anatomical feature.

Abdomen. The abdomen of the cockroach

houses the reproductive system. The eggs are

enclosed in a tough egg case which protects them

from drying out. The female of one species, the

German cockroach, carries the egg case around

with her until the eggs are nearly ready to hatch.

See Table 2-1 for common locations eggs of each

species may be found. Cockroaches show no

parental care and may be cannibalistic, eating their

young if no food is available. They eat injured and

dead cockroaches, too.

On the end of the abdomen, there is a pair

of cerci, projections which are sensory organs.

Cerci function in a similar manner to antennae,

sensing vibrations through air or ground. Cerci

are directly connected to the legs of the cockroach

via abdominal nerve ganglia (a sort of secondary

brain), which is an important survival adaptation.

Whenever a cockroach “feels” a presence with its

cerci, its legs start running, even before the brain

receives the signal. Once a cockroach is running,

you have to be pretty fast to step on it.

Identify Your Roaches

Use the following pictures or those on the

back cover, to identify your roaches. If you ﬁnd an

odd looking cockroach, take it to an entomologist

for identiﬁcation. Remember, this manual only

discusses the most common cockroaches found in

the northern states. Southern states have all these

cockroaches plus some others.

Table 2-1. Characteristics of common domestic cockroach species

Roach Species Length Color and Markings Eggs

Egg to

Adult

Reproductive

Characteristics

German

(Blattella

germanica)

9/16 in.

(14 mm)

Light brown with two

dark stripes on the

pronotum

37 55–68

days

Female carries egg case

until about 24-hours

before hatching, then

drops it in a secluded

place.

Brownbanded

(Supella

longipalpa)

9/16 in.

(14 mm)

Tan-golden with faint

V-shaped lighter bands

on wings

16 95–276

days

Egg case glued

undersurface of objects,

shelves, furniture in

crevices.

Oriental

(Blatta

orientalis)

1 –1-1/4

in. (32

mm)

Dark red-brown-black 14 300–800

days

Egg case deposited

in debris or food in a

sheltered place.

American

(Periplaneta

americana)

1-1/2 in.

(38 mm)

Reddish brown

throughout with a pale

band on the edge of

the pronotum. A very

large roach.

14 285–616

days

Egg case carried up to six

days before depositing in

a sheltered area.

Average number per egg case. The number actually hatched can be fewer.

German cockroach

Brownbanded cockroach

Oriental cockroach

American cockroach

Figure 2-4. Common cockroaches of the northern U.S.

Know Your Enemy

(J. Kalisch)(J. Kalisch)

Cockroach Control Manual

(J. Kalisch 1995)

Figure 3-1. “Eeek!...A cockroach in our dinner! Smash it, honey, smash it!”

Chapter 3

Cockroach Biology

Cockroaches are very primitive insects. Their

ancestors lived 200-350 million years ago in the

Carboniferous Period, even before the dinosaurs.

This geological period is sometimes called the “Age

of Cockroaches” because they were so abundant. At

this time, the climate on the earth was warm and

moist, ideal conditions for them to thrive. Although

climatic conditions are cooler and less humid now,

present-day cockroach species are surprisingly

similar to those preserved in fossils from the distant

past.

Living Requirements

In general, cockroaches adapted to living with

people need four things to successfully live in a

home. They need water, food, shelter and warmth.

When we go about our daily activities (cooking,

eating, bathing), we provide these requirements,

which is why cockroaches survive so well with us.

Cockroaches generally will not survive very well in

a vacant home. Different cockroaches have slightly

different requirements, which will be helpful in

knowing where to inspect and later, focus your

control efforts.

Life Cycle, Behavior and

Habitat

The cockroach is exceedingly hardy. It thrives

on only crumbs and can survive a couple weeks

without food or water. Cockroaches often live in

cracks and crevices so small we can easily overlook

them. Because they are such good survivors, it is

essential to have a basic understanding of the

cockroach life cycle, behavior and habitat before

attempting any control tactic. Information about

how long cockroaches live, and the number of

eggs they produce is called their life cycle. Habits

or things they do during their entire life cycle

can be thought of as behavior. The place where

cockroaches live and eat is called their habitat. The

life cycle, behavior and habitat of each cockroach

species will be described in detail.

German

Cockroach

(Blattella

germanica)

Life Cycle. The

German cockroach has

a tremendous capacity

to produce offspring.

A female German

cockroach produces an

egg case (the scientiﬁc

term is ootheca) containing 30-40 eggs. The

female carries this egg case for about three weeks

until the day the eggs hatch. She then goes into

hiding before dropping her egg case. This behavior

reduces possible harm to the female and her eggs.

The immature German cockroaches (nymphs)

grow fast when conditions are favorable. Nymphs

emerging from the egg cases will molt (shed their

skins) six or seven times in about 60 days. After the

last molt, adult cockroaches emerge fully winged

and sexually mature.

The female German cockroach can produce as

many as eight egg cases and more than 300 offspring!

If half of the nymphs are females, and each of them

Figure 3-3. Reproductive potential of the German

cockroach.

(C. Ogg)

Figure 3-2.

(Conn. Agr. Exp. Sta.)

Cockroach Control Manual

produces 300 nymphs, and if half of those nymphs

are females, and they each produce 300 nymphs. . .

I think you begin to get the idea! It is theoretically

possible for one female German cockroach to

produce more than 100,000 cockroaches in one

year! (Figure 3-3)

Behavior and Habitat. German cockroaches

gather, or aggregate in warm, humid, dark places

near food and water. They like porous surfaces like

wood, paper or cardboard better than nonporous

surfaces like metal. Cockroaches “mark” these porous

surfaces with an aggregation pheromone, found in

their feces. A pheromone is a chemical produced

by one cockroach which affects the behavior of

others. This aggregation pheromone attracts other

cockroaches, especially the tiniest immature stages,

which usually stay in these hidden places until they

are larger. These tiny cockroaches don’t need to

venture into the outside world for food because

they feed on the feces of the adults. Examples of

gathering places are cracks and crevices of counter

tops, wooden cabinets, in wall and ceiling voids,

in and around refrigerators, dishwashers, stoves,

washers and dryers and water heaters.

German cockroaches have a high water

requirement and are most likely to be found

infesting kitchens and bathrooms. If food, water

and shelter are available, the cockroach population

can multiply rapidly when temperatures are warm.

When any one of these resources is limited or is

eliminated, populations can’t grow and may even

decline.

Inspections. Look for German cockroaches

(alive or dead), droppings (see Figure 3-10), shed

or cast off skins and empty egg cases. Concentrate

your efforts on undisturbed areas of high humidity

where water is found (kitchens and bathrooms). Use

sticky traps to detect infestations and help estimate

the size of the cockroach problem (Chapter 4).

Brownbanded Cockroach

(Supella longipalpa)

Life Cycle. The egg case, containing 13-18 eggs,

is glued to inconspicuous places in the habitat, such

as on furniture, behind picture frames, walls and

ceilings. Egg cases hatch in about 50 days. In her

lifetime (approximately six months) the female

brownbanded cockroach can deposit as many as 14

egg cases. Nymphs molt six to eight times over a

ﬁve- to six-month time span, before emerging as

sexually mature winged adults. Male brownbanded

cockroaches readily ﬂy when disturbed.

A single, female brownbanded cockroach has

the potential to produce about 250 offspring. But,

because of the long time required for nymphs to

grow into sexually mature adults, large populations

are not produced as quickly as those of the German

cockroach. In addition, because the egg cases

are glued to objects in the environment, they are

susceptible to drying out, attack by fungi and other

mortality factors which all contribute to a low-

hatch rate. Brownbanded cockroach infestations

are less common than German cockroaches.

Figure 3-4.

(A. Provonsha)

1111

Behavior and Habitat. Brownbanded

cockroaches build up their highest populations in

high temperature areas. They do not need as much

water as German cockroaches, so they often thrive

in drier locations. They are often found in locations

at eye-level or above, such as in cabinets, around

closet shelves, behind pictures, in warm areas near

motors of refrigerators, electric clocks, timers and

television sets. Other favorite habitats are around

the braces of kitchen chairs and tables, around

objects on the wall and in shower stalls. Their egg

cases can be found attached to rough surfaces like

walls and textured ceilings but can also be found

around the kitchen sink, desks, tables and other

furniture (Figure 3-5).

Inspections. Inspections are similar to

those for German cockroaches, but also look for

droppings, cast skins, alive or dead individuals

and egg cases glued to places in higher and drier

areas. Because brownbanded cockroaches take

longer to develop and hatch eggs, have such a long

development and egg-hatching time, long-term

monitoring is especially important.

Oriental Cockroach

(Blatta orientalis)

Life Cycle. A

female oriental

c o c k r o a c h

produces fewer

offspring than

either the

German or the

brow n b an ded

females. She can

produce up to

eight egg cases

in a season, but

in areas where

the winters are

cold, like in

Nebraska, fewer

egg cases (as few

as one per year)

are produced.

The number of

offspring may be

as low as 16, the

number of eggs

in a perfectly

formed egg case.

Within two

days after the egg case is produced, it is placed in a

sheltered area containing abundant food. In about

two months, nymphs emerge and are most active

from spring until midsummer. In early spring, only

adult oriental cockroaches are found; by late spring

nymphs are abundant, and the adults begin to die

off. By fall, most individuals are adults (Figure 3-

7).

As with the brownbanded species, egg cases

are susceptible to drying out, attack by fungus and

cannibalism by other cockroaches, if other food is

scarce.

Behavior and Habitat. Oriental cockroaches

are sometimes called “waterbugs” by people who

don’t realize they are a type of cockroach. This

nickname reﬂects their afﬁnity for humid, moist

locations. Oriental cockroaches differ from the

other three species, because it can live outdoors in

Cockroach Biology

Figure 3-6.

(Conn. Agr. Exp. Sta.)

C. Ogg

Figure 3-5. A localized brownbanded infestation

was noticed in an ofﬁce cubicle. The ofﬁce

worker ate lunch at her desk and left food

waste in her trash can overnight. She also

left partially eaten hard candy in her desk

drawer. An inspection of her cubical revealed

brownbanded cockroaches infesting her

telephone. The warmth from the telephone and

food left in the desk encouraged this localized

infestation. This photo shows brownbanded

egg cases and feces on the underside of the

telephone.

Cockroach Control Manual

the northern U.S. Outdoors, oriental cockroaches

are found where there is high organic matter,

like wood chips or mulch, between soil and the

foundation, underneath patio bricks and sidewalks.

They sometimes aggregate under garbage cans.

During hot, dry periods, they may move indoors

to ﬁnd locations more moist and humid. Indoors,

they will be found in basements, especially in

cool, damp locations like bathrooms and ﬂoor

drains. Crawlspaces may be infested with oriental

cockroaches which may invade homes.

Inspections. Infestations will generally

be found in areas of high humidity and cool

temperatures, generally basements or lower ﬂoors.

If you repeatedly see oriental cockroaches on upper

ﬂoors, search for a hidden moisture problem.

In basements, infestations of these insects

can sometimes be located by examining spider

webs. In homes without basements, crawlspaces

may be the source of oriental cockroaches. In

kitchens and bathrooms, look around sinks and

bathtubs and check plumbing for leaky pipes.

Oriental cockroaches produce large fecal smears

indicating moister feces (Figure 3-10), live or

dead cockroaches and egg cases. Low populations

of oriental cockroaches may exist in a home, but

home dwellers may only observe these cockroaches

for a month or two in the spring when they are

most active. Beware! Oriental cockroach numbers

observed in the spring may appear low or under

control, only to buildup by midsummer.

American Cockroach

(Periplaneta americana)

Life Cycle. The American cockroach egg case

contains 14-16 eggs. Nymphs emerge in about

six weeks and undergo 13 molts over the next 18

months, before reaching the sexually mature adult

stage. During warm conditions, adult females

produce an egg case in about one week and can live

more than a year.

American cockroaches seem to have a

tremendous potential for producing offspring.

But because of cold winters in northern states,

American cockroaches develop at a slower rate and

produce fewer offspring than in southern states.

Behavior and Habitat. American cockroach

females glue or place their egg case in locations

where offspring are likely to survive. In northern

states, American cockroaches are abundant in

many cities’ sewer systems. They can also be found

in commercial establishments like restaurants,

grocery stores, bakeries and other places where

food is prepared or stored. They are most common

in boiler rooms, heated steam tunnels, basements

around pipes and around water heaters and wet

ﬂoor drains. American cockroaches can coexist

with German cockroaches.

Inspections. American cockroaches are

less common in northern states than German

and oriental cockroaches. Look for American

cockroaches in areas of warmth and high humidity.

American cockroach feces may be almost as large

as mouse droppings. American cockroaches

Figure 3-8.

(Conn. Agr. Exp. Sta.)

Figure 3-7. Relative number of Oriental cockroach

reproduction cycle, showing relative numbers of

nymphs and adults during a calendar year.

(C. Ogg)

are known as “born inebriates,” their desire for

fermenting liquids is often very strong. There

are many examples of restaurants or bar owners

ﬁnding American cockroaches in partially empty

beer bottles. Bread soaked with beer can be used

to attract them. Ongoing inspections, including

trapping, are very important because of the long

life-span of this cockroach.

Wood

Cockroaches

(Parcoblatta

spp.)

Behavior and

Harborage. Wood

cockroaches live in

rotted logs, tree stumps, hollow trees, stopped-up

rain gutters and in piles of ﬁre wood. Males and

females differ greatly in appearance. Wingless

females look similar to oriental cockroaches, but are

hardly ever seen. A clear area on the outside of the

pronotum and margins of the wings differentiate

them from domestic cockroaches.

Winged males take ﬂight during late spring in

search of females. Males are attracted to light and

sometimes accidentally invade homes, where they

soon die. Wood cockroaches rarely, if ever breed

inside. The best control method is exclusion, by

sealing gaps around screens, doors and windows.

No chemical control is necessary.

Comparing Cockroach Feces

Entomologists sometimes do odd things to

teach about their science. We conﬁned healthy

cockroaches in petri dishes, with ﬁlter paper on

the bottom of the dish. The photos below are what

their feces looked like after 24 hours.

What conclusions can be made from this

comparison? Not surprisingly, small cockroaches

have smaller roach feces than large cockroaches.

Cockroaches preferring moist places like German

and oriental cockroaches have more liquid feces.

Figure 3-9.

Figure 3-10. Fecal specks and smears of the four

domestic cockroaches (enlarged).

Cockroach Biology

(J. Kalisch)

(C. Ogg)

Cockroach Control Manual

(A. Shefﬁeld)

Figure 4-1. Cockroaches are easily transported from infested dwellings to new places

Chapter 4

Locate Problem Areas

How Did I Get Them?

Cockroaches are easily transported from infested

dwellings to new places. The cockroaches you have

may have “come with the house or apartment,” or

you may have brought them with you from the

last place you lived. Maybe you brought a gravid

(pregnant) German or brownbanded cockroach (or

an egg case) home in a grocery bag or in a cardboard

box. If you work in a cockroach-infested building,

you could easily transport them home if you take

anything home with you. Oriental cockroaches can

often crawl under the door or enter through cracks

in the foundation. Repairs on the sewer system may

result in displaced American cockroaches coming

into buildings.

Cockroaches also move easily from one

apartment to another. It is common for apartment

tenants to blame their neighbors for their

cockroaches, and in some cases, they may be

justiﬁed. If a cockroach population in one unit gets

large, cockroaches will migrate into nearby units for

food and new places to live. Other factors can also

cause cockroaches to move. Insecticide treatments

may trigger movement to nearby apartments. If

the neighbor moves out and the unit is empty,

cockroaches will move to ﬁnd water and food.

Because cockroaches are so easily transported, it

is hard to NOT move them to your next residence if

you move. Cockroaches can live in the little spaces

of corrugated cardboard, so just moving boxes

can transport them with you. One suggestion is

to unpack boxes outdoors or in a garage. Or, use

plastic tubs instead of boxes to transport your

belongings in.

Where Are They Living?

The ﬁrst step is to assess the situation.

Inspecting and monitoring are important parts

of any pest control strategy. By locating the

cockroach infestation ﬁrst, your controls can be

more economical, more effective and less time

consuming. The ﬁrst and most obvious way of

detecting live cockroaches is with a visual “night

watch”—observing live cockroaches when the

lights are turned on unexpectedly. Another method

is to examine suspected areas with a ﬂashlight.

In the course of your inspection, you will be

looking for live cockroaches, dead cockroaches,

cast skins or cockroach parts. Also look for empty

or intact egg cases and roach specks or fecal smears

(Figure 3-9 and Figure 4-2). The inspection will help

you identify the cockroach, where the infestation is

located, the size of the infestation and conditions

favoring cockroach survival.

Inspection Equipment

Proper equipment is essential for conducting an

inspection. For inspecting your home or apartment,

the following three items are recommended:

1. A ﬂashlight to illuminate dark areas where

cockroaches like to hide.

2. A mirror with extension arm (such as a dentist’s)

to help see hidden areas, like behind sinks, under

refrigerators and appliances.

3. Monitoring traps.

Figure 4-2. German cockroaches and fecal specks

on the door frame, under a calendar.

(B. Ogg)

Cockroach Control Manual

The Inspection

Visual Examination. We will

use the inspection of a home or

apartment for German cockroaches

as an example of how to carry out any

cockroach inspection. The principles

will be similar for brown-banded,

oriental and American cockroaches.

It will be helpful to get answers for

the following questions. Where did

you ﬁrst see cockroaches? Where do

you see them now? Ask others living

in the home the same questions.

Consider past or present

professional pest control efforts in

your home. If the previous pest control

tactics included the use of insecticides

with a strong repellent effect (this

includes most of those currently used

today), the cockroach infestation may

have moved from its original location.

In this case, you should spend some

time exploring locations where insecticides were

not used, like false ceilings and other areas above

your head.

Before beginning a detailed examination of the

area, take an overall look at the premises, inside

and outside. Build a picture of trafﬁc patterns

for people. In particular, where is food brought

in? Where is it prepared? Where is it eaten? How

are leftovers and other garbage disposed of? Is

the trash emptied in a timely manner? Perhaps

the cockroaches hitchhiked into the kitchen with

food supplies. Consider food storage and related

activities, such as recycling bins and cardboard

boxes. Could these be encouraging the problem? If

introduction with food is conﬁrmed, try to identify

where the cockroaches originally came from.

Could cockroaches have been brought into

the residence by someone who works in infested

buildings? Are there college kids who frequently

move between apartments and home? These are

easy ways to move cockroaches into residences

from infested buildings.

In apartments, the cockroaches may have ﬁrst

entered from outside or from adjoining units. You

should check possible entry points such as around

water and drain pipes under the sinks, sewer pipes,

steam supply pipes, conduits for electricity or

crevices in walls connecting with other infested

areas. Identifying the origin of the cockroaches is

valuable from the long-term viewpoint to prevent

reinfestation.

German cockroaches like warm, dark locations

near food and water.

It is helpful to note all those factors favoring

German cockroach survival once they have gotten

into your home. Since cockroaches need food, look

for food sources, such as fresh fruits or vegetables

and pet foods. Also, look for food spills or buildup

of food material in or under counter tops, stoves

and refrigerators. Look in mops and brooms, inside

the rims of the ﬂoor drain, around the wheels of

mobile carts and other similar places. You should

also check less obvious food sources, like rodent

bait stations, for signs of cockroach activity.

Cockroaches aren’t killed by rodent baits.

Cockroaches need water as well as food, so

check for condensation or leaks providing a water

source. Don’t forget to consider less obvious sources

of water such as planters, pet water dishes and ﬁsh

tanks.

In addition to food and water, cockroaches need

daytime hiding places in which to rest and breed,

Figure 4-3. A single slice of pizza, left on the counter overnight

is a feast for cockroaches.

(A. Shefﬁeld)

and these harborages must be identiﬁed during

the inspection. Once again, use your knowledge

of the target pest to focus your efforts. German

cockroaches prefer dark crevices close to moisture.

They like bare wooden surfaces, cardboard or

paper because these surfaces are easier to climb and

because porous surfaces retains their aggregation

pheromone. They will also be found in stacks of

paper, grocery bags, letters and other paper items

(Figure 4-4). Pay particular attention to ﬁxtures

made of wood, such as storage shelves, wooden

tables and cabinets. Also check behind and under

appliances, in the corners of rooms at ﬂoor or

ceiling level, behind pictures and around the legs or

wheels of carts as well as in appliance voids. Don’t

forget to inspect suspended ceilings.

Sometimes cockroaches become trapped in such

things as spider webs, light ﬁttings and partially

empty beverage bottles. Look for every clue you can

when identifying the problems.

In general, the harder it is to gain access to a

potential harborage, the more likely it is to be

infested.

Trap Placement. It is now time to use traps to

give you a better picture of the size and location of

the cockroach infestation. We suggest sticky traps

because they are easy to buy and use. Both baited

and unbaited sticky traps are available. Baited

sticky traps are impregnated with aggregation

pheromone and may catch more cockroaches, but

Figure 4-5. Cockroaches in the tight space of

a door jam.

Figure 4-6. Place sticky traps near where you

have seen cockroaches or near moisture or food

sources.

Figure 4-4. Cockroach droppings in stacks of

mail in letter holder.

Locate Problem Areas

(B. Ogg)

(V. Jedlicka)

(C. Ogg)

Cockroach Control Manual

unbaited ones will work well to locate infestations.

Banana extract is another substance attractive to

cockroaches. To make your own baited traps, add

a few drops of banana extract to the center of the

trap.

Make sure to use the same type of traps to make

your comparisons valid. Before you position each

trap, label the trap so later you will be able to tell

where and when it was placed. Place traps near

cracks and crevices, moisture or food sources or

where you’ve seen evidence of cockroaches. Dark

corners are good locations.

The number of traps you’ll need depends upon

the extent of the infestation. The more infested

locations, the more traps will be needed. Keep in

mind you will only catch cockroaches when traps

are placed within ﬁve to six feet of infested areas, and

the closer the trap is to the infested area, the more

cockroaches you will catch. When placing traps,

consider all possible areas from ﬂoor to ceiling. If

traps don’t catch any cockroaches, move them.

In addition to putting traps in known

infestation areas, you must also place enough traps

to “cover” the areas of suspected infestation (with

German cockroaches this means the kitchen and

bathrooms). To accomplish this, ﬁrst put at least

one trap in each of the following locations:

1) beside or behind the toilet,

2) under the sink in the bathroom,

3) beside the shower or bathtub,

4) under the kitchen sink,

5) behind, under or beside the refrigerator,

6) beside, under or behind the stove,

7) in the back of each kitchen cabinet,

8) beside or under the water heater (if available),

9) behind or beside the washing machine,

10) behind or beside the automatic dishwasher.

Placing Traps in A Hypothetical Kitchen.

This diagram of a kitchen shows suggested places

for traps. In this kitchen, we placed more traps than

the essential trap placements already discussed. You

can never go wrong by using more traps which may

give you more information about the infestation to

help in your control efforts.

Calculating Cockroach Densities. The

length of time you should leave the traps depends

on the infestation level. With high infestations,

traps may be completely ﬁlled overnight. Smaller

infestations may require several days to a week or

more to catch a signiﬁcant number of cockroaches.

If the sticky trap surface becomes completely

covered with roaches, the trap should be removed

and replaced because it is no longer effective.

After you get a signiﬁcant trap catch, record

the dates the traps were set out and the collection

date on the trap worksheet. Next, check each trap,

record the type of cockroaches you have caught

and count the total number of cockroaches on each

trap. Add counts from each trap to give a grand

total. Divide the grand total by the number of

traps you used. Divide this number by the number

of nights the traps were out. This number is the

average number of cockroaches caught per trap per

Figure 4-7. Where you should place traps for a

hypothetical cockroach infestation.

(J. Kalisch 1995)

Locate Problem Areas

night. This number can be used to provide a rough

estimate of the size of your cockroach population.

Refer to Table 1 to determine what your trap count

represents. These numbers are relative. For some

people, high number of German cockroaches may

only be two or three per trap per night. For others,

10-20 cockroaches per trap per night would be

considered low.

What can you learn from sticky trap data? First,

you should be able to identify the cockroach species.

Second, comparing trap catches will tell you where

infestations are located. You can also get an idea of

the size of the cockroach population.

Continue Monitoring. Even after you have

begun control efforts, continue to use sticky traps in

the same locations so you can compare populations

over time. As before, calculate the number of

roaches/trap/night. Doing this will let you evaluate

your success.

Table 1. Relative numbers of the four domestic cockroaches placed into low, moderate, high and

extremely high categories. These numbers are cockroaches captured per trap each night.

Infestation German Brown-banded Oriental American

Low 0-5 0-3 0-1 0-1

Moderate 5-20 3-10 1-10 1-10

High 20-100 10-50 10-25 10-25

Very High 100+ 50+ 25+ 25+

Cockroach Control Manual

Trap

No.

Location Total

Cockroaches

Captures

1 beside refrigerator, against back wall, beside trash can 20

2 pantry shelf, against back wall 21

3 upper cupboard (above dishwasher), against back wall 12

4 front of dishwasher, next to toe-plate 6

5 lower cupboard, against side wall next to dishwasher 9

6 under sink, against back wall, centered under pipes 35

7 against side wall beside stove 6

8 under and behind stove, against back wall 26

9 against wall near heater penetration 4

10 under bathroom sink in vanity, against back wall, centered under pipes 7

11 behind toilet, near water pipe penetration, against wall 2

12 beside shower in bathroom, against wall 0

13 under water heater in basement 0*

14 against wall, near ﬂoor drain in basement 0

Grand Total: 148

Total #/trap/night: 10.6

In our hypothetical example, you should note several things. First, the cockroach population is centered

in the kitchen, in the areas under the sink, refrigerator/trash can, pantry area and near the stove. There is

also a smaller infestation in the bathroom, but no infestation is found in the basement. If the traps in

the basement continue to be empty after about a week, they can probably be ignored and need not be

replaced.

Cockroach Species: German

Date Installed: September 10

Date removed: September 11

Trap Nights: 1

Hypothetical Cockroach Trap Worksheet

Notes:

* Trap #13 had a wolf spider in it.

Trap

No.

Location Total

Cockroaches

Captures

Grand Total:

Total #/trap/night:

Cockroach Species:

Date Installed:

Date removed:

Trap Nights:

Cockroach Trap Worksheet

Notes:

Locate Problem Areas

Cockroach Control Manual

Figure 5-1. “I admit I seen a few waterbugs, but I got no cockroach problems.”

(J. Kalisch)

Chapter 5

Primary Control Strategies:

Modify Resources

Primary Control Strategies: Modify Resources

Rhonda, The Roach

Cockroach infestations do not appear out of

thin air, even though it may seem that way. German

and brownbanded cockroaches are nearly always

imported into the structure by human activities.

What happens when a cockroach is introduced into

a new building? By way of illustrating our discussion,

let us look at this situation from a cockroach’s

viewpoint. We will call our roach Rhonda.

Rhonda, a female German cockroach bearing a

fertile egg case, has been living for the past two weeks

in the produce section of a supermarket. After a night

of foraging, she crawled into a ﬁve-pound bag of

potatoes. Her bag of potatoes was carefully selected this

morning by Mrs. Porter who bought the potatoes to

make German potato salad for the Ladies Aid Society

pot-luck luncheon on Saturday. After a bumpy ride

in the back of the car, Mrs. Porter carried the sack of

potatoes into the house and set it on the pantry ﬂoor.

Rhonda isn’t comfortable in the sack of potatoes, so

when the activity quiets down, she starts looking for

a hiding place. Because Mrs. Porter has a neat pantry

area, Rhonda cannot ﬁnd a very good hiding place.

She ﬁnally settles behind a box of laundry detergent.

Tonight she must search out a more permanent place

to live. If she ﬁnds a better place, she will mark the

newly-found shelter with an aggregation pheromone

before she leaves to look for food or water. Marking

this place will help her ﬁnd it again.

If Rhonda cannot ﬁnd a suitable shelter, she will

travel from place to place ﬁnding temporary places to

hide. She will be stressed and have to deposit her egg

case in an unsuitable place. Few of her 30+ offspring

will survive and an infestation cannot get started. If

Rhonda cannot ﬁnd a food and water source, she will

also die after a week or two.

The lesson in the story is this: every habitat,

whether it is a house or apartment kitchen,

bathroom, basement or commercial kitchen

has a capacity to support a certain number of

cockroaches. This is called the carrying capacity for

the speciﬁc cockroach species living there (Figure

5-3). Biological forces always aim to maintain the

population at this level, regardless of measures taken

to reduce the population, like pesticide applications.

After an insecticide application, the remaining

Figure 5-2. Rhonda the roach, visibly stressed, is

looking for a place to hide.

(A. Shefﬁeld)

Figure 5-3. The carrying capacity of the

environment is based on resources provided by

the environment and required by the animal.

Every kitchen has the capacity to harbor a

cockroach population.

(C. Ogg)

Cockroach Control Manual

roaches will have less competition for food and

hiding places (resources). Their reproductive rate

will increase and, in no time, the roach population

will rebound.

The key to effective control is to lower

the carrying capacity of the environment by

eliminating the resources needed by cockroaches.

These needed resources are water, food and

shelter.

Like any animal, cockroaches need these

resources to thrive and reproduce. Only small

amounts of water and food may be required. The

resources in every habitat determine whether or not

an infestation can be established and the potential

infestation level. Let’s discuss each of these required

resources individually.

Essential Resources:

Water, Food and Shelter

Water. Cockroaches have a waxy coating

on their body to prevent moisture loss, but they

still need water. One drop of water per day is all

a cockroach needs. Any water or moisture will

do; they can get water from condensation on

pipes, small leaks, moist sponges, soaked wood

and moistened food. Different cockroaches have

different water requirements. Of those roach

species we are discussing, the German and oriental

cockroaches need moisture most frequently.

Food. Cockroaches eat almost anything:

crumbs, hair, ﬁngernail clippings, spots of grease,

soiled clothes, pet fur and dead insects (even dead

cockroaches). Very small, immature cockroaches

stay in hiding places and eat droppings of older

cockroaches. If food becomes scarce, cockroaches

will cannibalize their own young and eat egg cases.

Studies have shown cockroaches eat a balanced diet

whenever they can. Food high in protein or is moist,

is very attractive to cockroaches. If you are leaving

pet food in the dish overnight, you are feeding your

cockroaches. And, feeding them well.

Shelter. Cockroaches live in cracks and crevices

during the day. They prefer wood and paper in their

living quarters rather than metal surfaces. Their ﬂat

body allows them to squeeze into places where they

can touch the surfaces above and below at the same

time (Figure 5-4). Cockroaches can squeeze into

cracks 1/16 inch or larger. Cockroaches like warmth

produced by electric motors, condensers and ovens

and may live inside appliances, especially if there is

water nearby.

Reduce Water Availability

For German and oriental cockroaches, limiting

the availability of water will quickly stress them and

make control efforts more effective. It is the ﬁrst

step you should take in your control program.

Plumbing Problems. Examine all the sinks in

your home. Do your faucets leak? If so, you need to

repair them. Inspect the base of the faucet and run

the water. Does the base of the faucet leak? Replace

the gasket. Then, examine the faucet opening and

see if there is a screen present; if not, install one.

This screen breaks up the ﬂow of water into a

steady stream. But, it also helps to prevent thirsty

cockroaches from getting into the faucet to get

water.

Make sure there are no leaks in the plumbing

underneath the sink especially when the water is

off. Repair any leaks, no matter how small. Carefully

look for a whitish residue at all connections. This

whitish residue is a sign of slow water leakage.

Clean the residue, tighten the connection, and

check it daily for a week or two to make sure the

leak is sealed.

Cold water pipes may sweat from condensation,

especially during humid weather in the summer.

There is enough moisture on sweating pipes to

sustain cockroaches. Pipe insulation will help solve

this problem. Make sure you use non-absorbent

insulation because if it absorbs water, it may

grow mold and attract cockroaches. Be sure to

seal the insulation thoroughly. Be careful not to

Figure 5-4. Cockroaches live most comfortably in

tight places.

(J. Kalisch)

create hiding places for cockroaches between the

insulation materials and the pipes.

All drains should be covered with a ﬁne mesh

screen. Cockroaches do not normally enter a

structure through a drain but will readily enter

drains in search of water. Most kitchen sink strainers

will not keep cockroaches from going down the

drain. Use a strainer with small round holes, instead

of slits. Bathroom sink and tub overﬂow holes must

also be kept clean and washed out occasionally.

Other Water Sources. Before storing moist

sponges or dish rags overnight, rinse them with an

ammonia water solution. This prevents cockroaches

from using this source of moisture. You may want

to seal sponges in a sandwich bag overnight.

Check plant pot dishes, and make sure there is

no standing water in the dishes. Also, place a layer

of gravel over the soil in plant pots to cover exposed

moist soil.

Petroleum jelly and mineral oil mixed together

and applied to the inside rim of the bowl and around

the tank of all toilet bowls will prevent cockroaches

from using them as a source of water. This mixture

should be reapplied weekly.

Always clean and dry dishes, pots and pans

immediately after each use. Never leave dishes in

the sink with water in them.

Remove pet water dishes overnight and replace

each morning.

If your dwelling has excessive humidity, consider

purchasing and using a dehumidiﬁer to reduce the

humidity. Empty the tank frequently to prevent its

use as a water source by cockroaches.

At least once a month, check the drip pan under

the refrigerator (Figure 5-5). Clean and dry the pan

before replacing it.

Remove Their Food Supply

Stored Food. Cockroaches eat just about

anything. All food items must be kept in a sealed

container. Once a package of food is opened, make

sure it is tightly resealed. If the original package

doesn’t reseal tightly enough, place the food

product in a tightly-sealed container. Cockroaches

can easily chew through paper, cardboard or thin

plastic containers, so food items packaged in these

materials should be transferred to cockroach-proof

containers before being stored in the home. No open

food should be left out overnight. Candy, popcorn,

fruit and pet foods must be placed in containers

for overnight storage. It is hard to completely

deprive cockroaches of food, but limiting food

makes it easier for other control methods to work

effectively.

Food Waste Management. While food

products are an important source for cockroaches,

food waste (garbage) is readily consumed by

cockroaches. A garbage disposal is very helpful in

reducing waste in the home. However, the garbage

disposal must be used daily or whenever waste is

Primary Control Strategies: Modify Resources

Figure 5-5. The drip pan of a frost-free

refrigerator is attractive to German cockroaches.

There is warmth from the compressor and plenty

of food and moisture nearby.

Figure 5-6. If you are leaving pet food out

overnight, you are feeding your cockroaches, too.

(V. Jedlicka)

(S. Cochran)

Cockroach Control Manual

deposited, and it should be ﬂushed with a cleaning

solution after each use.

If a garbage disposal is not available, remove

garbage to an outdoor, sealed container before

evening. If this is not possible, waste food can be

placed in cockroach-proof containers like glass jars

with air-tight lids.

Clean all surfaces in food preparation or

eating areas, including counters, tables and ﬂoors

with a cleaning solution after each use. Dishes,

bowls, utensils and glasses should be immediately

cleaned.

Grease is a special problem and can be hard to

clean. Cockroaches feed on the ﬁlm of grease on

oven hoods and walls next to where frying pans

have been used.

Clean all spills. Spilled food residue will attract

cockroaches. Sponges, cleaning pads and brushes

must be thoroughly cleaned after use. Soiled

clothing should be placed in an area not readily

accessible to cockroaches, such as a sealed plastic

bag or a tight ﬁtting hamper (without ventilation

holes).

Initial Cleaning Efforts. Most of us tend to

put off deep cleaning jobs (like ovens, behind stoves

and refrigerators) until we have a good reason to

do them. If you have cockroaches, there should be

an incentive to make this extra effort. In fact, there

is a good possibility those difﬁcult cleaning areas

are contributing to your cockroach infestation.

When you clean, you may see cockroaches. Have

the vacuum cleaner handy and vac ’em up.

Before you begin any control efforts, pull out

refrigerators, stoves, freezers and clean behind and

beside them. Wash the outside of the appliance.

Remove the back of appliances and vacuum dusty

areas around motors. (Be sure to unplug appliances

when doing this.) Remove items from cupboards,

vacuum and clean thoroughly (Figure 5-7). Wash

ﬂoors. Clean under burners and the stove top. Be

sure not to forget the inside and outside the oven

and the broiler area, if you have a gas stove. It is

important to remove grease. (Cockroaches eat

grease with gusto!)

Cockroaches and Rodents

Cockroaches and mice often coexist in the same

dwelling. Both cockroaches and mice are nocturnal

and live in dark, hidden locations. Cockroaches eat

mouse feces and mice, in turn, may eat cockroaches.

Cockroaches eat mouse baits (pellets, blocks)

without adverse results. If you are using bait to

control mice, you may be feeding cockroaches.

Eliminate Hiding Places

Remove Clutter. Remember, cockroaches

prefer to be in tight, small places. These areas are

where they feel secure, rest, mate and breed. Most

cockroaches only need a 1/16” space, so even small

cracks and crevices provide ample harborage. Also,

cockroaches prefer porous surfaces like wood,

paper, cardboard, insulation, and cloth. Stainless

steel, aluminum, plastic laminates, ceramic tiles

or baked enamel surfaces are less preferred. If you

change the habitat, try to use materials cockroaches

dislike. When soft, porous materials are layered

(such as corrugated cardboard), it forms a

cockroach breeding area. Do not keep stacks of

paper bags, sacks, cardboard boxes, rags or pieces

of wood in locations where cockroaches may be

present. One of the biggest mistakes is the practice

of storing paper bags between an appliance and the

wall because it establishes a layering effect next to a

warm area. This paper bag storage practice is an

excellent cockroach breeding site.

Examine all areas, in the kitchen, bathrooms,

laundries, basement and storage closets, especially

near where cockroaches were found in your traps.

Figure 5-7 Clean thoroughly to remove food

particles, cockroaches and cockroach specs.

(V. Jedlicka)

Re-organize and eliminate any clutter. Any portable

items providing harborage should be sealed in

cockroach-proof containers or heavy plastic bags.

Seal Them Out! After you eliminate clutter,

search the entire room, and ﬁnd all cracks, seams

and crevices larger than 1/16”. Do not overlook

cabinets and furniture. These areas need to be

sealed so the cockroaches have no places to hides.

Commonly neglected areas are behind molding,

small holes in cabinet doors, around rubber gaskets,

around water pipes, in hollow tube legs of kitchen

tables, where cabinets or walls meet each other, or

around built-in appliances.

Caulking is an easy, economical way to seal

most of these cockroach hiding places. There are

three types of caulk:

1. Latex caulk is usually cheap, but latex

eventually will crack and shrink.

2. Acrylic caulks are better than latex, but they

still shrink over time. In addition, cockroaches may

chew into latex or acrylic caulks.

3. Silicone caulks are the best! They are more

ﬂexible, waterproof and can’t be chewed through.

Before you caulk those crevices, make sure the

edges of the space being sealed are clean and dry.

Smooth the caulk so it forms a tight seal. Also, use

enough caulk to ﬁll the width of the space and about

1/4-inch deep. You will need to use enough caulk

so it will last. The disadvantage of silicone caulk is

paint will not adhere to the surface like the other

caulks. For spaces greater than ½”, consider using

foam ﬁllers and caulk over the foam. If caulking

all the cracks or seams in your home seems to be a

major undertaking, use monitoring sticky traps to

determine locations where cockroach infestations

are established and focus caulking and sealing

efforts in those areas.

If cockroaches are infesting the cracks or

seams, apply a cleaning solution and desiccation

dust (discussed in Chapter 6) to these areas before

caulking. Insecticide dusts can be used in void

areas, but make sure you read the section about

application of dusts before you do this. After you

completely seal this area, cockroaches can no longer

use it as a hiding place.

Even high-grade silicone seals need to be

checked and cleaned regularly. If the edge of the

seal begins to ﬂake or peel, clean out the caulk with

a knife, and remove the entire section of caulk.

Then, clean and smooth the section with abrasive

material, like sandpaper, and reapply the caulk.

Don’t Overlook These Places

There are some important areas in a kitchen

which are often overlooked as a source of water,

food or shelter. Ignoring these “secret” places can

counteract the effectiveness of other management

tactics.

Primary Control Strategies: Modify Resources

Figure 5-8. A German cockroach and fecal specks

near a stack of papers in a heavily infested, very

cluttered apartment.

Figure 5-9. Use caulk to seal cracks and crevices

and void areas to eliminate these cockroach

hiding places.

(C. Ogg)

(B. Ogg)

Cockroach Control Manual

Refrigerators:

• Doorgasketsshouldbecheckedandreplacedif

hard, stiff or cracked. (Yes, roaches can live under

refrigerator gaskets.)

• Vacuumthecoilandcompressor;washanddry

the bottom drip tray.

• Check insulation around motors and clean or

replace as needed.

Dishwashers:

• Checkandrepairallleaks.

• Removebottompanelandcleanregularly.

• Check insulation for cleanliness and replace if

needed.

• Check door gaskets and seals; replace them if

they leak.

• Makesurefoodresidueisremovedfrominside

the dishwasher daily.

Stoves:

• Cleanthestoveregularlyandthoroughly.Don’t

forget to clean under the burners.

• Useheatproofsealantstocaulkcracks.

• Check insulation for possible infestations. You

may need to replace it. (Cockroaches can live

and breed in the insulation if they can gain access

inside the walls of the stove).

Electrical Locations:

• Examine and caulk around electrical xtures,

outlets and switches. For your safety, turn off the

electricity.

• Useafoamsealantifaninfestationexistsinside

the electrical conduit.

Metal Cabinets: Even though cockroaches

do not prefer metal, they will live in metal cabinets,

if they have no other options. Metal cabinets are

usually constructed with small openings which

allow cockroaches to get inside the doors. Examine

cabinets carefully. Seal hinges, latches, seams and

holes in the bottom and/or top of the doors.

Drawers: Pull out each kitchen drawer and

examine the cavity. When the drawer is closed, small

void areas are created which provide cockroach

harborage (Figure 5-10)

Small Appliances: Cockroaches can enter

small appliances through small holes and cracks.

The most likely infested appliances is the microwave

oven, since is may not be cleaned regularly after

use and food particles may build up. It should not

be necessary to throw appliances away. Instead,

take the appliance apart or use a cold treatment,

discussed in Chapter 6.

Figure 5-10. A kitchen drawer has been removed to expose a cluster of cockroaches

hiding in the void area created when the drawer is closed. Vacuum these cockroaches.

(C. Ogg)

Primary Control Strategies: Modify Resources

Cockroach Control Manual

Figure 6-1. Placing cockroach-infested appliances in the freezer is a non-toxic method of killing the

roaches!

BRRRR!

It’s really cold in here!

(C. Cepurar)

Low-risk control tactics pose a reduced hazard

to the applicator and/or the home inhabitants

and pets, while at the same time are effective in

controlling cockroaches. If additional insecticide

controls become necessary, see Chapters 7-9.

You’re Trapped! I Gotcha!

Trapping. Under certain conditions, traps can

be used to control cockroaches. Refer to Chapter 4

for the optimal locations of your traps. Trapping

can be successfully used if:

• youhaveasmallcockroachinfestation.

• all harborages have been sealed.  (If there are

fewer hiding places, they are more likely to be

trapped.)

• youmaintaingoodsanitationpractices.

• youplace enough traps closeto theinfestation

centers.

• youusepropertrapmanagement.

Baited sticky traps should be placed next to

walls, under appliances and in hidden areas. Don’t

forget to put traps up high, in cabinets, above false

ceilings, as well as on the ﬂoor. You will need to

move traps often and replace traps as needed.

Cockroach pheromones. The German

cockroach aggregation pheromone, found in fecal

pellets, is a combination of chemicals produced by

cockroaches that attracts other cockroaches to the

area. Pest management professionals have known

for years that cockroaches are attracted to ideal

harborage areas. Dr. Austin Frishman, a respected

cockroach expert, called them “fecal focal points.”

It is now known the more cockroaches that live in

a habitat, the more attractive it becomes to other

cockroaches. This is because of the presence of

aggregation pheromone.

This pheromone has been synthesized and

extracted from cockroaches, and is available for use

in the management of cockroaches. When added

to sticky traps, the traps catch more cockroaches.

When added to products such as boric acid and

diatomaceous earth, more cockroaches are drawn to

the insecticides and more cockroaches are killed.

Heat ’Em or Freeze ’Em

Because they are cold-blooded organisms,

insects do not survive very well in extreme cold or

hot temperatures. Each insect species has certain

temperature and humidity conditions where it

thrives. Although there are some differences between

species, it should come as no surprise our domestic

cockroaches are best adapted to temperatures we

maintain in our homes. They do not develop or

reproduce when temperatures are too cold (below

45° F) or too hot (above 115° F).

Hot and cold temperatures can be very effective

in killing cockroaches, but the adverse temperatures

must be maintained for a period of time. Hot and

cold treatments are most effective when they “shock”

the cockroaches’ system. If cold temperatures

are gradually lowered, insects have physiological

mechanisms that allow them to survive the cold.

Chapter 6

Low Risk Control Strategies

Figure 6-2. This sticky trap caught a female

German cockroach carrying an egg case. The

nymphs later emerged from the egg case.

(Photo courtesy Chris Arne, J.C. Ehrlic & Co.)

Low Risk Control Strategies

Cockroach Control Manual

But, if you take a jar of cockroaches from room

temperature and put it into a sub-zero freezer, the

insects will be dead within a half hour. They just

cannot adapt that quickly.

Because cockroaches cannot survive

temperatures above 115° F to 120° F, it is possible to

use heat to eradicate cockroaches from restaurants

and food service establishments. After heat-

sensitive equipment is removed from the building,

the temperature is increased to about 140-150° F

for ﬁve to six hours. It may not be possible for the

homeowner to increase the heat that much inside

the home. But if a small, infested appliance has

many small crevices and can withstand 150° F heat,

a similar procedure can be used. The procedure

is simple — place the heat-proof appliance in an

oven, and after several hours at 150° F, the roaches

will be dead.

Cold can also be used to kill cockroaches, but

it takes a prolonged exposure to low temperatures

to kill egg cases. Appliances or furniture can be left

in a garage when temperatures are below 0° F for

several days. If moving, leaving possessions in a

truck or van will do the same thing. Infestations

in wall voids or indoor cavities can be subjected to

extreme cold by using a CO2 (carbon dioxide) gas

canister. This will freeze a localized area.

Infested small appliances can be fumigated

with CO2. Place the small appliance in a plastic

bag or other airtight container and inject carbon

dioxide gas. Allow freezing to occur. If a small item

can be subjected to freezing, it can be placed in a

freezer for several hours (or overnight) to kill the

cockroaches.

Vacuuming Cockroaches

Any vacuuming device—a household vacuum,

shop-vac or dust buster—can be modiﬁed to

remove cockroaches. Place a narrow tube on the

end of the vacuum hose to extract cockroaches from

cracks and crevices. When an infestation is isolated

in a small area, you may be able to completely

eliminate adults, nymphs and egg cases with the

vacuum method. Even if the infestation is large,

vacuuming helps in preparation for other control

methods. It cleans out old and new egg cases, loose

fecal materials and living and dead cockroaches.

Vacuuming will not kill live cockroaches, so you

will need to place the bag in a freezer or seal it in

a cockroach-proof container for disposal. Never

leave a vacuum that has been used for cockroach

control unattended without properly disposing of

the bag because cockroaches will quickly escape.

Bite the Dust!

There are substances, called desiccants, that

literally dry out any item or animal that contacts

them directly. The body of an insect, like that of

other animals, is ﬁlled with liquid substances, like

blood and digestive secretions. A waxy, protective

coating on the outside of their bodies prevents

moisture loss. Desiccants kill cockroaches by

destroying this waxy layer. The three most effective

desiccants for cockroach control are diatomaceous

earth, silica aerogel and boric acid.

(J. Kalisch)

Fig 6-3. Vacuuming cockroaches and egg cases is

a simple non-toxic control method.

Figure 6-4. Cockroaches exposed to desiccants

die from dehydration.

(A. Shefﬁeld)

Diatomaceous Earth. Diatomaceous earth

is mined from the fossilized silica shell remains of

diatoms, microscopic sea animals. Diatomaceous

earth is virtually non-toxic to humans. However,

care should be taken to avoid inhaling diatomaceous

earth, as it can cause irritation to eyes and lungs.

Because it has an abrasive quality, diatomaceous

earth degrades the waxy layer of the cuticle causing

the insect to dry out and die.

Note: Some grades of diatomaceous earth

contain small amounts of crystalline silica which

is known to cause silicosis (respiratory disease

caused by breathing silica dust) and cancer. The

risk of cancer depends upon duration and level

of exposure. Pesticide-quality diatomaceous earth

and silica aerogel are amorphous (non-crystalline)

silica, which does not cause silicosis or cancer.

Silica Aerogel. Silica aerogel is a non-abrasive,

chemically inert substance used as a dehydrating

agent because the small particles absorb moisture

and oils. Sometimes small bags of silica aerogel are

inserted in electrical equipment packages to prevent

the accumulation of moisture during shipping

or storage. Silica aerogel is also used in the ﬂorist

trade. Caution should be taken when handling

silica aerogel to avoid inhaling the dust.

The silica aerogel particle has a static charge

that enables it to stick tightly to the cockroach body.

Once on the body, the aerogel absorbs the waxy

protective coating, which desiccates and kills the

cockroach. Silica aerogel has also been formulated

with insecticides. One formulation, Drione®,

contains silica aerogel, pyrethrins and piperonyl

butoxide, an additive that increases the impact of

the pyrethrins.

Boric Acid. Boric acid is derived from borax

and is usually combined with an anti-caking agent.

Cockroaches ingest boric acid when they preen

themselves after they have walked through the

powder. Cockroaches die because boric acid is a

slow-acting stomach poison. Because boric acid

also absorbs the cockroach cuticle wax, they may

also die from dehydration.

Although boric acid is relatively safe to

humans and other mammals, it can be harmful if

accidentally ingested and must be kept away from

food, children and pets. Care must be taken not to

breathe in the dust when you apply it. Like other

desiccants, it should be used in places where it will

not move around. Because is has no chemical active

ingredient, it remains active indeﬁnitely. Recent

studies have shown that humidity and moisture

have no affect on the effectiveness of boric acid.

Boric acid is also formulated as an aerosol, a

liquid (which dries and leaves a ﬁlm), and a bait

(discussed in Chapter 7).

Using Desiccants. Place the desiccant in a

duster or a ﬂexible bottle with a small, narrow nozzle

(less than 1/4-inch) and apply a very thin coating

of the material. Desiccants are more effective when

only a dusting is used. Many small puffs of dust are

better than one large application.

Even in dry locations, the material will eventually

absorb moisture from the air. Use small amounts

and re-apply often. These dusts can harm motors

and electrical equipment, so avoid using them near

appliances.

Insect Growth Regulators

(IGR’s)

Modern science has brought new weapons

into the realm of insect control. Insect Growth

Regulators (IGR’s) are extraordinary because they

alter growth and development of cockroaches, but

they are much less toxic to humans and other non-

target organisms. Their effects have been observed

on growth and development of nymphs, but some

effect fertility of adults. The IGRs described have

been tested against cockroaches and are very

effective and available for use. In general, they are

quite safe to use.

Because IGR’s don’t directly kill cockroaches,

they are often mixed with an insecticide, which kills

some of the cockroach adults and nymphs. The

nymphs not killed by the insecticide will be affected

by the IGR and either be unable to reproduce when

they become adults or unable to grow properly.

Both result in eventual death.

Hydroprene (Gentrol®). Hydroprene is an

IGR registered for cockroach control in apartments

and homes. It is formulated as a concentrated

liquid or aerosol designed to be absorbed into

the cockroach body. Hydroprene does not kill

cockroaches. However, affected cockroaches are

darker in color and the wings of affected adults

Low Risk Control Strategies

Cockroach Control Manual

are crinkled and deformed as shown in ﬁgure 6-

5. Hydroprene controls cockroaches because it acts

like a birth control treatment. Adult cockroaches

having deformed wings will be infertile. Hydroprene

is nearly non-toxic to humans and vertebrate pets

and lasts for 90-120 days before re-treatment is

needed. Gentrol® can be purchased as a single

treatment, but it can also be purchased pre-mixed

with residual insecticides in liquid or crack and

crevice aerosol formulations.

Pyriproxyfen (Archer®, Nylar®).

Pyriproxyfen is an IGR with similar activity as

hydroprene. It does not kill cockroaches directly,

instead the nymphs exposed to pyriproxyfen

develop into infertile adults. Like hydroprene, it is

slow acting but extremely non-toxic to people and

animals. Pyriproxyfen is available as concentrated

liquid, pre-mixed with residual insecticides in

liquid or crack and crevice aerosol formulations,

and in total-release foggers (see Chapter 7).

Noviﬂumuron. Noviﬂumuron, like

hydroprene, does not directly kill cockroaches,

but instead prevents them from shedding their

exoskeleton. Because the cockroach cannot grow,

it dies. Noviﬂumuron is similar to two other IGR’s,

diﬂubenzuron and hexaﬂumuron. All three of

these compounds have been used successfully to

control termite colonies. Recent testing has shown

noviﬂumuron to be effective against German

cockroaches and we will likely see products

containing this or a similar active ingredient on the

market soon.

Natural Enemies: Predators,

Parasites and Pathogens

The use of natural enemies or biological control

of domestic cockroaches leaves something to be

desired, at least at the present time. There are some

vertebrate animals that will feed on cockroaches,

including hedgehogs, frogs, turtles, geckos and mice.

Cockroaches also have a few invertebrate natural

enemies, including mites, helminths (roundworms)

and centipedes. We are fairly certain most folks

would ﬁnd having a menagerie of these critters

living inside their home would be as unacceptable

as a cockroach infestation.

There are some tiny parasitic wasps (genera:

Evania, Hyptia, and Tetrastichus) that lay their

eggs in egg cases of some cockroaches, including

the American, oriental and brownbanded species.

Brownbanded cockroaches seem to be most

heavily parasitized. When the wasp eggs hatch, the

wasp larva eats the embryonic cockroaches and

completely destroys them so no cockroaches will

hatch. The tiny wasps exit through one end of the

egg case. If you see an egg case with a small hole in

the end, it has been parasitized.

Scientists have shown that releasing thousands

of these tiny wasps in a cockroach-infested dwelling

can destroy large numbers of egg cases. At this time,

however, this tiny wasp is not a practical method of

controlling cockroaches in homes.

Microbes. Abamectin (Avert® ) is a natural

toxin produced by a soil-inhabiting fungus,

Streptomyces avermitilis. It has been formulated

as a bait and a dry ﬂowable dust. Abamectin baits

work very slowly, but can be used to reduce small

to medium-sized infestations. Abamectin acts as

both a stomach poison if ingested, and a contact

insecticide when it becomes attached to the

cockroach body.

“Green” Pesticides: It’s Not

Easy Being Green!

In the last few decades, there has been a great

deal of interest in everything green. Green is used

to describe methods, practices and chemicals that

are safer for people, animals and the environment.

Figure 6-5. Cockroaches exposed to insect growth

regulators, like hydroprene and pyriproxyfen,

develop crinkled wings.

(C. Ogg)

Green is often used to indicate that “natural”

products are to be used when controlling pests

such as cockroaches. In response to this green

revolution, many new insecticides have been

developed. The plant oil extracts and the ingredients

oxypurinol and xanthine, mentioned in Chapter 7,

are important examples. These, and other similar

ingredients, are considered to have minimum risk

by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The complete minimum risk list can be found

on the EPA Web site at: www.epa.gov/oppbppd1/

biopesticides/regtools/25b_list.htm.

Many minimum risk and other “green”

pesticides can be found in cockroach control

products available to the consumer. Most of them

show little or no ability to kill cockroaches. Others

have limited effectiveness as a contact spray.

Several plant essential oils (clove oil, mint

oil, neem tree seed oil, oil of thyme, phenethyl

propionate and oil of rosemary) show some

contact toxicity on cockroaches. They are usually

marketed as “green,” “environmentally friendly” or

“plant based” and are available as dust, aerosol and

concentrated formulations.

Another plant oil, limonene, extracted from

citrus peels, shows slight contact toxicity to

cockroaches. There is no residual effect. Very high

vapor concentrations caused mortality in lab test

conditions, but no mortality occurred when it was

fed to German cockroaches.

Low Risk Control Strategies

(A. Shefﬁeld)

Figure 6-6. Hydroprene is an insect growth regulator. Exposed roaches are

sterile and cannot reproduce.

Cockroach Control Manual

Chapter 7

Insecticide Basics

We have already learned the importance of

reducing water, food, and eliminating harborage

(cracks, crevices, clutter) for cockroaches. These

primary control strategies should be done before

doing any insecticide applications. Figure 7-1

shows a graph of how sanitation (food and water)

and habitat modiﬁcation can potentially reduce

a cockroach population. It doesn’t take a rocket

scientist to understand it is easier to deal with a

small population than a large one.

Before using chemicals, don’t forget about the

low risk controls discussed in Chapter 6. A multiple

tactics approach will give best control.

Studies have shown poor long term control

when insecticide sprays are used as the only method

of control compared with a more integrated, multi-

tactics approach. Reliance on sprays provides

only temporary relief and repeated applications

may become necessary to control the rebounding

cockroach populations. Scientists call this situation

the insecticide treadmill.

When used in conjunction with primary

controls, properly chosen and placed insecticides

can be very helpful in controlling cockroach

populations. Using insecticides may require special

equipment and protective clothing. These details

will be discussed in the next three chapters.

What is a Chemical?

Everything around us, the earth, air, even your

body is composed of chemicals. The smallest part

of a chemical is called an atom. When atoms exist

in a pure state, the substance is called an element.

Oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen,

and carbon are some of the

most common elements.

When two or more

elements are combined

chemically, they are called

compounds. Water, a

common compound, has

two hydrogen atoms and

one oxygen atom (hence,

0).

Animals and plants are composed of chemicals,

most of which are very complicated chemical

compounds. The chemistry of living things is

known as organic chemistry, because they are

composed primarily of the organic elements

carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. To some people, the

word organic means something is natural, or grown

in the absence of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

For our purposes, organic refers to a chemical

compound containing the organic elements.

Pesticides are chemicals that kill pests. If the

pest is a weed, we use a herbicide; if it kills rodents,

it is a rodenticide. Fungicides kill fungi, insecticides

kill insects, and so on. Most insecticides are

organic compounds, synthesized by chemists and

manufactured by chemical companies. There are a

few insecticides derived from plants, minerals, or

non-organic elements with insecticidal properties.

Figure 7-1. Cockroach populations can often be

drastically reduced by sanitation (eliminating

food and water) and eliminating harborage

(cracks, crevices and clutter). Reducing the

population makes control easier.

Water is an example

of a compound.

(C. Arine)

Cockroach Control Manual

Formulations

An active ingredient is the speciﬁc chemical in

a pesticide product which “does the dirty work.”

An active ingredient is mixed with less toxic inert

ingredients and are listed on the label. The mixture

of active and inert ingredients is called a pesticide

formulation. Many insecticides, especially those

made for in-home applications for homeowners,

are Ready-To-Use (RTU) products. Others must be

diluted with water to a correct concentration before

application. The directions on the label will tell you

how to use a pesticide formulation.

There are hundreds of insecticide products

labeled for cockroach control inside homes,

apartments, and dwellings. In this section, we

will describe the formulations used for cockroach

control and give advantages and disadvantages of

the different formulations.

Some active ingredients are formulated in

more than one way. For instance, permethrin, a

commonly used pyrethroid insecticide, can be

formulated as a dust, in granules, RTU, a wettable

powder, an emulsiﬁable concentrate, an aerosol,

and a total-release fogger.

Baits

A bait formulation is an edible or attractive

substance mixed with an active ingredient. The

best active ingredients act slowly which insures

enough bait will be eaten by the cockroach to kill

it. Baits are marketed over-the-counter at discount

stores, hardware stores and even supermarkets and

pharmacies. Baits are sold in bait stations and gel

formulations in syringe-style applicators. They are

easy to use and reasonably safe to humans. They are

also marketed to pest management professionals

under different product names and active

ingredients than may be available to the general

public.

Some baits are formulated as granules for both

indoor and outdoor use. Baits should be placed

near where cockroaches live, in locations where

they cannot fall into human food or be reached by

children or pets. Bait can be squeezed into cracks

and crevices or near locations where cockroaches

live (Figure 7-2). Baits are an ideal companion

to other types of control and work best when

sanitation—limiting water and food sources—is

good.

Advantages: Most baits are toxic to cockroaches

but have low toxicity to mammals. Some baits

remain active in cockroach droppings and will kill

the immature roaches after they eat their parent’s

droppings. Most baits work fairly quickly to reduce

cockroach populations. Baits are easily applied and

can be removed when control is completed.

Disadvantages: Scientists have noticed

behavioral resistance, chemical resistance, bait

aversion, bait avoidance, and repellency among some

cockroach populations. To overcome these factors,

it is best to alternate between active ingredients

and manufacturers over time. Baits can present a

hazard to children and pets. Avoid this problem by

carefully placing bait in inaccessible areas and by

using tamper-proof stations. Dried up gel bait and

empty stations won’t kill cockroaches because they

won’t eat it. Baits require attention—check them at

least monthly for best results.

Figure 7-2. (above)

Gel bait is applied to

areas where cockroach

are found, near food,

water and harborage.

(right) Most German

cockroaches ﬁnd gel

baits very palatable,

although resistance has

occurred in populations

where these baits have

been used repeatedly.

(V. Jedlicka) (V. Jedlicka)

There are quite a few active ingredients used in

cockroach control baits. Because baits have been so

successful in controlling roaches, manufacturers

are busily developing new baits and formulations.

Some active ingredients in include:

Boric acid: Boric acid is an inorganic white

powder formulated as both a granular and a gel

bait. It has very low mammalian toxicity; however,

caution must be taken to avoid accidental ingestion.

Chapter 6 contains more information about boric

acid.

Hydramethylnon: Hydramethylnon is a

slow-acting stomach poison. It is low in toxicity to

mammals and birds. It is available in tamper-proof

stations, as a granular bait, and as gel in syringe

applicators.

Fipronil: Fipronil may be the fastest acting bait

on the market and readily transfers to other roaches.

Fipronil is effective at very low concentrations. It is

available in tamper-proof bait stations, as granular

bait, and as a gel in syringe applicators.

Acetamiprid: Acetamiprid is readily eaten by

cockroaches and transfers from one to another when

feces or cockroach corpses are eaten. It is available

as a gel formulation in syringe applicators.

Indoxacarb: Indoxacarb is considered a

reduced risk insecticide by EPA because of its low

toxicity to animals. Once eaten by the cockroach, it

is converted into a chemical toxic to cockroaches.

It readily transfers from one cockroach to the next,

increasing its effectiveness. It is available as a gel

bait and in a tamper-proof bait station.

Abamectin: Abamectin is a toxic extract

from a soil microorganism with low toxicity

to mammals. It comes in tamper-proof

bait stations, a gel bait formulation, or as a

ﬂowable dust applied in cracks and crevices.

(Chapter 6).

Imidacloprid: Imidacloprid is readily

soluble in water and has a very low odor.

The toxic effects are highly speciﬁc against

cockroaches and extremely low toward

vertebrates. It is available as a gel bait for

cockroaches in a syringe applicator.

Noviﬂumuron: Noviﬂumuron is a

low toxic IGR formulated as a bait and has

been shown to be effective against German

cockroaches. (Chapter 6)

Oxypurinol and xanthine: Oxypurinol is a

metabolite of a drug used to treat gout in humans

and xanthine is a natural substance found in all

living things. Combined, these two ingredients

work to block the formation and absorption of uric

acid. Cockroaches need large amounts of uric acid

for metabolism and reproduction. As existing uric

acid stores are used up, the cockroach population

is gradually controlled within ﬁve to nine weeks.

These active ingredients are found in a tamper-

proof bait station formulation.

Sulﬂuramid: Sulﬂuramid is another delayed

action active ingredient formulated as a cockroach

bait. It exhibits low toxicity to mammals, but is

slightly toxic to ﬁsh and aquatic arthropods. It is

available as a tamper-proof bait station.

Propoxur: Baygon® 2% Bait. Propoxur is a

residual insecticide formulated as a bait. This bait

would tend to act more quickly than others, but

bait shyness may occur with its use. It is formulated

as a granular bait formulation.

Dusts

Dust formulations contain an active ingredient

plus a powdered dry inert substance like talc, clay,

nut hulls, or volcanic ash. The inert ingredients allow

the dust formulation to store and handle well. In

households, dusts should be used only in locations

where the inhabitants will not stir the dust, move

it around, or inhale it. Appropriate places for dust

Fig. 7-3. Application of

a dust under the back

of a refrigerator (left).

Right, the application

results in a German

cockroach covered

with insecticidal dust.

Insecticide Basics

(V. Jedlicka)

Cockroach Control Manual

applications are wall voids, behind baseboards,

in enclosed spaces under kitchen counters, above

dropped ceilings, behind appliances (Figure 7-3)

and in unused attics. Dusts must be used dry and

stored in a dry place.

Advantages: Most appropriate of all formulations

for application in hard to reach areas such as wall

voids. Dusts are easily picked up and transported

by cockroaches.

Disadvantages: Cockroaches can move dusts

before they die. Dusts can be unsightly if applied

to visible areas. If applied to excess, it can act as a

repellent to cockroaches. If dusts become damp or

wet, they may be less effective.

Ready-To-Use (RTU)

Sprays

Ready-to-use liquid spray formulations have

already been diluted by the manufacturer and are

applied without further dilution. RTU products

(Figure 7-4) are often equipped with a pistol grip

sprayer, attached to the container with a plastic

tube. Nearly all active ingredients currently

registered for cockroach control are available in

RTU formulations.

Advantages: Easy to apply and ready to use

immediately after purchase. They are safer because

you don’t need to mix concentrated insecticides.

Disadvantages: Application equipment can

be awkward to use, and the sprayers sometime

don’t work properly. Sprayers may leak or dribble,

creating a possible hazard. RTU equipment are

rarely designed for crack and crevice applications.

Wettable Powders (WP)

These are dry, ﬁnely ground, powdery

formulations added to water. They look like dusts,

but a wetting agent has been added to the other

ingredients to help them mix with water.

Advantages: When a wettable powder

formulation is sprayed on a porous surface, like

wood, the water will penetrate the wood, but the

powder stays on the wood surface. This gives the

greatest possible residue and residual activity (see

How do Insecticides Work? section later in this

chapter). They are less likely to stain surfaces.

Disadvantages: Constant agitation is needed to

prevent settling of the insecticide on the bottom

of the spray tank. The dried powder residue is

sometimes visible and unsightly. This may limit the

use of wettable powder formulations in cockroach

control, unless there are areas where the presence of

powder on the treated surface is not objectionable.

Emulsiﬁable Concentrates

(EC)

Water is added to an emulsiﬁable concentrate,

which forms a smooth mixture of the insecticide,

solvent, and the water carrier. The inert ingredients

are often highly reﬁned oils and other solvents.

ECs are important formulations used for

cockroach control, and some can be purchased

from discount, drug, grocery, and hardware stores.

Professional-use EC formulations can sometimes

be purchased from local pest control companies

or Internet sites advertising sale of pest control

supplies to the public.

Advantages: Emulsiﬁable concentrates

formulated for household pests usually have lower

concentrations of active ingredients. They are easy

to mix and require very little agitation.

Figure 7-4. Ready-to-use sprays are readily

available and convenient because no mixing is

needed. However, they are not designed for crack

and crevice applications.

(B. Ogg)

Disadvantages: EC formulations

will be in a concentrated form and need

to be mixed in a spray tank with water

before use. The petroleum solvents in

EC formulations may stain carpets,

fabrics, and wallpapers. You need to

carefully consider the placement of

these insecticides before you use them.

EC formulations readily absorb into the

skin, thereby exposing the applicator to

the insecticide.

Aerosols

The active ingredient in an aerosol

formulation is dissolved in a solvent

with pressure from a gas propellent.

Common, over-the-counter aerosol

formulations have a low percentage of

active ingredient. These aerosols are most

effective when the liquid contacts the

insect directly, and are not very effective

when used against cockroaches hiding

in cracks and crevices. There are some

crack and crevice aerosol formulations,

primarily marketed for pest management

professionals, containing a higher

percentage of the active ingredient.

These can be quite effective when used

as crack and crevice treatments.

Advantages: The main advantage of aerosols is

they are easy to use and readily available.

Disadvantages: Aerosol container must be held

upright during operation, the residual control is

very poor, and aerosols are relatively expensive for

the amount of insecticide they contain. The solvent

vapors are readily airborne and can be harmful to

the applicator and household residents.

Foggers: Total-Release

Aerosols

An insecticide fogger is a total-release aerosol

which discharges its entire contents in a single

application. During fogging, the occupants and

pets should leave and remain away for a few hours.

Consult the label for the re-entry time and follow

all precautions before using a fogger. Aerosols and

foggers produce very small droplets which settle on

furniture, the ﬂoors, and countertops. These small

droplets are easily inhaled by humans and pets.

Fogging is NOT the same as fumigation. Fumigation

uses deadly insecticidal gases and can only be done

by professional, certiﬁed applicators.

Advantages: Foggers are easy to use and readily

available.

Disadvantages: Foggers can be dangerous. You

must extinguish all ﬂames before using. Do not use

more foggers than is recommended on the label.

Foggers will only kill exposed cockroaches and will

not penetrate cracks and crevices where cockroaches

are hiding. After using foggers, cockroaches may

retreat deep into walls and ceilings to avoid the

insecticides. We do not recommend the use of

foggers for cockroach control.

Insecticide Basics

Figure 7-5 shows what can happen if someone uses more

foggers than is recommended on the label and neglects to

turn off the pilot light. Fortunately no one was hurt in this

explosion.

(San Diego Union Tribune, Joe Hughes, reporter).

(Photo: John Gibbins)

Cockroach Control Manual

Insecticide Classes

The classes of insecticides listed here are

grouped based on their chemical structures and the

way they kill cockroaches.

Chlorinated Hydrocarbons—Banned: A few

chlorinated hydrocarbons are DDT, aldrin, endrin,

and chlordane. Throughout the 1970’s and 80’s,

the EPA banned most chlorinated hydrocarbons

from sale and use in the United States because

these insecticides persisted in the environment and

increased in the fatty tissues of animals. None of

these insecticides should be used in cockroach

control.

Organophosphates (OPs)—Old Standards,

no longer used: The OPs were discovered in

Germany during World War II research on nerve

gas poisons. Some of the more common OPs

used in cockroach control until recently were

chlorpyrifos (Dursban

), diazinon, and acephate

(Orthene

). Changes in environmental laws have

resulted in the elimination of most indoor uses of

these insecticides. We do not recommend the use

of these insecticides for cockroach control.

Carbamates—Early Alternatives, much

reduced use: In 1951, carbamate insecticides were

introduced into the world market. There are two

carbamates labeled for cockroach control in and

around the home: propoxur (Baygon

) and carbaryl

(Sevin

). Most indoor uses of these insecticides

have been eliminated. We do not recommend the

use of these insecticides for cockroach control.

Botanicals—Naturally Occurring: Botanicals

are natural insecticides, made from plant extracts.

When processed and concentrated, these botanical

insecticides are similar to synthetic insecticides.

Some people believe natural-occurring botanicals

are safer to use than synthetic insecticides. This is

not necessarily the case. Nicotine sulfate, a botanical

derived from tobacco plants, is more toxic to

mammals than many synthetic insecticides.

Oil extracts of the neem tree seeds, the herb

thyme, mint, citrus peels (limonene), cloves

(eugenol), and phenethyl propinate are sometimes

used for cockroach control. Studies have shown

these extracted oils have limited toxic activity

on cockroaches and are virtually nontoxic to

mammals. They are useful as contact sprays only

(kill on contact), with little or no residual activity.

These oil extract botanicals were developed in

response to public demand for more “natural” and

safer products.

Another, older, botanical insecticide used for

cockroach control is pyrethrum. Pyrethrum is a

mixture of several compounds, including pyrethrins

and cinerin. Pyrethrum has low mammalian

toxicity but very fast knock-down activity, causing

rapid paralysis in the target insects. However, the

paralysis may only be temporary unless a synergist

(such as piperonyl butoxide or MGK 264) is added.

The synergist may have no insecticidal property,

but enhances the activity of an insecticide.

To improve on the effectiveness of pyrethrum,

chemists have synthesized similar, more stable

compounds in the laboratory. These laboratory-

created insecticides are known as the synthetic

pyrethroids or simply pyrethroids.

Pyrethroids—New Age Insecticides:

There have been dozens of pyrethroids identiﬁed

and synthesized. A few include esfenvalerate,

permethrin, tetramethrin, deltamethrin,

cypermethrin and cyﬂuthrin. Notice nearly all

pyrethroid insecticides end with ‘thrin’. This is

because these newly synthesized chemicals were

modeled after pyrethrins. Chemists have made these

compounds more stable and more persistent than

natural pyrethrum. A synergist is usually added

to the pyrethroid formulation to further increase

its effectiveness. One characteristic of pyrethroids

is when a cockroach encounters the insecticide,

it becomes more excited and active. Because of

this, after an application of a pyrethroid you may

see cockroaches during the day when previously

you have only seen them at night. This change in

behavior means the insect is being affected by the

insecticide.

Like the botanical pyrethrum, pyrethroids have

fast knock-down activity especially against ﬂying

insects and low mammalian toxicity. Pyrethroids

are very toxic against ﬁsh so precautions must be

taken to cover ﬁsh tanks and disconnect ﬁlters

when using , at the very least. Pyrethroids are the

active ingredients in most of the in-home aerosols

you can buy (Raid

, Black Flag

, etc) and in the RTU

formulated products. They are also formulated as

dusts, granules, wettable powders, and emulsiﬁable

concentrates.

Exposure to pyrethroids may trigger asthmatic

attacks in persons who have allergies or respiratory

problems. This problem may limit their use in

sensitive areas.

Novel Chemistries—Speciﬁc, Low-Toxic,

Environmentally Friendly Insecticides: As

mentioned in Chapter 6, their has been a movement

toward “green” insecticides. The plant oil extracts,

discussed earlier, are one example. These new

products are often only toxic to a speciﬁc group

of insects. Green insecticide products are usually

less toxic to people, other animals and pets, and

are much safer to the environment then nearly all

insecticides developed previously.

Because of the speciﬁc nature of these products,

they are also sometimes the only member of

their insecticide class. This fact makes it difﬁcult

to organize them as has been done previously.

Instead, they will be discussed as individual active

ingredients in the upcoming paragraphs.

Several of these active ingredients,

including imidacloprid, ﬁpronil, noviﬂumuron,

hexaﬂumuron, diﬂubenzuron, indoxacarb,

acetamiprid, and hydramethylnon were discussed

in the earlier section on baits. At the time of

this writing, these active ingredients are only

available in bait formulations for indoor control of

cockroaches.

Chlorfenapyr affects cockroaches either when

they contact it or ingest it. Cockroaches die because

they are unable to produce energy for cellular

activity. It has low mammalian toxicity and low

irritation to people. This is the only non-repellent

liquid insecticide registered for indoor spray

treatments of cockroaches.

Inorganics—Borates and Diatoms:

Inorganics are insecticides made from elements,

compounds, and minerals which do not contain

carbon. Sulfur and arsenicals are inorganic

insecticides which were in common use from about

1930 until 1960. They are very toxic and should not

be used. Boric acid, silica aerogel, and diatomaceous

earth are the inorganics currently in use (Chapter

6).

How Do Insecticides Work?

Insecticides control pests in speciﬁc ways. The

effectiveness of the treatment increases when the

insecticide is used in a manner consistent with the

way it works. This information is found on the

label.

Residual insecticides (persistent) remain

active in amounts sufﬁcient to kill pests for at least a

week, several weeks, or even years after application.

These residual insecticides act by keeping a toxic

insecticide residue on a surface the insect will

contact. Conversely, non-residual insecticides (non-

persistent) break down rapidly after application.

Residual insecticides are useful when insects are

a continual problem, such as cockroaches in your

home.

Contact insecticides control the pest on

contact and must be applied directly on the insect.

Very little toxic residue remains on a surface after

spraying a contact insecticide. Most aerosols and

foggers contain contact insecticides.

Stomach poisons are insecticides eaten by an

insect so the poison enters the stomach and then

is absorbed into the body. Many baits are stomach

poisons.

Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs) are

insecticides which alter the growth and development

of insects (Chapter 6).

Insecticide Basics

Figure 7-6. Dead cockroaches

(J. Kalisch)

Cockroach Control Manual

Figure 8-1

(J. Kalisch)

Are Insecticides Dangerous?

Because insecticides are used to kill insects, they

are toxic to the insect and closely related organisms.

Some insecticides kill insects by interfering with

nerve transmission; these types of insecticides

are potentially toxic to other animals, including

humans, because the nervous systems in all animals

are similar in structure and function.

The toxicity of each insecticide is different

and related to its unique chemical structure. Most

insecticides labeled and used inside the home for

cockroach control have low to moderate toxicity

and care must be taken to avoid exposure to you,

your family, and your pets. It is best to strategically

place insecticides to reduce exposure to you and

your family.

In the last 20 years, manufacturers have

developed products which are less toxic to people

and pets. When applied correctly, these products

more speciﬁcally target the pest and reduce risks to

people.

The idea of managing risk is expressed by the

Risk Formula:

Risk = Toxicity X Exposure

Having an understanding of the toxicity of a

product and the potential for personal exposure

allows risk to be lowered. No matter how toxic an

insecticide is, if the amount of exposure is kept

low, risk can be held at an acceptably low level. The

toxicity of an insecticide can’t be changed, but risk

can be managed and you are the manager.

What is Toxicity?

To do their job, insecticides must control the

pest. By their nature, insecticides are toxic and

must be handled with care. You can tell the toxicity

of a product by reading the signal word (Table 8-

1) on the label. Insecticides can enter the human

body three ways: 1) through the mouth (orally); 2)

by absorption through the skin or eyes (dermally);

and 3) by breathing into the lungs (inhalation).

Chapter 8

Insecticides and Your Health

Hazard Indicators

Signal Word Danger Warning Caution Caution

Hazard Category Category I Category II Category III Category IV

Oral LD50 0 - 50 mg/kg >50 - 500 mg/kg >500 - 5,000

mg/kg

>5,000 mg/kg

Dermal LD50 0 - 200 mg/kg >200 - 2,000

mg/kg

>2,000 - 20,000

mg/kg

>20,000 mg/kg

Inhalation LC50 0 - 0.2 mg/liter >0.2 - 2 mg/liter >2 - 20 mg/liter >20 mg/liter

Eye irritation Corrosive; corneal

opacity not

reversible within 7

days

Corneal opacity

reversible within

7 days; irritation

persisting for 7

days

No corneal

opacity; irritation

reversible within 7

days

No irritation

Skin irritation Corrosive Severe irritation at

72-hrs

Moderate irritation

at 72-hrs

Mild or slight

irritation at 72-hrs

Table 8-1. EPA toxicity categories, corresponding signal words, and relative toxicities for insecticides.

Cockroach Control Manual

Danger appears on the labels of all highly toxic

products (oral, dermal or by inhalation), or those

which are eye or skin irritants. There are only a

few products approved for cockroach control with

this signal word on their label. Ingesting as little as

a taste to about 3½ grams (about ¾ teaspoonful)

of one of these insecticides could kill a 150 pound

adult. Much less would be needed to kill a child.

Warning is the signal word required on the

labels of all products moderately toxic, or cause

moderate eye and/or severe skin irritation. Lethal

dose to kill the same 150 pound adult is 3½ to 35

grams (about ¾ teaspoonful to 2½ tablespoons) of

one of these insecticides.

Caution signal word is required on the labels

of products considered slightly toxic to relatively

nontoxic, or cause slight to no eye irritation and/

or moderate to mild skin irritation. An average 150

pound adult could be killed by ingesting 35 to more

than 350 grams (2½ tablespoons to more than a

pint) of one of these insecticides.

Some Category IV insecticides are not required

to have a signal word on their labels. All labels must

bear the statement, Keep out of reach of children.

Relative Insecticide Toxicities

There are other ways for you to compare

insecticide toxicities. In the process of getting a label

approved by the EPA, a pesticide manufacturer must

determine the mammalian toxicity of the pesticide.

Because companies cannot experiment on human

beings, they use laboratory rodents to determine

the lethal dose (LD) of the pesticide.

An oral LD

is the amount of pure active

ingredient (in milligrams/kilogram of the animal’s

body weight) resulting in 50% mortality to

laboratory rodents when given orally. From the

results of many experiments, we can compare

the LD

of insecticides and other chemicals.

Understanding what an LD

means can be initially

confusing. A highly toxic substance has a low LD

because it takes a small amount of the substance to

kill the animal. Conversely a less toxic compound

has a higher LD

. The LD

of each product is one

piece of information found on its Material Safety

Data Sheet (MSDS). Unfortunately, there is no

standardization in the chemical industry. Some

MSDS sheets show the LD

of the formulated

product; others may give the LD

of the pure active

ingredient.

Tables 8-2 and 8-3 can be used to compare the

relative toxicities of some insecticides and other

substances commonly found around the home.

Please note the low LD

of acetone (ﬁngernail

polish remover), one of the most dangerous

products in the home. Remember, a low LD

means

high toxicity.

Table 8-2. The LD

(mg/kg of body weight) of some substances found around the home. (The Merck

Index, 13th edition, 2001.)

Substance LD

Use

absolute alcohol 10,600 beverage, preservative

acetone 10.7 ﬁngernail polish remover

aspirin 1,000 drug, pain

caffeine 355 constituent in coffee, colas

ethylene glycol 8,540 antifreeze

propylene glycol 24,000-30,000 antifreeze

ibuprofen 626 drug, pain

nicotine 0.3 constituent in tobacco

salt 3,750 food additive

vitamin A 7,910 vitamin

warfarin 323 rodenticide, anticoagulant

Insecticides and Your Health

Table 8-3. LD

of some insecticide active ingredients used in home cockroach control including the

corresponding insecticide classes. This table can be used for comparison purposes, but it is important

to remember it is the concentration and exposure creating the hazard to the individual (The Pesticide

Book, 6th ed. Ware. 2004).

Active ingredient Oral LD

Class

eugenol (clove oil) nontoxic botanical

methoprene >34,600 insect growth regulator

boric acid >10,000 inorganic

sumithrin >10,000 pyrethroid

piperonyl butoxide >7,500 synergist

hydroprene >5,100 insect growth regulator

d-limonene (citrus peels) >5,000 botanical

diatomaceous earth >5,000 desiccant

hydramethylnon >5,000 aminohydrazone

tetramethrin >5,000 pyrethroid

permethrin >4,000 pyrethroid

sodium borate 2,550 inorganic

resmethrin 2,000 pyrethroid

pyrethrins, pyrethrum 1,500 botanical

acephate 866 organophosphate

allethrin 680 pyrethroid

cyﬂuthrin 500 pyrethroid

fenvalerate 451 pyrethroid

chlorfenapyr 441 pyrrole

imidicloprid 424 nicotinoid

cypermethrin 250 pyrethroid

deltamethrin 128 pyrethroid

ﬁpronil 97 ﬁprole

propoxur 95 carbamate

esfenvalerate 75 pyrethroid

lambda-cyhalothrin 56 pyrethroid

abamectin, avermectin b1 10 natural toxin

Cockroach Control Manual

Health considerations

Asthma and Allergies. Recall from Chapter

1, asthma is a chronic lung disease which has

become a serious problem for school-aged children

in recent years. These allergies can lead to asthma

and cockroach droppings are a common asthma

trigger.

Certain insecticides used in homes may also

cause or trigger asthma. Research studies indicate

exposure to organophosphate insecticides may

result in the onset of asthma, leading researchers to

list insecticides as one of the preventable causes of

asthma in children.

The American Lung Association says asthma

attacks have a number of triggers including

insecticides. Insecticides known to cause allergies,

trigger asthma, and/or respiratory irritation include

organophosphates, carbamates, pyrethroids,

pyrethrum, and pyrethrins. The active ingredients

in most currently available indoor spray, RTU,

aerosol and fogger formulations belong to the

pyrethroid class of chemicals.

Special Sensitivity of Children. The

National Academy of Sciences found children are

more susceptible to environmental chemicals than

adults. This is because children eat more food and

drink more liquids on a pound for pound basis than

adults. Children also breath faster and inhale more

air than adults. Therefore, considering their relative

body weight, children take in more chemicals

present in the environment.

At the same time, children’s organs are still

developing, are more susceptible and less able to

detoxify chemicals. For example, a child’s lungs do

not develop fully until they are 6 - 8 years old. During

a child’s early years, exposure to environmental

chemicals or irritants can have great effects on

respiratory development.

Exposure to environmental chemicals during

pregnancy can be signiﬁcant for the child later in

life. Researchers have discovered fetuses can become

sensitized to chemicals or contaminates while still

in the womb. The result is a child born predisposed

to developing asthma, allergies, or other health

problems.

Cancer. The World Health Organization

estimates 75-85% of all cancers are related to

environmental exposure to pollutants, smoking,

and diet. It is understandable many people are

concerned about cancer risks of chemicals used

inside the home. Tables 3 and 4 do not address

cancer risks, but the results of carcinogenicity tests

can sometimes be found on MSDS sheets. MSDS

sheets are readily available for professional-use

pesticides. To obtain MSDS sheets for over-the-

counter insecticides, you may need to contact the

manufacturer’s consumer information number,

listed on the label. Pesticide information proﬁles

(PIPs) offer similar information as MSDS and

are available for many active ingredients: http://

extoxnet.orst.edu/pips/ghindex.html.

What if an Insecticide

Poisoning Occurs

Get medical advice quickly if unusual or

unexplained symptoms appear during the

application or later the same day. Insecticide

poisoning symptoms are often similar to ﬂu

symptoms (headache, fatigue, dizziness, nausea,

stomach cramps, and diarrhea). A person who may

have been poisoned should not be left alone. Do

not let anyone get dangerously sick before calling

a physician or going to a hospital. It is better to

be too cautious than too late. Take the insecticide

container (or the label) to the physician. The key

is rapid treatment, as time continues to elapse after

exposure, the chances for survival decrease. Refer to

Signs and Symptoms of Pesticide Poisoning (available

from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension,

EC-2505) and Recognition and Management of

Pesticide Poisonings (available online: http://

npic.orst.edu/rmpp.htm) for more details about

pesticide poisonings.

If the common emergency telephone number

is available in your area, immediately call 911

whenever an insecticide poisoning is suspected.

Concurrently, the call may be connected to the

nearest poison control center. They will be able to

provide speciﬁc directions on procedures to follow

until emergency personnel arrive. If the common

emergency telephone number is not available in

your area, contact:

1. The Poison Center, 1-800-222-1222

2. The nearest hospital

3. A physician

Always wash exposed skin of the victim with a

detergent and plenty of water. Skin irritation can

result from continuous exposure if not treated. If

clothing has been contaminated, particularly by

an insecticide readily absorbed dermally, remove it

immediately.

Even though you carefully apply insecticides,

accidents can happen. Be prepared. Get a Hotlines

Card (available from University of Nebraska-

Lincoln Extension, EC-2501) and keep it with you

at all times. Do not hesitate to contact medical

authorities if any symptoms of insecticide poisoning

occur. It is better to be safe than sorry.

Most of the insecticides used to control

cockroaches are much less toxic than the insecticides

used for other applications. When applied properly,

they are unlikely to cause any problem for the

user. However, use all insecticides safely. Read the

insecticide product label completely and comply

with all directions given.

Pets are sometimes at risk for insecticide

poisonings. If you suspect your pet may have been

exposed to an insecticide, contact your veterinarian

immediately. For additional information, The

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty

to Animals (ASPCA) has an Animal Poison

Control Center online: http://www.aspca.org/site/

PageServer?pagename=pro_apcc

Always Wear the Right Stuff!

Minimizing exposure is the ﬁrst step toward

reducing your risk of insecticide poisoning. The

type of personal protective equipment (PPE) needed

depends on the toxicity of the insecticide being used

and the formulation (i.e., liquid, wettable powder,

etc.). Some labels speciﬁcally state certain items of

clothing, equipment, eye wear, footgear, and gloves

must be used. Others carry no statement at all. In

general, the more toxic the insecticide, the greater

your need to use PPE.

Although most cockroach control insecticides

do not have speciﬁc PPE requirements, reasonable

precautions should always be taken. Liquid

insecticides are often more hazardous to use than

dry formulations. Extra protection is warranted

while mixing or loading insecticides. In cases where

there will be prolonged exposure to the spray or

where the application is being made indoors, you

should use extra protection.

Protective Clothing. When an applicator

sprays an insecticide inside the home for

cockroaches, where does the spray go? Most will

go where the applicator wants it to go, but some

insecticide bounces back and gets on the applicator.

Studies have shown 80-90 percent of the insecticide

which lands on the applicator gets on their hands

and forearms. Simply wearing gloves and a long

sleeved shirt will drastically reduce dermal exposure

during applications.

But, any time you are using insecticides,

you should wear at least a long-sleeved shirt and

long-legged pants, or coveralls (woven fabric)

Insecticides and Your Health

Figure 8-2. The basic uniform. When applying

pesticides: long sleeved shirt, long pants to

protect arms & legs, shoes and socks, and gloves.

(B. Ogg)

Cockroach Control Manual

which fully cover your arms and legs (Figure 8-2).

Select garments made of cotton instead of cotton/

polyester blends. Shoes and socks should also be

worn. Avoid sandals, thongs, and cloth or canvas

shoes to minimize exposure of the feet to liquid

insecticides. Leather shoes are suitable while using

most insecticides.

Protect Your Head, Eyes and Hands.

Protecting your head is advisable, especially if you

will be applying insecticides over your head. In

general, a wide-brimmed, easily cleaned hat which

protects the neck, eyes, mouth, and face is adequate.

Avoid hats with cloth or leather sweat bands as these

will absorb insecticides. Baseball-style caps have

headbands which absorb and retain insecticides.

Insecticides are readily absorbed through the

eyes and can cause eye damage. Use goggles or a

face shield (Figure 8-3) whenever such a statement

is found on the label. Gloves are often needed

for mixing, loading, and applying insecticides.

Unlined, liquid-proof neoprene, butyl, PVC or

nitrile gloves which extend well up on the forearm

are the best. Avoid lined gloves because the lining

can absorb the chemicals and is hard to clean. Latex

gloves, commonly used by medical personnel, do

not provide adequate protection. Avoid cotton and

leather gloves because they can absorb insecticides.

In most cases, wear gloves under the sleeves to keep

the insecticide from running down the sleeves and

into the glove. When working with hands over your

head, roll glove tops into a cuff to keep insecticide

from running down the gloves to your forearms.

Protect Your Lungs. The lungs and

lining of the respiratory system readily absorb

insecticide dusts and vapors from the air (Figure

8-4). Respiratory protection, therefore, is essential

whenever the label calls for it. Respiratory protection

is recommended during mixing and loading, even

if not required by the label. A cartridge respirator is

suitable when exposure will be intermittent, such

as for cockroach control applications.

Respirators used while applying insecticides

should be approved by the National Institute of

Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the

Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).

Be sure to read and follow the manufacturer’s

instructions for use and care of the respirator.

Filters, cartridges, and canisters must be approved

for insecticide use (those designated as removing

and trapping organic vapors) and must be replaced

Figure 8-3. Insecticides injected into cracks and

crevices will sometimes bounce back to the

applicator. To prevent this, wear eye protection.

Figure 8-4. Avoid inhaling boric acid by wearing a

dust mask.

(B. Ogg)

Insecticides and Your Health

at proper intervals. Inspect and test respirators

before use to insure a snug ﬁt against the face.

Exposed parts of the mask must be cleaned after

each use, and the cartridges should be stored in an

airtight container.

Protective Clothing Care. When working

with insecticides, you should wear clean clothing

daily. It is best to reserve one set of clothing for

insecticide work if possible. Launder and store

insecticide contaminated clothing separately.

Clothing becoming wet from insecticides should

be removed immediately! Fast action will

reduce your exposure to the insecticide. Destroy

clothing (including shoes and boots) saturated

with concentrated insecticides. Waterproof and

chemical-resistant hats, gloves, boots and goggles

should also be washed daily and hung to dry. Test

gloves for leaks by ﬁlling them with water and

gently squeezing.

Wash Up!

Good personal hygiene is essential. Soap

and water is cheap insurance against insecticide

contamination. Wash your hands and face often

when working with insecticides. Never smoke, eat,

drink, or use the toilet after handling insecticides

without ﬁrst washing your hands! Shower

immediately after using insecticides and before

changing into clean clothes.

Insecticide Handling,

Storage and Disposal

Insecticides are valuable pest management

tools, and like any tool, they must be used carefully

and responsibly. Read the label to determine the

best way to handle insecticides.

Even when proper procedures are followed,

insecticide spills can occur. Knowing what steps to

take in the event of an insecticide spill will allow

you to respond quickly and properly. Once the spill

has been cleaned up, you should read the label for

speciﬁc decontamination directions. Remember,

always wear proper protective clothing when

deal ing with insecticide spills and to clean up your

equipment and clothing when you are ﬁnished.

Store insecticides in a locked and posted cabinet

where children cannot get to them. Insecticides

should never be stored in a garage, basement, or

other unlocked locations in your home. Read the

label for correct storage procedures.

Proper rinsing of insecticide containers reduces

a potential source of contamination of soil, surface,

and ground water. When contamination occurs,

plants and animals may be harmed and water

supplies affected. Prevention of environmental

contamination is always better and less expensive

than cleanup.

When an empty liquid insecticide container

is disposed of according to label directions, it

must be properly rinsed. Triple rinse plastic, non-

pressurized metal, and glass containers which have

contained liquid or wettable powder formulations.

For empty aerosol, bait or dust containers, follow

label directions for proper disposal. Refer to

Safe Transport, Storage and Disposal of Pesticides

(available from University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Extension, EC-2507) for more details.

Things to Remember

 Read and follow all label directions.

 Store insecticides only in the original, labeled

containers.

 Wear appropriate protective gear as directed by

the label.

 Never reuse an insecticide container for any

purpose.

Cockroach Control Manual

Chapter 9

Insecticide Applications

Insecticides are an important

tool used for cockroach control,

but, to be both effective and safe to

inhabitants, these insecticides must

be applied properly. This chapter

will explain common terminology,

types of application equipment and

application methods for controlling

different cockroach species.

Deﬁnitions

Broadcast—Coarse spray of

liquid insecticide or application of

a dust insecticide over a large area;

should be evenly distributed.

Band/Perimeter—Coarse spray of liquid

insecticide in a wide band or strip; usually

several inches (centimeters) wide. Usually around

perimeter of a structure.

Spot—Application of an insecticide to a small

area, usually a gel bait.

Crack and Crevice Aerosol—Insecticide

application of a specialty aerosol using the

application tube provided to place insecticides into

voids, cavities, cracks and crevices or other small,

tight areas.

Crack and Crevice—Placement of the

insecticide into cracks, crevices, or seams.

Applications must be made so no insecticide residue

is found outside the crack, crevice, or seam.

Dusting—Thin coat of dust formulation not

more than one particle thick.

Bait Station Placement—Careful placement

of tamper-proof bait stations in areas inaccessible

to children and pets and near existing cockroach

infestations.

Application

Equipment

Bait Stations and Gel

Bait Applicators Insecticide

baits are available in sealed,

tamper-proof plastic stations or

as a gel in a syringe applicator

(Figure 9-1). The adhesive tape

on the bait stations can be stuck

to nearly any surface. When the

syringe applicator is used, the

gel bait is applied as buttons or

small globs (spot application)

in areas inaccessible to children

and pets. Determine appropriate locations to place

tamper-proof bait stations and/or gel bait based

on results from sticky

traps used in your

cockroach population

monitoring efforts.

D u s t

Applicators. To

deliver dusts in cracks

and crevices you

might need to buy a

hand-operated duster

(Figure 9-2). Look for

a local pest control

company which sells

pest control supplies

to the public or on

the Internet. The most common types are bulb- and

bellows-type dusters. Many over-the-counter dust

products are sold in specially designed containers

designed to deliver the dust.

Crack and Crevice Aerosols. Some aerosols

equipped with a narrow application tube are

available through pest control companies which sell

pest control supplies, the Internet, and sometimes

locally at discount or hardware stores (Figure 9-3).

These aerosols have a narrow applicator tube or

Insecticide Applications

Figure 9-1. Squeeze gel bait

into cracks and crevices

where cockroaches are

hiding.

Figure 9-2. A hand

bellows duster can apply

dusts in deep into wall

voids where cockroaches

live. Dusts often remain

active for a long time.

(B. Ogg)

Cockroach Control Manual

straw which is inserted into cracks

and crevices during application.

Some of these crack and crevice

aerosols consist of pure, highly

concentrated insecticides dissolved

in an inert carrier gas. When the

insecticide is injected into a narrow

crevice, the inert gases quickly

evaporate, leaving only insecticide

on the treated surface. These

insecticide residues last longer than

standard liquid insecticide residues

because pure insecticide is more

stable than insecticide mixed with

water or emulsiﬁers.

Crack and crevice aerosols have been formulated

with many different active ingredients because

these aerosols are so safe and effective when used

properly. Active ingredients include hydroprene,

boric acid, silica aerogel, pyrethrum and many

synthetic pyrethroids.

Ready-to-Use Sprayers. (RTU) Ready-to-

use home pest control liquid formulations provide

another way to apply residual insecticide sprays.

These products are sold with the applicator nozzle

included. They generally have a “pistol-grip” hand-

pump attached to the insecticide container and

a siphon tube extending to the bottom of the

container. These hand pump sprayers can make

most of the same liquid spray applications as the

compressed-air sprayers, although they usually

do not come with a crack and crevice application

tube.

Aerosol Sprayers and Foggers. Surface

and space insecticide applications can be made

with aerosol sprayers and aerosol foggers. These

aerosol products don’t need any other application

equipment. We do not recommend the use of

total-release foggers for cockroach control.

Compressed-Air Sprayers. The basic

mechanical unit used by pest control technicians

to apply residual sprays for insect control is the

compressed air sprayer. One example is the B & G

stainless steel sprayer which has an adjustable

nozzle that is capable of delivering different spray

patterns. This sprayer can be

adapted for crack and crevice

treatment. Compressed air

sprayers are easy to use, efﬁcient,

and readily available.

Application

Methods

How insecticides are applied

is extremely important. Many

people apply insecticides

ineffectively because they either

choose the wrong product, wrong

formulation or wrong application method.

For example, many people use over-the-counter

ant and roach aerosols and expect them to provide

long-term control. This products are contact

insecticides with little residual control. Contact

insecticides kill on contact, which means you have

to spray the insecticide on the insect for it to work.

Another example is when sprays are applied to

baseboards rather than to cracks and crevices where

cockroaches live. Because most cockroaches don’t

live behind baseboards, this application will not

be very effective. Instead, use a crack and crevice

aerosol or a sprayer ﬁtted with a crack and crevice

applicator tool to treat areas where cockroaches are

hiding.

Which insecticide formulation you choose is

also very important. Many materials commonly

used in home construction can adversely react

with certain insecticide formulations, resulting

in ineffective control. For example, emulsiﬁable

concentrate (EC) formulations will usually

penetrate into porous materials, making the

insecticide unavailable to control cockroaches.

Wettable powder (WP) formulations on the same

porous materials will remain active on the surface

of the material after the water has dried. Another

example, if you decide to make an application with

an EC formulation, you risk damaging some plastic

materials. But, a gel bait application (which may be

even more effective) will eliminate the chance of

Fig. 9-3. An aerosol with a

straw tip delivers insecticide

in cracks and crevices where

cockroaches live.

(B. Ogg)

Insecticide Applications

Table 5. Formulations and application techniques for effective treatment of cockroach harborages.

Situation Formulation Application

Wooden ﬂoors None Not recommended

Wooden

baseboards

C & C

(aerosol, liquid WP

or RTU)

Crack and crevice (aerosol, liquid WP, or RTU)

Vinyl baseboards

C & C (aerosol, liquid WP or

RTU)

Crack and crevice (aerosol, liquid WP, or RTU)

Carpets

None Not recommended

Electrical

outlets, motors,

compressors

Gel bait, dust, C & C

aerosol

Spot bait placements, dusting, crack and crevice

aerosol treatment using plastic applicator

Painted drywall None Not recommended

Above false ceilings Dust, tamper-proof bait

stations

Dusting, bait station placements

Around or on pipes C & C (aerosol or RTU), gel

bait, dust

Crack and crevice (aerosol or RTU), spot bait

placements, dusting

Wall voids Dust, C & C aerosol Dusting, crack and crevice aerosol application

Insulation, ﬁberglass Dust Dusting

Food storage

locations

C & C (aerosol, liquid EC,

or RTU), gel bait or tamper-

proof bait stations

Crack and crevice (aerosol, liquid EC, or RTU),

spot bait placements and/or bait station

placements

Appliances

Dust, C & C aerosol, gel

bait or tamper-proof bait

stations

Dusting under and around, crack & crevice

aerosol, or spot bait placements and/or bait

station placements

Cabinets

C & C (aerosol, liquid EC

or RTU), gel bait or tamper-

proof bait stations

Crack and crevice (aerosol, liquid EC or RTU),

spot bait placements and/or bait station

placements

Hot locations C & C (aerosol, liquid EC,

or RTU), gel bait or tamper-

proof bait stations

Crack and crevice (aerosol, liquid EC or RTU),

spot bait placements and/or bait station

placements

Wet locations Gel bait or tamper-proof

bait stations

Spot bait placements and/or bait station

placements

Greasy locations C & C (aerosol, liquid WP

or RTU), gel bait and/or

tamper-proof bait stations

Crack and crevice (aerosol, liquid WP, or RTU),

spot bait placements and/or bait station

placements

Outdoors Aerosol, liquid EC, or RTU Band/perimeter and/or broadcast

EC formulations can react with chemicals in wood stains, carpet dyes, and vinyl, resulting in reduced insecticide activity

and damage to the surface.

Crack and crevice

Because these crack and crevice products contain no water or oil emulsiﬁers they are ideal for treating electric motors

and switch boxes. The motor housings of refrigerators and freezers are an important and overlooked place where German

cockroaches ﬁnd an ideal habitat.

Before application, remove all food and utensils and protect them from exposure to the insecticide.

Cockroach Control Manual

damage. Table 5 gives the most effective insecticide

formulations and application methods at locations

where cockroaches live.

Species Speciﬁc

Management

Because cockroach species have preferred

habitats, you will need to target speciﬁc areas

within your home for most effective control. The

following will help guide your control efforts.

German Cockroaches

• Concentrate in kitchen, bathrooms, and any

other room where food and/or water is readily

available.

• Lookforpossiblecockroachhabitatsnearelectrical

heat sources, like refrigerator compressors and

fan motors.

• Apply crack and crevice treatments and/or gel

baits to all cracks, crevices, and seams where

cockroach activity is observed. Preferred habitats

are in cracks between, under, and behind cabinets

and where counter tops touch walls and sinks.

• Examine baseboards, ceiling trim boards, and

wall paneling. Apply crack and crevice treatments

of liquid, aerosol, or RTU insecticides or gel bait

if signs of cockroaches are found.

• Examinewalldecorations,likeclocksandpictures,

for the presence or evidence of cockroaches. Use

freezing treatments, gel baits, or crack and crevice

aerosols.

• Small appliances, such as toastersand blenders,

should be checked for signs of cockroaches. Gel

baits, crack and crevice aerosols, or freezing are

best treatments. Avoid insecticide contact with

food contact surfaces.

• Examinelargeappliancesforsignsofcockroaches.

Pay particular attention to areas under magnetic

seals on refrigerator and freezer doors. If they are

found, carefully apply crack and crevice liquid,

aerosol, or RTU insecticides and/or gel baits to the

infested areas. Never apply insecticides so food,

dishes, or utensils can become contaminated.

• Wall, ceiling, or oor voids in kitchens and

bathrooms are also favored habitats. Dusts,

crack and crevice liquid, aerosol, RTU, or gel

bait applications can be used in these locations.

The most likely entrance into wall void areas is

through openings around pipes under the sinks.

Treat and seal these openings.

• Hollowlocationssuchastableandchairlegsare

important harborages because they are easily

overlooked. Treat these areas similarly as for crack

and crevice locations, or carefully apply small

amounts of dust. Baits are also especially effective

in these locations.

Brownbanded Cockroaches

• Becausebrownbandedcockroacheshavealower

water requirement than the other cockroach

species, they can be found in all rooms of the

house, apartment, or building. In addition to all

the locations mentioned for German cockroaches,

additional locations may need to be treated.

• Checktrimandframingaroundwindows,doors,

and closets. If a treatment is required, use a crack

and crevice liquid or aerosol application, or gel

bait.

• Examine pictures, tapestries, and other wall

decorations carefully. These locations are

especially common for brownbanded infestations.

If infestations are found, use freezing treatments,

gel or tamper-proof baits, or crack and crevice

aerosols.

• Checktelevision,stereo,radio,clocks,andother

electric motors with warm microclimate areas.

Use special caution when attempting treatment

because of the possibility of electrical shock. Use

freezing treatments where possible, and dust

applied very lightly for others. Some of the crack

and crevice aerosols may be labeled for use in

electrical appliances as well.

• Textured ceilings are a common place for the

female brownbanded cockroaches to attach egg

cases. Physically remove egg cases, paint the ceiling

to discourage cockroaches from returning, and

apply a gel bait as a spot treatment if necessary.

• Furniturewithdrawersinthebedroomandliving

room is attractive to the brownbanded cockroach.

If infestations or signs are found, treat the interior

of furniture using a crack and crevice liquid,

aerosol, or RTU insecticide or apply insecticidal

baits.

• Other furniture, such as chairs and couches,

can also be infested. If found, apply a crack and

crevice liquid, aerosol, or RTU treatment to the

underside of infested furniture.

• Hollow locations such as curtain and drapery

rods, table legs, and pole lights are important

harborages for brownbanded cockroaches as well.

Treat these areas similarly as for crack and crevice

locations, or carefully apply small amounts of

dust. Baits are also especially effective in these

locations.

Oriental Cockroaches

Oriental cockroaches require cool temperatures,

high moisture, and readily available drinking water.

They can occur in many of the locations mentioned

earlier for German cockroaches, but concentrate

in basements, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and

under the kitchen sink. Follow the same treatment

recommendations as for German cockroaches plus

add those listed here.

Outdoors:

• Makeaband/perimetertreatmentwithaliquid,

aerosol, or RTU insecticide to all external entry

areas (especially thresholds), to the entire

perimeter of basement foundation, and to

other slab construction areas (garage, porches,

sidewalks, and stairways).

• Reduce vegetation near the foundation of the

house.

• Makeacrackandcreviceand/orspottreatment

with a liquid, aerosol, or RTU insecticide to

all exterior utilities entering the structure

(telephone, cable TV, natural gas, water). Seal

utility entrances.

• Reapplytreatmentstoallexteriorareasmentioned

as needed during warmer months.

Inside:

• Investigate crawlspaces and basement areas

containing exposed soil. If cockroaches or signs

are found, make crack and crevice liquid, aerosol,

or RTU applications to headers, undersides of

ﬂoor joists, around vents and windows, and sill

plate areas. You may also want to apply gel baits

or tamper-proof bait stations.

• Make spot treatments with either gel bait or

tamper-proof bait stations underneath sinks and

tubs, behind water and gas meters, around ﬂoor

drains, underneath water heaters, and around

humidiﬁers.

American Cockroaches

• AlthoughAmericancockroachesarelesscommon

than the other species, they can occasionally

become a problem in Nebraska dwellings.

They are found in all locations where German

cockroaches are found, and in some areas

where oriental cockroaches are found. If signs

of American cockroaches are found, follow the

speciﬁc treatment recommendations given for

German and oriental cockroaches.

• Some habitats are especially attractive to

American cockroaches and should be speciﬁcally

investigated. These areas are very warm, moist

locations, such as boiler rooms, steam tunnels,

heated ﬂoor drains, around hot water supply

pipes, and heating ducts.

• Ingeneral,liquid,aerosol,andRTUformulations

will degrade quickly under hot, moist conditions.

Dust and bait applications, if made properly, will

be less affected by heat and moisture and will last

longer than liquid formulations.

Before using any insecticide, always read and

follow all instructions given on the label. This

information is not only informative and useful,

but it is the law! Any use not consistent with the

label is considered a violation of the law and

carries with it strict penalties.

Insecticide Applications

Cockroach Control Manual

Figure 10-1. Glenn’s management plan seems to be missing something.

(J. Kalisch 1995)

At this point, you may be somewhat confused

about all these different formulations and chemical

classes. How do you decide what to use and where?

First, you should make every effort to reduce

water, food, and shelter available to the cockroaches.

These efforts will make other control tactics more

effective.

Next, you will need to determine which of the

previous formulations or compounds will work

for you. The control program you select should

be based on factors unique to your own personal

situation. For instance, if a less toxic approach is

important to you, then only consider those tactics

that are less hazardous to you, your family, and

pets. If the less toxic approach is not as important,

and you feel able to mix and apply pesticides, your

control program may include wettable powder and

emulsiﬁable concentrate formulations.

Your management plan should consider

activities of other people and pets in the

environment. For example, if you want to treat a

duplex that is vacant, you may choose a different

strategy than if you are treating an occupied duplex.

If you are treating your own home, you may also

want to time the treatment so you can be gone for a

period of time afterwards.

Less Toxic Control Tactics

1. Continually reduce the availability of water,

food, and harborage. This is true when using less

toxic controls and is true when other control options

are used. Any control will be more effective when

cockroach resources are eliminated or reduced.

Refer to Chapter 5.

2. Reduce humidity with dehumidiﬁers, if

high humidity is a problem. But, to prevent the

cockroaches from using the dehumidiﬁer water,

empty frequently.

3. Consider using heat or freezing treatments

for infested small appliances (Chapter 6).

4. Use baited sticky traps or traps containing

cockroach pheromone in infested areas. You may

need to get these from a pest control company

that will sell pest control supplies, or search on the

Internet to ﬁnd them.

5. Use insect growth regulators containing

hydroprene.

6. Use baits. Gel formulations containing

hydramethylnon, ﬁpronil, imidacloprid, boric

acid, indoxacarb, and abamectin will work for all

cockroach species. Use tamper-proof bait stations

if you prefer. (Remember, the baits will work better

when sanitation is good.)

7. Use desiccants (silica aerogel and diatomaceous

earth) or boric acid dust in dry areas, such as under

appliances or in wall voids. Dust formulations can

be used in wall voids and other places where people

and pets cannot disturb them. Once in place, the

chance of exposure is small and hazard is reduced.

8. Use of crack and crevice treatments with

aerosols are also relatively safe and easy to use.

These aerosols can be purchased from pest control

companies that sell pest control supplies, on the

Internet, and sometimes locally at hardware or

grocery stores.

9. If you have the equipment, use a liquid

insecticide in cracks and crevices where cockroaches

live. This will reduce exposure to people and pets.

10. Consider a ready-to-use (RTU) home pest

control liquid formulation. Try a product that

comes with a spray nozzle attachment which is safer

than concentrated liquid formulations because you

do not need to mix chemicals into a sprayer. The

total-release foggers (not recommended!) or aerosols

not designed for crack and crevice application are

contact insecticides and have little long term activity.

This means you will have to apply them much more

frequently than residual liquid insecticides. When

using any insecticides, be sure to read and follow all

label directions for use.

11. Continue to monitor your progress with

sticky traps.

Note: It is possible for cockroach populations to

become resistant to insecticides. If control is poor,

you may want to periodically change the class of

insecticide you are using, this is called rotation.

Chapter 10

Putting a Management Plan Together

Cockroach Control Manual

Rental Management

If you are an apartment manager or rental

owner, your approach may be a little different

than that of using less toxic controls. You may be

more concerned about the effectiveness of speciﬁc

chemicals than their toxicity. At the same time,

you should be concerned about the safety of your

tenants and safety to the insecticide applicator.

Between tenants, you will have an opportunity

to do a thorough cleaning and treatment of the

dwelling. Dripping faucets and leaky plumbing will

need to be ﬁxed. Clean under appliances. Cracks

greater than 1/16” (1.6 millimeter) will need to

be caulked. You may want to dust wall voids with

desiccants or boric acid dusts. You may also want

to do a full-scale crack and crevice treatment while

the apartment or house is vacant.

After new tenants move in, encourage the tenants

to be as clean as possible and continue to limit

the availability of water and food to cockroaches.

You may wish to give them a photocopy of our

sanitation suggestions in Chapter 5.

If the cockroach infestation re-occurs, share with

your tenants a list of the less toxic control methods

on the previous page. They might be willing to use

some of these tactics, such as desiccants and boric

acid, if they know how. They may also be willing to

use baits as an additional control measure.

Communication to the tenant about pesticide

use is the responsibility of the rental manager.

Labels and MSDS information about any insecticide

used in a cockroach treatment should be given to

tenants.

If you are using an insecticide treatment, let the

tenants know what to expect after treatment. If you

use a pyrethroid, tell the tenants that they might see

more cockroach activity for a few days. This means

that the insecticide is working.

Insecticide Tips: What to

Use?

There are problems with trying to recommend

speciﬁc insecticides. One problem is that an

insecticide that kills cockroaches effectively in toxicity

tests in the laboratory may not be as effective in

ﬁeld tests. Under most conditions, most tank-mixed

insecticides will reduce cockroach populations. But,

regardless of the product, sometimes an insecticide

fails to control cockroaches in an apartment, home,

or duplex. The reasons for the failure of a speciﬁc

product are not always known. The bottom line is

that if you use a product and it does not control

the cockroach population like you expected, try

something else. It could be that you have a resistant

population of cockroaches. Or, maybe the level

of sanitation needs improvement or additional

caulking of cracks and crevices should be done.

The important thing is that you don’t give up. If

you take all the steps suggested in this manual, you

can signiﬁcantly reduce any cockroach population.

Working with a Pest Control

Company

After all you’ve learned about controlling

cockroaches, maybe you’ve decided you would

rather let somebody else handle the insecticides.

What do you look for when you want to ﬁnd a

reputable pest control company? Here are some

suggestions to consider:

1. Regardless of how bad the infestation is, take

your time in hiring a pest control company. Spend

a week or two gathering information.

2. Arrange to have four or ﬁve professional pest

management companies inspect your home and

estimate the cost of the treatment. Request that all

bids be put in writing.

3. Ask each company to describe in detail

the precise procedures that they will use to treat

the infestation. By now, you know the basics of

cockroach biology and treatment. Let them know

that you know something about cockroach control

by asking lots of questions to ﬁnd out what they

know.

Some questions you might ask the pest

control professional:

• Whatkindofcockroachesarethese?

• Whereistheinfestationlocated?

• Will you monitor the infestation with sticky

traps?

• Whatinsecticideswillbe usedandwhyareyou

going to use it?

• Will the insecticide provide long-term residual

control?

• Whatmethodswillbeusedtoinsuremyfamily’s

safety?

• What non-toxic or less-toxic types of controls

will be used?

• WillIGRsandlow-toxicbaitsbeusedaspartof

the treatment?

• How often do you recommend treatment, and

how will you know if it is needed?

• WillIPMprinciplesbefollowed?

Request label and MSDS information for each

insecticide that they propose to use. There are no

special or secret insecticides available to only select

pest control companies. All companies can use any

of the insecticides currently registered for use in

Nebraska.

4. Be sure to discuss any health concerns that

you might have. Some concerns might be family

members with allergies, a pregnancy, or pets. How

will the pest control company deal with these

sensitive problems?

5. How long has the pest control company

been in business? This is not deﬁnitive, but

companies that have been in business for many

years often have built a credible reputation with

their clients. Request to be furnished with a list

of recent references on cockroach control in your

area. Be sure to call the references and ask them to

comment on the service that they received.

6. Before you hire a company, be sure to check

with the Better Business Bureau.

What Doesn’t Work: The

Fallacy of Home Remedies

So far, all the chemical and non-chemical control

tactics that have been discussed have some adverse

action against cockroaches when used properly.

There are home remedies and other gizmos that

some people believe will work against cockroaches.

These approaches may even have a scientiﬁc basis,

but for various reasons, are not effective against

cockroaches.

Home Remedies

Home remedies are common household

substances that are used for another purpose. It has

been shown that some aromatic herbs and spices

have repellent properties against insects, especially

when the repellent compound is very concentrated.

Unfortunately, using repellents against cockroaches

is not a very effective strategy. Instead of controlling

the infestation, the best you can expect is to move

cockroaches to different locations within the same

household. Repellents only repel; they may not have

any insecticidal properties.

Osage Orange, Citrus, Cucumber, and

Onions. Insecticidal and repellent chemicals have

been extracted from Osage orange, citrus peels,

cucumber peels, and onions, but none of these

extracted chemicals have been shown to effectively

control cockroaches. If the concentrated chemicals

are not effective, it follows that the Osage orange,

citrus, cucumber peels, and onions themselves will

also be ineffective.

Spices and Herbs. Certain spices and herbs

are said to repel/control insects. Cinnamon, catnip,

and thyme are some examples; others include bay

leaves, cloves, fennel, garlic, lavender, peppermint,

rosemary, spearmint, and tansy. These herbs all

contain chemicals that if extracted and concentrated

enough, will repel/control some insects, including

Putting a Management Plan Together

Figure 10-2. Using home remedies for

cockroaches wastes valuable time that could be

used to reduce the population with products that

really work.

(A. Shefﬁeld)

Cockroach Control Manual

cockroaches. But none have been shown to produce

practical results under real life situations such as in

homes, businesses, and institutions. You may see

recipes for garlic pesticide solutions that contain

garlic, onions, and hot pepper. These solutions are

more repellent to the person making them than

they are to cockroaches.

Salt, Red Pepper, Chalk, Talcum Powder,

and Bone Meal. Some people claim that other

household items, like salt, red pepper, chalk, talcum

powder, and bone meal, have repellent or insecticidal

properties. Unfortunately, these materials will not

kill or change the behavior of cockroaches. In fact,

the cockroaches may actually eat the red pepper

powder.

Soapy Water. Soapy water solutions can be

used to control certain insects on plants. Liquid

dish washing soap mixed with water will kill

cockroaches when sprayed directly on the insect.

But, as with other contact sprays, dish soap offers

no long term control.

Bacillus Thuringiensis (B.t.). Bacillus

thuringiensis is a bacteria that produces a lethal

toxin that will control some mosquitoes, black

ﬂies, beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, and moth and

butterﬂy larvae. At the present time, no strains of

B.t. have been identiﬁed that are effective against

cockroaches.

Bran, Baking Soda, and Baking Powder.

An old wives’ tale says that if you feed bran to insects,

the bran will swell up inside the insect and it will

die. There are similar claims made about baking

soda and baking powder, common leavening agents

used in baking. Bran, baking powder, and baking

soda will not cause cockroaches to die

Devices, Gadgets, and Gizmos

Ultrasonic Devices. There are some so-called

“ultrasonic devices” that claim to repel insects,

rodents, birds, and other vermin. There is no

scientiﬁc evidence to suggest that cockroaches (or

any other insects) respond in any way to ultrasonic

sound waves.

In the early 1980’s, researchers at the University

of Nebraska–Lincoln studied the effect of ultrasonic

sound waves on cockroach behavior. Results were

reported in Pest Control magazine (June, 1982, page

24). In this report, the authors stated, “...it appears

that sonic and ultrasonic sound is ineffective to

control or repel German cockroaches”. Another

issue of Pest Control (February 1984, page 26)

reports on a panel discussion that occurred at

the Entomological Society of America meetings.

The author says, “the bottom line on ultrasonics

is this: none of the researchers who spoke...felt

that ultrasonic devices control insects”. One panel

member summarized the entire issue, “Let’s get

those devices that don’t work off the market...”.

One researcher recently said, “These devices are

marketed as sonic, ultrasonic, subsonic, and ionic.

But they are all simply moronic!”

Electric Cat. A device that originated in Brazil

is the Vibromax, the Electric Cat. This gadget was

designed to mount directly to reinforcement bars

within concrete ﬂoors and walls. The manufacturers

claimed that the vibrations produced by the

device would imitate those of a mild earthquake.

This device was also tested at the University

of Nebraska–Lincoln. Results showed that the

vibrations produced by the Vibromax had no effect

on cockroach behavior and would not repel them.

Bug Zappers. The last device that should

be mentioned is the bug zapper. It is designed to

kill ﬂying insects that are attracted to the color of

light produced by the device. But the bug zapper

does not control cockroaches because they are not

attracted to this color of light.

Figure 10-3. Cockroaches survive, even thrive

when ultrasonic devices are placed in infested

dwellings. Cockroaches and other insects don’t

have the ability to detect ultrasonic sound waves.

(A. Shefﬁeld)

More Outrageous Claims

Copper, Aluminum Foil, and Hair. Copper

foil is said to produce an electric current that insects

don’t like and thus repels them. Copper foil has no

effect on insects whatsoever. Some people believe

that insects will not cross aluminum foil because

they see their reﬂection and become confused. It is

not possible for cockroaches to see their reﬂection

in foil, let alone become confused. Aluminum foil

will not control or repel cockroaches. Finally, it

has been said that human or horse hair stretched

out in a line will prevent insects from crossing it.

It is said that if insects cross the hair, they will die

of dehydration. This is the most outrageous claim

of all. Human or horse hair will not dehydrate

cockroaches!

Future Controls?

Researchers all over the world continue to look

for more effective, safer, and cheaper methods to

control cockroaches. These new agents will be

inherently less toxic, designed to kill only speciﬁc

target insects, and the methods used to apply them

will be more precise. Many ideas are now being

investigated. Probably the most basic change will

not be the technology used to control cockroaches,

but the attitude about how the control work will be

done.

Impact on the environment will be considered

even more in the future. Many existing formulations

will be eliminated and some will be redesigned.

A good example are the solvent systems in some

aerosols. Products containing ozone-depleting

solvents are being phased out now, forcing

manufacturers to ﬁnd more environmentally

friendly alternatives. The new formulations will also

contain active ingredients safer for the environment

and less toxic to the applicator.

Because they have been so successful, cockroach

baits will continue as a major area of development.

Over the last few years, the list of active ingredients

has grown from only one or two to more than ten.

This increase in the number of products was forced

by the cockroaches themselves. In some areas where

baits have been used repeatedly, some cockroaches

wouldn’t eat the bait. Some don’t like the gel bait

formulation; others didn’t like the ingredients. But,

bait manufacturer and university researchers have

found new active ingredients and bait formulations

to solve these problems. New problems will almost

certainly arise in the future, requiring new solutions.

The result will be many more formulations and

active ingredients.

Many new cockroach control tactics, along

with reﬁnements of the ones already mentioned,

will certainly appear over the next decade or so.

Some of them will prove to be effective and others

will not. Some may work very well, but will be too

dangerous or expensive. From time to time you

will see or hear about a new product. Remember,

ask questions, be skeptical, and use common sense

when making decisions. If it seems to be too good

to be true, it probably isn’t.

Putting a Management Plan Together

Cockroach Control Manual

Cockroach Pests of the Northern United States

German Cockroach

(enlarged)

Brown-banded Cockroach

(enlarged)

Oriental Cockroach

(slightly enlarged)

American Cockroach

(actual size)

Comparison of Cockroach Adults

(enlarged)

Comparison of Egg Cases

(enlarged)

Cockroach Pests of the Northern United States

German Oriental

Brown-banded

American

(Photos by Jim Kalisch, UNL Entomology)