By Chris Keefer Ph.D., BCE, Technical Services Representative, Syngenta Professional Solutions
German cockroaches can be difficult to control in many situations—they can rapidly radiate throughout a structure if not effectively contained and managed. To provide your customers with peace of mind from cockroach infestations, it’s important to understand their biology and behaviors to execute proper treatment for long-term control.
All cockroaches have a life cycle that includes the following stages: egg, nymph and adult. German cockroaches can develop from egg to adult in approximately 90 days depending on temperature, relative humidity and resources available. Once they reach maturity, they live approximately four to six months. Adult females can produce four to five egg cases in their lifetime with approximately 30 to 40 eggs in each case, which can lead to population explosions if left untreated.
Inspection: Set yourself up for success
A thorough inspection is needed to help develop an all-encompassing protocol to mitigate German cockroaches. It’s important to fully understand the extent of the infestation before treatment occurs. In other words, inspection dictates treatment.
During inspection it’s recommended to use zone monitors or glue boards to help pinpoint hot spots, especially if the infestation is small or just getting started. If you find small nymphs during the inspection, this generally indicates you’re very close to a primary harborage. Early instar nymphs and gravid females don’t forage very far from harborages.
Combat resistance management with effective solutions
Gel baits are an important tool when managing German cockroaches. When implementing these solutions, you must consider cockroach behavior to better control the population. Adult males, adult non-gravid females and late instar nymphs will forage and feed on gel baits then return to the harborage, where early instar nymphs will feed on excretion and dead individuals to further control the infestation. Therefore, it’s recommended to use a gel bait that offers a horizontal transfer effect, so the active ingredient will be passed on to others in the population.
For the best long-term results, it’s also recommended to rotate multiple cockroach gel baits with different active ingredients in different chemical classes to help prevent physiological resistance. For each active ingredient in your rotation refer to the Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC) designation for each active ingredient to ensure you are using cockroach gel baits from different chemical classes with different modes of action.
By understanding cockroach behavior coupled with effective treatment methods, you can help customers achieve a life uninterrupted by these pests. For more information on solutions, visit SyngentaPMP.com/Cockroach.
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