cockroaches - extension wood cockroach prefers the outdoors and usually is found in wood piles, in...
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Fact Sheet No. 5.553 Insect Ser ies|Home and Garden
Quick Facts• Cockroachesareassociated
withfilthandunsanitaryconditions.
• Knowntocarrydiseaseorganisms,theyhavenotbeentiedtomajordiseaseoutbreaksintheUnitedStates.
• Eggcases,nymphsandadultscanbefoundinaninfestedarea.
• Eliminateunnecessarysourcesofwater,foodandhidingplaces.
• Usetraps,residualandnon-residualinsecticidesprays,andinsecticideduststocontroloreliminatecockroaches.
*Colorado State University Extension entomologist and professor, bioagricultural sciences and pest management. Artwork by Thomas J. Weissling. 6/2012
© Colorado State University Extension. 7/95. Revised 6/12.
www.ext.colostate.edu
Cockroachesareamongthemostundesirableinsectintrudersinthehome.Theyareassociatedwithfilthandunsanitaryconditions,althoughtheyoccasionallyinvadethebest-kepthomes.
Thoughknowntocarryvariousdiseaseorganisms,cockroacheshavenotbeenassociatedwithanymajordiseaseoutbreaksinthiscountry.Theinsectsalsoproduceasecretionthathasarepulsiveodorandcanaffecttheflavoroffood.Cockroachescancauseallergicreactionswhensensitivepeoplecomeintocontactwithcontaminatedfoodorhousedust.
BiologyThreecockroachlifeformscanbefound
inaninfestedarea.Theeggcaseisthesizeandshapeofabeanandcontains10to20cockroacheggs(Figure1).Thefemalemaycarrytheeggsarounduntiljustbeforetheyhatchor,insomespecies,shemayhidetheminsomeprotectedarea.Astheeggshatch,youngcockroaches,ornymphs,emerge.Similarinshapeandcolortotheadults,theyaresmallerandwingless.Theirhabitatsandfoodpreferencesarethesameasthoseof adults.
Cockroachesareactiveatnight,sodaytimeobservationisagoodsignofaheavyinfestation.Theypreferprotectedareas,suchascracksandcrevices,torestandhide.Althoughcockroachespreferstarchyfoodsandmeats,theywilleatanythingofplantoranimalorigin.
Common SpeciesTherearemorethan50speciesof
cockroachesintheUnitedStates.However,onlyfivearelikelytobefoundinColorado.
TheGerman cockroachisthemosttroublesomeofallcockroaches.Oneofthe
smallerspecies,1/2inchwhenfullgrown,itislightbrownwithapairofparallelbrownbarsbetweentheheadandthefrontofthewings(Figure2).Thisspeciesusuallyisassociatedwithbuildingswherefoodispreparedorstored.Itcommonlymigratesfrominfestedareasintonearbydwellingsormaybecarriedinonfoodcontainers.Favoritehomehabitatsarewarm,moistareas,suchaskitchensinksandappliances,bathroomsinks,and furnaces.
TheAmerican cockroachisthelargestpestspeciesfoundinColorado–upto2incheslong.Itismahogany-coloredwithayellowmarginaroundtheheadandaroundtheshieldbehindthehead(Figure3).Althoughoccasionallyfoundinhomes,theAmericancockroachmorecommonlyisfoundinwarm,moistareasofindustrialor
by F.B. Peairs*
Cockroaches
Figure 2: German cockroach. (Photo from the K. Gray Image Collection, Oregon State University.)
Figure 1: Brownbanded (top) and American (bottom) cockroach egg cases.
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commercialbuildings.Furnaceorboilerrooms,sewersandheattunnelsarefavoredenvironments.
Thebrownbanded cockroachissimilarinsizeandcolortotheGermancockroach.Itcanbedistinguishedbythelackofbrownbarsontheshieldinfrontofthewingsandbythepresenceoftwolightbandsacrossthewingsandabdomen(Figure4).Itprefersawarmer,drierenvironmentthantheGermancockroachandoftenisfoundinceilings,lightfixtures,furnitureandappliances,especiallytelevisions.
Theoriental cockroachisintermediateinsizebetweentheGermanandtheAmericancockroachandmuchdarker.Theadultshavewingsthatdonotreachtheendoftheabdomen(Figure5).Manyconsideritthemostrepulsivecommoncockroach,primarilyduetoitsstrongodor.Thisspeciespreferscool,damp,darkareas.Forthisreason,itofteniscalleda“waterbug.”Commonhabitatsincludesewerdrains,dampcrawlspaces,basementsandcellars.Infestationsaremostcommoninthespringandfall.
Thewood cockroachpreferstheoutdoorsandusuallyisfoundinwoodpiles,indeadtreesandunderbark.Attractedtolights,itoccasionallyentershomesandcausesgreatalarmbecauseitissoeasilyconfusedwithpestcockroaches.Thewoodcockroachhasawhitebandthatrunsaroundtheheadandtheshieldbehindthehead.Usuallyitdoesnotsurviveormultiplyindoors.
Cockroach ManagementThethreekeystoeffectivecockroach
managementarepreventionandsanitation,detectionandchemicalcontrol.Satisfactorycockroachcontrolwillnotbeachievedunlesseachofthesestepsisfollowed.
Prevention and Sanitation
Ifcockroachesaremigratingintoabuildingorfromanotherpartofabuilding,installweatherstrippingandcaulkingwhereplumbingpassesfrominfestedareasintouninfestedareas.Eliminatehidingplaces.Forexample,caulkcracksand crevicesindark,moistareastodiscouragecockroaches.Inspectitemsbroughtintoabuilding,especiallyfoodcontainers,furniture,appliancesandclothing.Theadultsandyoungareeasytorecognize.Becausesomecockroachesgluetheireggcasestovarioussurfaces,takeparticularcaretolookfortheeggs.
Cockroachesneedfood,waterandshelter.Waterisparticularlyimportant,whichiswhyinfestationsaremostcommoninkitchensandbathrooms.Makeanyplumbingrepairsandmodificationsneededtoeliminateasmuchstandingwateras possible.
Donotallowfoodparticlestoaccumulateinareasaccessibletocockroaches.Commonfeedingareasincludeunwasheddishes,petdishes,uncoveredpetfoodcontainers,litterboxes,wastecontainers,andareasunderrefrigerators,stoves,sinksandfurniture.Repairfaultyplumbingandeliminateunnecessarysourcesofwater.Reduceshelterforcockroaches;donotstoreunnecessarynewspapers,boxes,ragsandsimilaritemsthatprovidehidingplaces.
Detection
Detectionisanimportantelementofcockroachcontrol.Cockroachestendtoconcentrateincertainareas.Controlsaremoreeffectiveiftheyaretargetedatthesespots.Cockroachtraps,small,open-endedboxes,containanattractantandstickysubstancethatretainstheinsectsoncetheyenter.Usethemtolocateinfestationsandtodeterminewhenpopulationsrequireadditionaltreatment.Trapscanbeeffectiveincatchingtheoccasionalinvader,buttheywillnoteliminateestablishedcolonies.Trapsaremosteffectivewhenplacedagainstwallsundersinks,incabinetsandinbasementcorners.Iftwonightspasswithoutacapture,movethetraptoanotherlikelyarea.
Insecticides are poisons. Treat them as such.
Boric acid powder is relatively safe for humans, but do not expose children and pets to it.
Baits are long lasting and are most effective when placed in small amounts in many locations. Figure 3: American cockroach. (Photo from
the K. Gray Image Collection, Oregon State University.)
Figure 4: Brown-banded cockroach. (Photo from the K. Gray Image Collection, Oregon State University.)
Figure 5: Oriental cockroach. (Photo from the K. Gray Image Collection, Oregon State University.)
Chemical Control
Cockroachinsecticidesincluderesidualsprays,nonresidualsprays,dustsandbaits.Useacombinationforeffectivechemicalcockroachcontrol.
Allcockroachinsecticidelabelscontainimportantinstructionsandprecautionstoensureeffectivenessandtoprotectthesafetyofhumansandpets.Read, understand and follow all label instructions whenapplyinganyresidualspray,nonresidualspray,dustorbait.
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Colorado State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Colorado counties cooperating. CSU Extension programs are available to all without discrimination. No endorsement of products mentioned is intended nor is criticism implied of products not mentioned.
Residual insecticide sprays leaveatoxicdepositonsurfacesandwillkillcockroachesforacertaintimeperiod,usuallytwotofourweeks.Applytocracksandcreviceswherecockroacheshideandareaswheretheywalkinsearchoffood.Sprayuntilthesurfaceiswet,butavoidoverapplicationsthatpuddleorrunoff.
Insecticidesarepoisonsandshouldbetreatedassuch.Usedimproperly,theycandamagelinoleum,carpets,drapesandpaint.Variousinsecticides,underavarietyofcommercialnames,areavailableforresidualtreatmentsagainstcockroaches.Someproductsareavailabletohomeowners,whileothersarelimitedtolicensedpestcontroloperators.Residualinsecticidetreatmentsaregenerallyeffective,butcockroaches,especiallytheGerman,havedevelopedinsecticideresistanceinmanypartsofthecountry.
Nonresidual insecticide sprayseliminatecockroachesonlyoncontact.Theywillnoteliminateaninfestationbutarequitehelpfulwhenusedwithresidualtreatments.Severalshort-lastingaerosolinsecticidescontaintheactiveingredientspyrethrinsorresmethrin.Theyirritatecockroachesandcanflushthepestsoutoftheirhidingplacesandforcethemintoareastreatedwitharesidualinsecticide.Thisflushingactionalsoisusefultodeterminewhetherornotcockroachesarepresent.Flushingagents,however,candrivethemintopreviouslyuninfestedpartsofthebuilding.
Insecticide dustscanpenetratecockroachhidingareasthatotherinsecticideswillnotreach.Whenappliedtodrylocations,theyhavealongerusefullifethanresidualsprays.Somedustscontainconventionalinsecticides,whileotherscontainnoorganicchemicals.
Boricacidpowder(alsoavailableasaresidualspray),availableunderseveralcommercialnames,isrelativelysafeforhumans,butdonotexposechildrenandpetstoit.Itcancauseskinirritationsifimproperlyhandled,anditwillharmhouseplants.Applyboricacidonlytohidingplacesandrunways.Itisslowacting.Donotexpectcompletecontrolforatleastoneweekafterapplication.Boricacidisamongthebestcockroachinsecticides.Combinedwithitsrelativesafety,thismakesitagoodchoiceforhomeowners.
Otherdustsarebasedonsilicaaerogelordiatomaceousearth.Theseareappliedinthesamemannerasboricacid.Theymaynotbeaseffectiveasboricacidbecausetheyarerepellenttothecockroach.However,theycankeepthepestsoutofcertainareas,suchaswallvoidsandattics.Whileboricacidispoisonous,silicaaerogelanddiatomaceousearthactbyrubbingofftheprotectivewaxesthatcoverthecockroach’sbodyandcausedeathbydehydration.
Baitscanbeappliedtoareasthatcannotbesprayedordusted.Theyconsistofanattractant,suchaspeanutbutterorsyrup,andanonrepellentinsecticide,suchasboricacid.Baitsarelonglastingandaremosteffectivewhenplacedinsmallamountsinmanylocations.Mostbaitsareavailableinchild-andpetproofcontainers.Baitsaremuchmoreeffectiveiftheyaretheonlyfoodsourceavailable.Goodsanitationisespeciallyimportantforthistypeof control.
Professional Pest ControlIfthesituationissevereoritisunclear
whattodo,professionalpestcontrolservicesareavailable.Thesecompaniesemploytrainedpestcontroloperatorsand
haveaccesstoinsecticidesandequipmentthatarenotavailabletoprivateindividuals.Chooseacompanywiththesamecareyouusetoselectotherservicesforthehome.
Biological ControlBiologicalcontrolusesoneorganism
tocontrolanother.Whereinsecticidesareundesirableoritisnotnecessarytoeliminatecockroachescompletely,considerabiologicalcontrolprogram.Suchprogramshavenotbeenpopularinthepastbecausemanyfindthebiologicalcontrolagenttobeasdistastefulasthecockroaches.Additionally,insecticideusewouldhavetobeminimizedoreliminated,becausethebeneficialorganismoftenisevenmoresusceptibletoinsecticidesthancockroaches.
Manykindsoforganismsattackcockroaches:toads,bacteria,protozoa,beetles,mitesandwasps.Parasiticwaspshavehadthemostsuccess.Thesearetinyinsects,harmlesstohumans,thatlaytheireggsinthecockroachcase.Theeggshatchintoimmaturewaspsthatfeedonthecockroacheggs.Waspscanreducecockroachnumbersdramaticallyandkeepthematlowlevels,buttheycannotcompletelyeliminatetheproblem.Parasiticwaspshavebeenusedsuccessfullyinnonresidentialofficebuildingsandwarehouses,butnotinresidentialbuildingswherethereismuchlesstoleranceofcockroachesandotherinsects.
ReferencesCornwell,P.B.1968.The Cockroach.VolumeI.
Hutchinson,London,391pp.Cornwell,P.B.1976.The Cockroach.Volume
II.Hutchinson,London,557pp.Roth,L.M.,andE.R.Willis.1957.The
medical and veterinary importance of cockroaches.SmithsonianMiscellaneousCollection134(10):1-147.