Cockroach infestations are one of the most difficult challenges you can face as a PMP. Their resilience and rapid reproduction can quickly turn a minor issue into a major crisis. A comprehensive cockroach protocol is critical for gaining long-term control over German cockroach populations.
Assessment-based Pest Management (APM): A Crucial Approach
Utilizing an APM strategy is critical for success. The cornerstone of APM is a thorough inspection and monitoring of the infested area. Categorizing infestations into high-, medium or low-levels allows for a customized treatment approach. Regular reassessment before follow-ups ensures the effectiveness of your treatment.
Inspection: During your inspection, focus on areas with high humidity/water, darkness, and limited air movement, including looking under sinks, refrigerators, dishwashers, and stoves, around toilets, near trash containers, and inside cabinets. Availability of water, food, and harborage areas can significantly impact the establishment of cockroach populations.
In the case of a high-level infestation, do not limit your inspection to well-known areas such as kitchens and bathrooms. Look for dead roaches, egg casings, and fecal material that are also signs of German cockroach activity.
Glueboards: Leveraging glueboards as a diagnostic tool provides valuable information about the infestation. Glueboards can reveal the level of infestation you are dealing with. Based on the life stages collected, glueboards can provide crucial insights into harborage sites, food sources and general pathways roaches are following.
Take a closer look at what you’ve collected. A significant presence of gravid females and early instar nymphs suggests proximity to a harborage site, as they don’t venture far. A high number of male cockroaches may indicate a nearby food source. Males tend to travel further from the harborage in search of food. Examining the direction the roaches are facing provides clues about where they are coming from.
Insurance: Baits may not always be 100% effective due to multiple factors such as sub-lethal dosing (not enough bait), bait aversion and resistance. Incorporating an Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) in your treatment provides an insurance policy. An IGR halts the reproduction of remaining roaches, inhibiting potential resurgences in the population. Utilizing dual modes of action in your treatment with an IGR and adulticide provides effective kill and long-term control, forming an essential part of a complete strategy for cockroach control.
Elevate your Rotation Strategy with Vendetta® 360
Vendetta® 360 is an ideal rotational bait that includes dual modes of action. The high-quality bait matrix optimizes Clothianidin performance and includes NyGuard® IGR. The easy-to-use formula is durable and designed for rotation with the Vendetta line of baits and other cockroach baits.
With highly attractive and effective matrices that provide multiple modes of action, you can trust the Vendetta family to provide an outstanding solution for your cockroach management program.