Introduction
For many apartment dwellers, cockroaches are a normal part of life, seen scurrying into the corners of the room when the lights are turned on late at night. The roach population thrives in areas where food, water and shelter are readily available.
Roach control therefore involves reduction or elimination of these components from the environment. Although it may seem impossible to completely eradicate cockroaches from your dwelling, you can always attain a certain level of control, so that very few of these insects are ever seen.
Cockroaches have changed very little in their 400 million years on earth. Because they evolved as scavengers of dead plant material, they prefer carbohydrates to proteins or fats. However, when they are hungry, they will feed on almost anything.
More than 3500 cockroach species exist worldwide including: the German cockroach, the Brown-banded cockroach, the Oriental cockroach, the American cockroach, the Smoky brown cockroach and the Wood cockroach. The German cockroach is the species most commonly found in North America.
The Lifecycle of Cockroaches
After the female has incubated the eggs for 20 to 28 days, she drops one to
four egg cases (ootheca) containing 35 to 50 nymphs each. Over a period of
100 days the nymphs reach the adult stage, going through six to seven transformations
called instars. However, the time required for each instar varies depending
upon the temperature and relative humidity.
For more information on the lifecycle of cockroaches, please consult your public
or university library.
Preventative Control of Cockroaches
Roaches can be inadvertently brought into the home in the form
of egg cases that have been laid in groceries, beer and soft drink cases, used
appliances, rugs, furniture, etc. They are not always a sign of poor housekeeping.
The homeowner must rely on intensive sanitation measures, physical modification
of habitat and the use of pest control products to adequately control the cockroach.
Note that pesticide use alone will not ensure successful control unless the
habitat is physically modified first. Remember that pesticides treat only the
symptoms rather than the cause of the infestation.
Focus efforts where roaches are most concentrated. Cockroaches
like to squeeze into small cracks in which their back and underside make contact
with both upper and lower surfaces. This explains the cockroach’s preference
for small, enclosed areas. They tend to occur in patches in a room, and are
generally found in basements or first floor apartments. They prefer warm moist
areas where food is readily available.
Sanitation
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Never leave sources of food or water exposed. Clean up spills
immediately. Do not leave pet water and food out 24 hours a day. During
the daytime, you can place your pet’s dish in a plate filled with
soapy water. Because soap has some insecticidal properties, roaches venturing
into the water will be killed.
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Keep food in tightly sealed plastic or glass containers, rather
than in paper or cardboard containers that the roaches can chew through.
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Regularly clean around and beneath appliances, sinks and other
locations close to a food source where dark and/or humid conditions exist.
A layer of accumulated grease behind a stove will allow several adult roaches
to survive and reproduce. Empty drainage pans under refrigerators to eliminate
this source of water for the roaches.
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Clean the kitchen thoroughly every day.
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Store garbage in sealed plastic containers and dispose of it
daily
.
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Do not allow dirty dishes to accumulate, especially overnight.
If you do not have the time to wash them immediately, immerse them in a
strong solution of detergent and water.
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Vacuum your home regularly to help remove food particles and
insect egg masses.
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Wrap or insulate pipes that have excessive amounts of condensation,
repair leaky faucets and pipes, ventilate bathrooms and dehumidify areas
of excess moisture to reduce availability of water from these sources.
Controlling humidity and increasing the light and air circulation in problem
areas will help control infestations.
Physical control of Cockroaches
Traps
Traps allow you to monitor the location of roaches in your home
so that you know where to concentrate your control efforts. Traps can also
be used as a control tool. Sticky traps can be used to monitor roach populations
and locations. Use as many traps as possible to ensure the greatest success.
The idea is to place various traps in the corners of rooms where roaches have
been seen at night. To prepare your own traps, darken the inside of a quart-sized
Mason jar by wrapping it in paper or painting the inside black; coat the inside
of the jar with petroleum jelly to prevent the roaches from escaping; and place
some food at the bottom (a piece of moist bread, beer, or bacon grease will
do). Your trap now has all the assets required to attract roaches. In the morning
kill the roaches by drowning them in soapy water or place a lid on the jar
and put it in the freezer for at least 24 hours (it may take up to a week to
kill the roaches in the freezer).
Vacuuming
If you vacuum roaches, some of them will suffocate in the bag.
To ensure all roaches are destroyed, the vacuum bag should be immersed in soapy
water or placed in a sealed plastic bag or container which is then placed in
the freezer for at least 24 hours.
Sealing Hiding Spots and Entry Points
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Block, seal or caulk cracks and crevices around foundations
and access points to wall cavities. These are important steps in limiting
infestation, movement and re-infestation by the pest.
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Look for sealable access points around baseboards, air vents,
sinks, bathtubs, and other areas where pipes, plumbing and electrical wires
enter the premises.
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Fill floor drain and condensation line traps with water to
prevent migration from sewers. Cap abandoned drain lines.
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Weatherstrip beneath doors and around windows especially in
apartments where cockroaches migrate readily from one unit to the next.
Be sure to caulk around the edge of the screen to make a tight barrier.
Steam Cleaning and Freezing
If furniture, toys or crafts are suspected of harbouring roaches
you may steam clean them if you have ensured that the material will not be
damaged by the moisture or heat. You can also freeze the infested items for
at least 24 hours at -8°C (17.6°F).
Chemical Control of Cockroaches
The most common approach is the application of a residual crack and crevice product registered for the control of cockroaches. Retreatment after a few weeks will kill emerging nymphs. However, when retreating your dwelling, use a different product in order to avoid having the insects develop a resistance to any particular product. Never treat entire surface areas unless specified on the label.
Roaches shun the light, prefer tight fitting spaces, and seldom venture into the open. Concentrate your control efforts on cracks, crevices, joints, seams, corners, frames, baseboards and spaces where they can hide.
Treat those areas where insects may forage at night; avoid treating surfaces where roaches are unlikely to travel. Key locations include kitchens, bathrooms, storage areas, basements, areas around plumbing and drainage pipes, and garbage storage areas. Surfaces to be treated should be clean and dry so that the control product will adhere to them properly.
Various products can be purchased at garden centres and hardware stores or are available to exterminators for the control of roaches. These products contain, among others, active ingredients such as: bendiocarb, carbaryl diazinon, malathion, etc. If insect populations are high, pyrethrin aerosols or space sprays can increase effectiveness of the treatment by knocking down the insects and flushing them onto treated surfaces. The following active ingredients are among the least toxic chemicals available for cockroach control.
Bait Stations
Maxforce or Impact bait stations contain the active ingredient hydramethylnon, an insecticide of low mammalian toxicity available in tamper-proof containers. The bait stations trap the insects and the active ingredient disrupts their biochemical energy production, killing them in about 48-96 hours after ingestion. For a bait to be effective, it requires careful placement and must out-compete existing supplies of food.
Containerized bait formulations containing chlorpyrifos may be used in residential areas.
Boric Acid
Boric acid, another chemical of lesser toxicity to humans, can be used to control roaches. Domestic users can purchase the dust form of the product which should be applied as a light coating. If the coating is too thick, the insect will simply avoid going in its path. The paste form is available to pest control operators for treatment of cracks and crevices. Boric acid, a stomach action poison, is ingested while the insects clean themselves. Applied where the insects are likely to hide, it takes about 10 days to be effective. Boric acid may be effective for many years when treated areas are kept dry.
Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth, a fine powder also known as silicon dioxide, consists of microorganisms found in the sea. As the insects crawl over the fine powder, their waxy outer protection is scratched, leaving them to dehydrate and die. For a week or so after the treatment, the dehydrating insects will search more actively for water. Therefore, do not be surprised if you see roaches more often after the treatment. Most roaches should be killed within two weeks of application. Diatomaceous earth is non-toxic to humans and pets and will remain active as long as it is kept dry.
Silica Aerogel
Products combining pyrethrin and silica aerogel are also available for the control of roaches. The pyrethrin component provides a quick knockdown of roaches while silica aerogel works like diatomaceous earth, causing the insects to slowly dehydrate and die.
Be sure to read Proper Use of Pesticides.
Summary
- Use traps to determine the locations of roaches and to verify the effectiveness
of treatments.
- Reduce access to food and water.
- Place garbage in sealed containers.
- Seal cracks and crevices where roaches are likely to hide.
- Screen vents and windows to prevent roaches from traveling from one apartment
to the other.
- Use of pest control products without sanitation and physical means of control
will not solve the roach problem.
- In an apartment building or other multi-unit dwelling, community effort
is essential to ensure an effective cockroach management program.
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