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Cockroaches, are the most common insect pests infesting homes, food service establishments and other structures in Kentucky. Cockroaches are replusive and objectionable to most people simply by their presence. They are also capable of mechanically transmitting disease organisms such as the bacteria which cause food poisoning. Recently, cockroaches have been found to be an important source of allergy in people, second only to house dust.
The German cockroach is by far the most common roach found in homes. Oriental and American cockroaches usually prefer dark, damp areas such as basements, floor drains, crawl spaces, and utility closets.
Cockroaches typically become established in homes after being introduced in grocery bags, with laundry or, in some cases, wandering in from outdoors. Once cockroaches become established they are prolific breeders capable of producing several thousand offspring in a year.
Cockroaches prefer to live where there is food, warmth and moisture. Since cockroaches flourish where food and moisture are readily available, sanitation is an important step in prevention and control. Empty soft drink bottles, cardboard boxes and paper bags should not be allowed to accumulate. Food containers should be sealed and any crumbs or spillage cleaned up.
Unlike many household pests, cockroaches are prevalent year-round, causing homeowners and businesses to eventually seek some form of control.
Homeowners attempting to control cockroaches themselves will find insecticidal baits and boric acid effective and relatively easy to use. This factsheet will explain how to use baits and boric acid to eliminate your cockroach problem.
Cockroach Baits Cockroach baits contain a slow-acting insecticide incorporated into a food attractant. Roaches locate and feed on the bait, typically contained in small, plastic bait trays, and crawl away to die. Bait carried back to the nesting area also kills other roaches after being expelled in the sputum and feces.
In contrast to liquid sprays or aerosols, cockroach baits require no mixing and it is not necessary to empty kitchen cabinets or cover food preparation surfaces prior to treatment. People and pets are not exposed to the toxicant since the insecticide is enclosed within a plastic, child-resistant container. Another advantage of cockroach baits is that they have essentially no volatility or odor. Various types of cockroach bait products are sold over the counter. Three of the most effective are Combat(R), Raid(R) Max Roach Bait, and Roach Ender(R) Roach Bait (Black Flag). All three products are packaged 12 stations to a box and are available in most grocery and hardware stores.
How to Use Cockroach Baits The key to successful cockroach control with baits is proper placement. Bait trays should be placed in all areas where cockroaches are seen, especially in kitchens and bathrooms. Prime locations include under sinks and toilets, beneath refrigerators, dishwashers and stoves, next to trash containers and inside cabinets and storage areas. It's critical that the stations be positioned flush into corners or up against edges (e.g., where walls meet ceilings and floors), since these are the paths commonly traveled by roaches.
Placement of baits in the middle of exposed surfaces, i.e., away from edges or corners, will be far less effective. In most cases, a minimum of 12 bait stations should be used at one time, placing 10 baits in the kitchen and two in the bathroom. If cockroaches are seen in other areas such as bedrooms or utility rooms, use 2-4 additional baits. Do not spray around bait stations with other insecticides or cleaning agents as this could deter roaches from feeding on the bait.
Substantial reductions in cockroach numbers should occur within 1-3 weeks of treatment. As with any pesticide, read the product label prior to use.
BORIC ACID People have been fighting cockroaches with boric acid for nearly a century. Boric acid is one of the most effective cockroach control agents ever developed provided that it is used correctly. Unfortunately, most people use it incorrectly, and in the process waste their money and effort. Boric acid may be used alone or in combination with the baiting techniques previously discussed.
Properties and Advantages Boric acid is a wonderful tool for controlling cockroaches in homes, restaurants and other buildings. It is effective in extremely small amounts and retains its potency almost indefinitely provided the deposit remains dry. Unlike many insecticides, boric acid has no repellency to insects and, consequently, roaches return to treated areas repeatedly until they die. Boric acid is deadly to cockroaches, but is low in toxicity to people, pets and other nontarget animals. It is also odorless and contains no volatile solvents.
Boric acid is a white, inorganic powder chemically derived from boron and water. Boron is mined from vast mineral deposits in the ground and is used in countless consumer products, including laundry additives, toothpaste and mouthwash. Boric acid insecticide formulations can be purchased at hardware and grocery stores. The powder comes ready-to-use, i.e., no mixing or dilution is required. Formulations sold in plastic, squeeze-type bottles with narrow applicator tips are the easiest to use. (These containers are similar in appearance to the squeezable mustard and ketchup bottles found in restaurants).
Cockroaches succumb to boric acid when they crawl over treated areas. The tiny particles of powder adhere to the cockroaches' body, and the material is ingested as the roach preens the powder from its legs and antennae. Some boric acid is also absorbed through the greasy outer covering of the insect's body. All species of cockroaches are susceptible to boric acid provided the powder is applied into areas where the roaches are living.
Using Boric Acid Like a Pro The key to success with boric acid is proper application. For best results, the powder should be applied in a very thin layer barely visible to the naked eye. Piles or heavy accumulations will be avoided by foraging cockroaches much as we would avoid walking through a snow drift. To apply a fine layer, shake the container and puff a small quantity of the powder into the target area. Manufacturers of boric acid often fill their containers too full of powder -- by using a container which is no more than two-thirds full, an airspace is created at the top which allows the dust to be puffed more easily (A few pennies or pebbles placed inside the container helps prevent the powder from caking). The trick is to give the container a shake, then puff a very light dusting of the powder into the area you wish to treat.
Avoid applying a heavy layer, and never apply the material with a spoon.
Where the powder is applied is just as important as how it's applied. Cockroaches prefer to live in cracks, crevices and secluded areas close to food, moisture and warmth. Kitchens and bathrooms are the most common areas to find cockroaches, although any area of a home may become infested if the infestation is severe, or if species other than the German cockroach are involved. Key areas for treatment include under/behind the refrigerator, stove and dishwasher, into the opening where plumbing pipes enter walls (such as under sinks and behind the commode, shower and washing machine), and into cracks along edges and corners inside cabinets and pantries. Oftentimes, there is a void (hollow space) under kitchen and bathroom cabinets which becomes a hiding place for cockroaches. This area can be accessed and treated by injecting powder through any existing gap at the top of the kickplate, or if none is present, by drilling a few small holes.
NEVER apply boric acid onto countertops or other exposed surfaces, especially those used to prepare food. Any visible residues should be wiped off with a damp cloth. Boric acid can be used alone or in combination with other cockroach control products. An effective way to augment the activity of boric acid is to place containerized cockroach baits such as Combat(R), Raid Max(R) or Roach Ender(R) brands, as discussed earlier. Avoid dusting over, or in the immediate vicinty of your bait stations, as this may reduce the attractancy of the bait. Used correctly, this dual approach will produce results comparable to a professional exterminator. |
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Cockroaches are among the most hated insects.Their presence in the home is offensive and implies uncleanliness. Cockroaches contaminate food and leave an unpleasant odor. They also can transmit diseases.
Most cockroaches are tropical or sub-tropical in origin and generally live outdoors. However, some species do live indoors. It is true that they thrive in dirt, trash and grime, but cockroaches can infest even clean and well-organized homes and buildings.
In Texas, only five species of cockroaches ar really troublesome indoors; others live outdoors. Depending on species, cockroaches can be golden-brown, reddish-brown, lightbrown, glossy or very darkbrown, or black in color, and range from 1 /2-inch to1 3 /4-inches long.
Where do cockroaches live?
Cockroaches get into buildings in infested boxes, grocery bags, beverage cartons, furniture and dried pet foods. They also enter around loose-fitting doors and windows, where electrical lines or water and steam pipes pass through walls, through sewer lines or on seasoned firewood.
Most cockroaches come out only at night but may appear during the day when disturbed or where there is a heavy infestation. They prefer warm, dark, humid shelters like the kitchen sink or drain board; cracks around cabinets; window or door frames; loose baseboards or molding strips; upholstered furniture; bathrooms; and motor compartments of refrigerators, washing machines and other appliances. Know where cockroaches hide because these are the locations you must treat.
Cockroaches eat different plant and animal products, including meat and grease, starchy foods, sweets, baked goods and other unprotected kitchen goods. They also feed on materials such as leather, book binding and sizing, and wallpaper paste.
How to control cockroaches
Use preventive measures to control cockroaches successfully. It is easier to prevent a cockroach invasion than to control an established one. Preventive measures require care, planning and continued effort to be successful. A clean home reduces the chance of cockroach infestations and the need for pesticides, but will not always prevent invasions from outside sources.
Non-chemical control
You may be able to control cockroaches without using chemicals.
Most of these are fairly inexpensive:
inspection sanitation exclusion cockroach traps eliminate hiding places cockroach traps
Inspection
Inspect regularly and thoroughly to locate conditions which invite cockroach invasions. Examine all known or suspected cockroach hiding places and incoming materials.
Sanitation
Good sanitation, both indoors and outdoors, effectively limits cockroach populations. Do not leave unwashed dishes, kitchen utensils and uncovered food out overnight. Clean up all spilled liquids. Clean areas beneath cabinets, furniture, sinks, stoves and storage bins where tiny particles of food may accumulate. Keep kitchen garbage and excess trash in container sand remove them regularly. Store dry pet food away from the kitchen and other foods. If you feed pets indoors, remove the leftover foods immediately. Clean outdoor garbage cans frequently, along with platforms or slabs on which they are kept.
Exclusion
Seal any cracks of 1 /8 inch or more in the foundation and exterior walls. Check the caulking around air conditioning units, windows, doors, pipes or other openings into the home. Repair cracks and holes in floors, walls and ceilings. Seal openings around plumbing fixtures, furnace flues, electrical outlets, windowsills and walls, and along baseboards and ceiling moldings. Repair leaky water faucets and pipes.
Eliminate hiding places
Keep yard trash and stacks of firewood away from your home or garage to minimize the chance of cockroach invasion. Paper, cardboard, lumber and firewood in the home provide excellent refuge for cockroaches.
Cockroach traps
Trapping can reveal the hiding places and the seriousness of the infestation. Trapping alone will not eliminate cockroaches, but should be used with preventive measures for better results. Many inexpensive cockroach traps are available. They are easy to use, disposable and contain no toxic insecticide. Most are box shaped and coated with a very sticky adhesive inside. Some traps may also feature slow release food attractant. Cockroaches enter the trap when detecting the food odor and stick to the adhesive. Place traps where cockroaches are likely to travel. Change the trap's position if no cockroaches are caught after two or three nights.The number of traps required will depend on the kind of cockroach present and location of the infestation.
Chemical control
To control cockroaches with insecticides, find their daytime hiding place and thoroughly treat those areas. Regardless of the insecticide chosen, chemicals placed in or near regular hiding places provide much better control than those placed where cockroaches move only occasionally. Since some cockroach species invade homes and buildings from outside, they may reinfest dwellings once the insecticide dissipates. To solve this problem, outdoor populations must also be controlled. The type of chemical selected and the application method used depend on the location and nature of the infestation. No one chemical handles all cockroach problems, but a combination of various types is effective.
Professional control
If severe or difficult cockroach infestation occur, or if you are in doubt as to proper control measures, contract a professional pest control service. These professionals have the necessary equipment and training to do a safe and effective job. |
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FLIES
COCKROACHES
RODENTS
SPIDERS
BOXELDER BUGS
BUMBLE BEES
CARPENTER ANTS
CARPENTER BEES
MOTHS
CRICKETS
FIRE ANTS
FIREBRATS
FLEAS
FRUIT FLIES
MILLIPEDES
MICE
RATS
MOLES
MOSQUITOES
MOTHS
BEETLES
POWDERPOST BEETLES
SQUIRRELS
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