Cockroach Control
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ALABAMA A&M AND AUBURN UNIVERSITIES IPM Tactics For ANR-1016 Cockroach Control here are at least 25 species of than 5⁄8 inch. The German cock- harden and darken in color rapid- Tcockroaches in Alabama, but roach is the most common indoor ly. Therefore, there are no “albi- only five are serious pests. Cock- cockroach and causes the most no” cockroaches. Normally, cock- roaches are also known as palmet- persistent problem. roaches molt in protected areas, to bugs, water bugs, and croton The “outdoor” or peridomestic but in serious infestations, they bugs. Most cockroaches are found species are American, smoky- may be seen in the open. outdoors. Outdoors, cockroaches brown, brown, Australian, and Small cockroaches often pro- are an important source of food for woods roaches. Most adults are duce six to eight generations a many forms of wildlife. They are about 11⁄4 to 2 inches long and year with 30 to 48 eggs per case. also important in nutrient recycling. are often called palmetto bugs, al- Larger cockroaches usually pro- An Integrated Pest Manage- though some of the woods roach- duce one to three generations per ment (IPM) approach is the best es can be as small as German year with 10 to 28 eggs per case. way to control cockroaches. IPM cockroaches. Outdoor cockroach- All cockroaches are most active at methods incorporate all available es can become an indoor prob- night. control methods into a pest man- lem when they accidentally come agement program. Control methods in through an open door or are Major Cockroach Pests include sanitation, exclusion, and carried in. German Cockroaches chemical techniques. Successful Cockroach Life Cycle Blattella germanica (L.) cockroach control depends on 1 5 proper identification and good Adults are ⁄2 to ⁄8 inch long. Cockroaches pass through They are pale brown or tan with knowledge of the cockroach life- three stages of development: egg, cycle and habits. two parallel black streaks on the nymph, and adult. shield or pronotum which covers Egg. Importance Of Cockroaches deposit the head (Figure 1). Unlike most eggs in groups of 20 to 50 in a cockroaches, German cockroach Cockroach Control leathery case or capsule called an females protect their egg cases by Cockroaches can: ootheca. Usually, the ootheca is carrying them around. The egg • damage property by chew- dropped or glued to a surface by case protrudes from her body ing on or soiling book bindings, the female as soon as it is until the eggs are nearly ready to fabric, and other materials. formed. However, the German hatch. Each case can contain 30 • cause respiratory illness in cockroach carries its egg case. It to 48 eggs that require about 2 people who are allergic to the al- can be seen protruding from the weeks to hatch. A female German lergens cockroaches produce. female’s body until the eggs are • secrete smelly oils that are ready to hatch. offensive and can ruin food. Nymph. When cockroach • impart odors to dishes that nymphs hatch from eggs, they re- look clean. semble the adults in shape, except that they are much smaller and Types Of CockroachesARCHIVElack wings. Nymphs shed their skin (molt) several times, increas- For pest control purposes, ing in size each time before molt- there are two categories of cock- ing into an adult. Depending on roaches—indoor and outdoor. the kind of cockroach, the wings The smaller cockroaches, the Ger- Figure 1. German cockroaches: male (left), vary from being longer than the man and the brownbanded, are nymph (center), and female (right). (Photo body to being small pads. considered “indoor” or domestic by P.A. Zungoli and W. H. Robinson.) Used Adult. Newly molted cock- species. They are seldom longer by permission. roaches are soft and white, but Visit our Web site at: www.aces.edu Figure 2. Brownbanded cockroach. (Photo Figure 3. Large outdoor cockroaches: (left Figure 4. Oriental cockroach. (Photo by Jim by Jim Castner, used by permission of the to right) American, brown, smokybrown, Castner, used by permission of the Univer- University of Florida Entomology and Ne- and Australian. (Photo by Eric Benson.) sity of Florida Entomology and Nematology matology Department.) Department.) cockroach may produce between gray-brown. American cockroach- cockroaches are commonly found one and seven cases during her es are often found in dark, moist, in bathtubs because they have dif- life. Adults may live 3 to 4 warm areas, especially around ficulty climbing smooth surfaces. months. German cockroach sewers, storage rooms, and They also can be found in water nymphs are about 1⁄8 inch long garbage sites. Along the coast, meter boxes, sewer lines, leaf lit- when they hatch. They are uni- they may be found in trees, espe- ter, crawl spaces, and basements. formly dark, except for a light cially palmettos. When inside, In a structure, they rarely go brownish area in the middle of they generally stay on the base- above the basement level. the body. ment and first floor levels. Adults may fly on warm evenings. Minor Cockroach Pests Brownbanded Cockroaches Supella longipalpa (F.) Smokybrown Cockroaches Australian Cockroach Adults are about 5⁄8 inch long P. fuliginosa (Serville) P. australasiae (F.), And (Figure 2). All stages have two Adults are about 1 to 11⁄2 inch- Brown Cockroach light, yellow-brown bands that es long (Figure 3). As the name P. brunnea Burmeister. run across their backs. The bands implies, they are smoky brown in Adults of both cockroaches on adult males may be hard to color. The young nymphs are are about 11⁄2 to 2 inches long. see since their light brown wings about 3⁄8 inch long, with black The Australian cockroach is about completely cover their narrow bodies and white markings on the the same size and color as the bodies. Males are known to fly in middle of their bodies and on the American cockroach, but it has warm homes or apartments while tips of their antennae. Smoky- yellow markings on the front of females cannot fly. Brownbanded brown cockroaches prefer dark, its wings (Figure 3). The Aus- cockroaches may be found any- humid environments. They can be tralian cockroach usually lives where in the house, especially very mobile and will use a variety only along the coast. Brown cock- above the floor around cabinets, of habitats such as mulch, log roaches can occur statewide. Both in room corners, and underneath piles, thick vegetation, and roofs. cockroaches are often found in drawers. They are also found be- In structures, they can be found the same locations as American hind pictures, in furniture and ap- from the attic to the crawl space. cockroaches. pliances, including TVs, micro- Adults may fly on warm evenings. waves, computers, and radios. Surinam Cockroaches These cockroaches are common Oriental Cockroaches Pycnoscelus in public buildings. Blatta orientalis (L.) surinamensis (L.) 1 Adults are 1 to 1 ⁄4 inches Adults are about 3⁄4 to 1 inch American Cockroaches long and dark brown to jet black long, with a stout body (Figure Periplaneta americanaARCHIVE (L.) in color (Figure 4). The wings of 5). They are brown to black with Adults range in size from 11⁄2 the males are not quite as long as a pale band on the front edge of to 2 inches long (Figure 3). Gen- the body, while the females have the body. The wings extend be- erally, they are red-brown in only small wing pads. The yond the length of the body. In- color, with pale yellow “halo-like” nymphs are about 1⁄4 inch long terestingly, only females are markings on the pronotum above when they hatch and go from red found in the United States. Suri- the head. The nymphs are about to brown as they develop. These nam cockroaches are most com- 3⁄16 inch long when they hatch cockroaches prefer dark, damp, monly found along the coast, from the egg case and are initially relatively cool locations. These 2 Figure 5. Surinam cockroach. (Photo by Figure 6. Florida woods cockroach. (Photo Figure 7. Cuban cockroach. (Photo by Jim Jim Castner, used by permission of the by Jim Castner, used by permission of the Castner, used by permission of the Univer- University of Florida Entomology and University of Florida Entomology and sity of Florida Entomology and Nematology Nematology Department.) Nematology Department.) Department.) where they can become very nu- Methods Of roaches before storing. Keep gro- merous in lawns. It is a burrow- cery bags in outside storage areas. ing species that lives outdoors Cockroach Control • Cockroaches breed prolifi- and often infests potted plants. An IPM approach is the most cally in corrugated cardboard When plants are brought inside, effective method of cockroach boxes. Discard unnecessary boxes the cockroach infests premises control. The least effective control immediately. such as the interiorscapes of method is the use of chemicals • Keep doors and windows shopping malls and houses. alone. Using chemicals alone re- shut. Keep screens in good repair sults in insecticide resistance and, to prevent cockroaches from en- Florida Woods Cockroaches ultimately, very poor control. tering your home. Check attic Eurycotis floridana, And Homeowners may undertake vents and make sure that large Other Woods Cockroaches their own IPM plan for cockroach openings around outside drainage The Florida woods cockroach control with good success, or they lines and sewer vents are adult is about 11⁄2 to 3 inches may elect to contract the services screened or sealed. Use tightly long and is found in the coastal of a professional pest control op- packed steel wool as a temporary counties in Alabama (Figure 6). It erator. Professionals have the filler until openings can be sealed is often called the “stinking cock- equipment and training to do a properly.