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 traps, leaking faucets, standing water, wet sponges,
Aggregations:
etc. A bathroom is popular because of its toilet bowls,
serve as the natural group where nymphs
sinks, wet wash cloths, and sometimes, water heaters.
soon to be adults and adults of both sexes
While there is less food in bathrooms, food areas are
remain together, thus facilitating mating
usually nearby or available through holes around
are maintained in areas with favorable
plumbing pipes. These pipes provide additional
temperature, humidity, food supply, and
harborage and areas for population expansion into
protection.
Mating. Females do not respond to mating
adjacent rooms or apartments.
German cockroaches are not likely to leave
behavior for more than one week after becoming adult.
favorable harborage unless population pressure or
Proximity for mating is especially important, as males
other negative changes occur. Such "other" changes
and females have to touch antennae and exchange sex
can be caused by:
pheromones to initiate mating. After mating, females
intensive cleaning
feed intensively for several days, then seek secure
pesticide applications
hiding places where they can be safe with their egg
reduction of temperature or humidity.
capsules.
If cockroaches find new locations with favorable
conditions, they can migrate from one harborage to
another, or develop new infestations.
In areas of great infestation, German cockroaches
can build up outside heavily infested apartment units
in the summer. Most often, outdoor infestations are
found only outside the structures from which steady
roach migrations occur and near dumpsters and
garbage cans.
CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT of the
German Cockroach
Female German Cockroach with Egg Case
Inspection
Such seclusion means that females with egg
With Flashlights. An active flashlight inspection
capsules feed less frequently and are exposed to
is the most intensive method of locating roaches. The
pesticides less often. Preventive pesticide applications
technician can search dark, undisturbed, or remote
are likely to be less toxic by the time female roaches
places of roach harborage that a client may have
come in contact with them. Clients often report seeing
thought too inaccessible.
no adult roaches after a technician's last treatment, but
With Traps. Passive use of sticky traps is a
later will observe "little black ones." The client is
common inspection or monitoring method used for
reporting the success of the females with egg capsules
that were deep in harborage and did not come in
roach detection. Correct trap placement depends upon
contact with superficially or inexpertly applied
the applicator's understanding of roach foraging habits:
for instance, jars and traps baited with fermenting
pesticides.
Foraging. The foraging pattern of German
materials such as beer, bread, potatoes or softened
raisins indicate population size, but are not especially
cockroaches is much less random than one would
helpful for finding harborage. Hand mirrors,
expect. The roaches leave their harborage and usually
magnifying hand lens, or other small tools may be
go to the first perpendicular surface they find, where
they stop, turn, and move along the intersection of the
helpful to some technicians.
two surfaces (usually a floor and a wall). As one can
Habitat Alteration
imagine, food crumbs often wind up in the same
places, that is in wall moldings, corners made by
Speak to clients in a friendly, knowledgeable way.
walls, stoves, counters, canisters, etc.
Technicians should explain that changes can be made
The most convenient harborage, in and around
that will alter or eradicate the insect problem. These
refrigerators, stoves, under sinks, and undisturbed
recommendations should include how clients can
cabinets, provides both protection and food. The most
eliminate or restrict material that supports roach
favorable humidity level is found in kitchens with sink
populations.
Module One, Chapter 2, Pg 3
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