THE BUGYMAN EXTERMINATORS

Cockroach Management:

The necessary program steps are outlined and discussed below, with the greatest detail given for German cockroach management. Management programs for other species indoors will usually be conducted in a similar manner as for German cockroaches, except that certain aspects of the behavior of other species should be taken into account. Some other species will also require substantial attention to outdoor insecticidal treatments and other management measures.

Note: All cabinets, drawers, pantry areas, and non appliance items on kitchen counters must be removed from there storage areas, placed away from the infested areas and covered with a blanket or plastic. All people and pets must leave for a minimum period of two hours. Before returning kitchen items to there original locations, all surface areas must be wiped down with warm water and soap ( in case any material had come in contact with storage areas).

1. Inspection and Survey
The primary goal of a cockroach inspection is to locate as many cockroach hiding places, or "harborages" as possible which will determine insecticide treatments and other management activities. This leads to the necessary "customization" of the various insecticide applications and other management efforts, helping to insure a successful result with the greatest safety and a minimum number of retreatments.
A cockroach survey (trapping) will be necessary in many cases to determine the extent of an infestation. Cockroach surveys involve the use of sticky traps placed at strategic locations within the structure. The use of survey techniques will allow us to measure the success of the applied program by telling us how extensive the infestation was at the start of the program, what areas are hot spots, how effective each treatment was, and identification of when harborage areas have been eradicated.

2. Sanitation
The first aspect of the treatment phase is sanitation. Sanitation efforts will help to eliminate food, moisture and harborage available to the cockroach population, which will lead to better control results. Sanitation not only involves various types of cleaning procedures to remove food and water sources, it also involves the elimination of cockroach harborages by caulking or similar structural repairs. Sanitation also causes stress on German cockroach populations, so they will forage more actively and may be controlled more readily by insecticide applications. In addition, the effectiveness of pest control material is greatly increased when it is applied to clean surfaces that is not covered with greases, fats, crumbs and other absorbent material

3. Treatment
In order to provide the most effective control results, the use of several types and forms of active material will be used. Liquid formulations will be applied to all interior baseboards, up and under kitchen cabinets, over hangs, sink areas, deep into cracks and crevices of cabinets and base boards, behind and under large appliances which uses heat producing motors. Dust formulations are particularly effective due to there residual nature. Dust will be used in areas which every day activities will not cause its removal. The use of prepared and properly registered baits are of great benefit and will be applied in various strategic locations which will be accessible to the German cockroach population, but out of sight and reach of food handling areas and other locations which would pose any concern to the occupant of that location. The use of flushing agents often is necessary in getting the population of German cockroaches out of there harborage areas and into applied material which will be strategically applied to proper areas. Flushing agents such as pyrethrums, have little killing power but very effective flushing action. In addition, flushing agents have next to zero residual action. For this reason they are used in conjunction with other residual insecticides which have been mentioned above.

4. Client Education and Follow-Up
Client education directly involves the participation of the resident and there co-inhabitants. Sanitation procedures which should be applied will be stressed and made clear to the homeowner. Explanation of the program's details to the resident will help them see what is going into there home, what can be expected to occur after each service and what they will need to do in order to contribute to the success of the program.
Follow-up will include communication with the resident of what type of results have occurred, where they have seen less/more activity, what type of evidence the applied survey shows, and what is needed for the next application.

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Last modified: January 14, 1998