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.
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.