Cockroaches Control

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Common types of cockroaches in Hong Kong include Periplaneta americana (American cockroach), Periplaneta australiasiae (Australian cockroach) and Blattella germanica (German cockroach).  Of these three species, the one that has the greatest potential for becoming persistent and troublesome is the German cockroach, which prefers indoor locations.

• Cockroaches are medium-sized to large insects in the order Dictyoptera (formerly Orthoptera).

• They are broad, flattened insects with long antennae and a prominent, shield-shaped section behind the head called a pronotum.

• Adult cockroaches have membranous wings. Immature cockroaches (nymphs) look like adults, but are smaller and do not have wings.
  

(American cockroach)

(Australian cockroach)

(German cockroach)

Life Cycle

An adult female cockroach produces an egg capsule, called an ootheca, which it carries around protruding from the tip of the abdomen. Young or immature cockroaches undergo gradual metamorphosis, which means they resemble adults and have similar feeding habits, but they do not have fully developed wings and are not reproductively active. Immediately after molting, cockroaches are white, but their outer covering darkens as it hardens, usually within hours. Cockroaches are nocturnal. They hide in dark, warm areas, especially narrow spaces where surfaces touch them on both sides. Adult German cockroaches can hide in a crack 1/16 inch or 1.6 mm wide. Immature cockroaches tend to stay in even smaller cracks where they are well protected. Cockroaches tend to congregate in corners and generally travel along the edges of walls or other surfaces.

German Cockroach

Adult: 0.5 inch; light brown, two dark stripes on pronotum

Preferred location: kitchens, bathrooms, food preparation and storage areas

The German cockroach, Blattella germanica, is the most common indoor species, especially in multiple-family dwellings. They prefer food preparation areas, kitchens, and bathrooms because they favor warm (70° to 75°F), humid areas that are close to food and water. This species reproduces the fastest of the common pest cockroaches: a single female and her offspring can produce over 30,000 individuals in a year, but many succumb to cannibalism and other population pressures. Egg laying occurs more frequently during warm weather. The female carries around a light tan egg case (about 1/4 inch long) until 1 to 2 days before it hatches, when she drops it. Sometimes the egg case hatches while it is still being carried by the female. Each egg case contains about 30 young, and a female may produce a new egg case every few weeks.

American Cockroach

American adult

Adult: 2 inches; reddish brown; large body, edges of pronotum are light colored

Preferred location: sewers, water meter boxes, storm drains, steam tunnels, animal-rearing facilities

The American cockroach, Periplaneta americana, prefers warm and humid environments, usually with temperatures in excess of 82°F. Under the right conditions, they readily live outdoors and are common pests in zoos and animal-rearing facilities. They are also common in sewers, steam tunnels, and masonry storm drains. Occasionally they forage from sewers and other areas into the ground floor of buildings. Adult females carry the egg cases around for about 6 days and then cement them to a protected surface where they incubate for about 2 months or longer. The egg cases, which are about 3/8 inch long, are brown when laid but turn black in 1 to 2 days. Each egg capsule contains about 12 young; a female and her offspring can produce over 800 cockroaches in one year.

Australian Cockroach

Adult: body length about 3 cm; distinct light yellow streaks on the sides at the base of the wings, Periplaneta americana does not have similar yellow markings on the wings.

Preferred location: drier areas like cupboards, storerooms

The Australian cockroach, P. australasiae is very similar in appearance to P. americana except for a lateral pale yellow stripe on the each of the forewings which is about a third of the length of the wings and of course the yellow margin around the pronotum. They are also slightly smaller, 27 - 33 mm long. They prefer temperatures which are warm, 30oC (86 F). The female lays an ootheca about 10 - 11 mm long which contains about 22 - 24 eggs in two rows of 11 or 12 which take about 40 days to hatch, but only 60 percent of this number usually hatch. Once hatched (see above) the nymphs moult 6 - 12 times depending on food, temperature and humidity. Females produce ootheca 20 days after maturation; produces 20-30 ootheca at 10 day intervals.

Management
cockroaches are tropical and most like warm hiding places with access to water. Some locations may be difficult to get to. Reduction of food and water sources and hiding places is essential. If cockroaches have access to food, baits (which are a primary control tool) have limited effect. Sprays alone will not eliminate cockroaches. An IPM approach that integrates several strategies is usually required.

Sanitation

• Reduce food and water sources

• Store food in insect-proof containers such as glass jars or resealable plastic containers

• Keep garbage and trash in containers with tight-fitting lids and use liners. Keep trash cans away from doorways. Remove trash, newspapers, magazines, piles of paper bags, rags, boxes, and other items that provide hiding places and harborage

• Eliminate plumbing leaks and correct other sources of free moisture. Increase ventilation where condensation is a problem

• Vacuum cracks and crevices to remove food and debris. Be sure surfaces where food or beverages have been spilled are cleaned up immediately. Vacuuming also removes cockroaches, shed skins, and egg capsules. Removing cockroaches reduces their numbers and slows development. Vacuumed cockroaches and debris should be destroyed. Because bits of cuticle and droppings may cause allergies, it is recommended that the vacuum cleaner have a HEPA (high efficiency particulate absorber) filter or triple filters

Exclusion and Removal of Hiding Places

During the day cockroaches hide around water heaters, in cupboard cracks, stoves, crawl spaces, outdoor vegetation, and many other dark locations. They invade kitchens and other areas at night. Limiting hiding areas or avenues of access to living areas is an essential part of an effective management strategy. False-bottom cupboards, hollow walls, and similar areas are common cockroach refuges. Prevent access to the inside of buildings through cracks, conduits, under doors, or through other structural flaws.

Chemical Control

• Insecticides are most effective in controlling cockroaches when combined with sanitation and exclusion practices that limit the cockroach’s ability to establish or reinvade; chemical control alone will not solve the problem

• Bait products are the primary pesticides used to treat cockroach infestations. They can be packaged as pastes, gels, granules, or dusts. Most insecticides used in baits are slow acting. Consequently an effective bait program does not give immediate results, but may take 7 days or longer. Baits can be quite effective for long-term control of cockroaches unless the cockroaches have other food sources available to them

• Bait Stations are small plastic units that contain an attractive food base along with an insecticide. The advantage of bait stations is that insecticides can be confined to a small area rather than being dispersed, and they are relatively child resistant. Baits in plastic containers also remain effective for many months.

• Gel Bait can very effective for crack and crevice treatments, Apply gel using a bait gun or syringe in small dabs in cracks and crevices where cockroaches will find it. While they are fresh, bait gels are very effective when placed in locations where they will be found by cockroaches. To remain effective, however, the gels need to be reapplied frequently.