Some insect pests that frequently invade homes in upstate New York tend to do so in large numbers. These pests include, stink bugs, bed bugs, boxelder bugs, Asian lady beetles, ants, flies and cockroaches. When homes become infested with armies of insects, no amount of stomping will eradicate the pests, as they tend to inhabit indoor areas that are difficult to access, such as wall voids, below floorboards and even in drains. When only a few insect pests appear indoors, most people do not hesitate to swat, stomp, or for some sadistic individuals, electrocute the pests. Perhaps with the exception of electrocution, you may have noticed that cockroaches are not so easy to kill, as they often survive being swatted with a newspaper. In fact, some of the most powerful insecticides are ineffective at killing cockroaches pests, and this has long been known to pest control professionals. This is why pest control researchers are constantly working to develop new insecticide solutions solely to address cockroach pests.
These days, pest control professionals do not rely solely on insecticides for eradicating roaches from a home, as modern integrated pest management practices aim to control cockroach pests by making homes less hospitable to the hardy insects. For example, since cockroaches are attracted to high-moisture conditions, some roach infestations can be taken care of simply by fixing a leaky pipe, but in rare cases, the application of insecticides becomes necessary. Unfortunately, researchers have recently learned that if a German cockroach population becomes resistant to one insecticide, they can also become resistant to other insecticides that they have never been exposed to. The German cockroach’s amazing ability to develop a resistance to toxic substances stems from their long evolutionary history of dwelling within the most bacteria-ridden locations that exist. As it happens, this recent discovery is not all bad, as the German roach’s resistance to multiple insecticides has led to new and more effective roach-control methods. For example, soon all pest control professionals will be able to use a special vacuum designed solely for the physical removal of roaches from indoor locations, and the strategic placement of sticky traps allows pest controllers to identify cockroach hiding places within a home. Physically removing roaches from a home or building may be more labor intensive than simply applying insecticides, but physical removing roaches keeps homes and buildings free of roaches for longer periods of time. This is because insecticides may not reach cockroaches that continue to reproduce within indoor areas, but physical removal usually sees the elimination of all indoor roach pests.
Have you ever used over-the-counter sticky traps to control roach populations within your home?
