The American cockroach is among the most common peridomestic species found in the United States, causing problems for commercial customers in the fall as they enter structures via sewer systems in search of more hospitable environments.
This phenomenon is due, in part, to the seasonal nature of the American cockroach’s reproductive cycle. “Females deposit their egg case, containing 13 to 18 eggs, at the same time of year, usually in April and May,” according to Techletter, a publication of Pinto & Associates. “Nymphs hatch from these cases in early June. This means that American cockroach populations are at their highest in late summer and fall because both older adults and new nymphs are present. In the fall, the new crop of American cockroach nymphs often migrate, looking for food and overwintering sites.”
As the cockroach nymphs migrate from sewers and storm drains, they often enter the lower floors of commercial buildings, prompting frantic phone calls from customers.
SEWER SOLUTION. So, what’s a PMP to do when encountering such a challenging pest management situation? Maxforce® Impact roach gel bait, from Bayer Environmental Science, is one of the only products on the market labeled for use in sanitary sewers.
According to Dr. John Paige of Bayer, research shows how effective this product is at controlling large cockroach species in sanitary sewers, but also how complaint calls inside buildi
ngs associated with those sewer systems can be minimized. In one particular situation, sanitary sewer systems at a major resort in Central Florida were inspected and treated with Maxforce Impact.* Counts of American cockroaches were conducted and the complaint calls inside the buildings also were tracked.
At one week after the initial application, the cockroach population was reduced 70 percent over pre-treatment counts, and the numbers declined further with time, according to Dr. John Paige, senior scientist at Bayer Environmental Science. By the end of the trial, the cockroach population counts had reduced by more than 98 percent.
Perhaps most importantly, the number of complaint calls for large cockroaches inside the resort buildings dropped drastically. In fact, there was not one single call for extra services for large cockroach activity during the trial.
The results of this research demonstrate that while most people think of Maxforce Impact as a reduced-risk gel bait ideal for German cockroach rotational strategies, it is also labeled for sanitary sewers and effective against large cockroaches.
For specific instructions when treating sanitary sewers, download the Maxforce Impact label at https://www.backedbybayer.com/-/media/prfunitedstates/documents/resource-library/product-labels/maxforce-impact-roach-gel-bait.ashx.
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What is the Domino Effect?
PMPs who rely on Maxforce for their cockroach control programs are familiar with the Domino Effect® that occurs when cockroaches eat the bait and kill other roaches not directly exposed to the product. This same Domino Effect applies to Maxforce Impact.
“Because cockroaches tend to ingest much larger amounts of insecticides than they would otherwise absorb from a residual spray, and efficacious baits tend to kill more slowly, the insecticide, along with potentially toxic metabolites may be defecated or otherwise excreted before the cockroach dies, facilitating horizontal transfer of the active ingredient within cockroach aggregations,” according to the Mallis Handbook of Pest Control.
As a result, cockroaches can be killed without direct contact to Maxforce bait placements by these routes of secondary exposure:
• Cannibalism – Feeding on other individuals of the same species.
• Trophallaxis – Food exchange from one insect to another.
• Coprophagy – One insect eating the feces of another.
• Cross Contact – One exposed insect simply touching another.
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Bait Rotation and the Maxforce Roach Control SystemBait rotation plays a critical role in providing both residential and commercial customers with long-term control of cockroach populations. “True rotation involves more than just switching products,” says Joe Barile, technical service lead, Bayer. “It’s about using the right system of products.”
Barile says the Maxforce® Roach Control System, featuring three of the company’s time-tested products, is designed to help PMPs eliminate resistant, bait-averse cockroaches. The three-step system provides a treatment protocol that enables PMPs to rotate their gel bait products and ensure long-term effectiveness and consumer satisfaction.
The system begins with Maxforce® FC Magnum for fast knockdown of cockroach populations in cleanout situations. Featuring the Bayer ContactX™ kill technology, cockroaches only need to touch the bait to die.
The gel bait also offers better tertiary kill with the exclusive Domino Effect®. The product remains effective for up to one year or until the bait is consumed.
Next, apply Maxforce® Impact, designed specifically for modern-day rotation strategies to combat aversion and prevent resistance. Effective on all cockroach species – both indoors and outdoors – Maxforce Impact features a unique formulation and alternate mode of action that makes it ideal for rotation programs. And its patented BlueBead technology, featuring a proprietary feeding stimulant, helps ensure excellent bait acceptance.
And finally, apply Maxforce FC Select on a maintenance basis. Labeled for both indoor and outdoor use, including commercial kitchens, Maxforce FC Select works even where sanitation is poor and other food sources are readily available.
To learn more about the Maxforce Roach Control System, visit www.environmentalsciece.bayer.us/maxforce-roach.
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Maxforce Roach Control System Brochure
The Maxforce® Roach Control System brings together the cleanout power of Magnum, the rotational benefits and EPA reduced-risk designation of Impact™, and the sustained control of Select. Together they give you a real rotation solution you won’t find anywhere else. Click on the image below to download the Maxforce® Roach Control System brochure.
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Product Innovation in the Service of Public Health
“The job PMPs do every day is much more than controlling pests,” observes Pete Comis, head of key/national accounts at Bayer Environmental Science. “It’s about creating healthier spaces where their customers live, work and play.”
The Covid-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of life and business this year. Restaurants, in particular, have been severely affected by shutdowns, some of which have closed completely for months, while most have maintained partial operation by providing pick-up and delivery services. To German cockroaches, however, nothing has really changed, and they will continue to survive and thrive.
Once sites with activity have been identified through inspection, these harborages may be treated using a cockroach bait gel. Application directly into cracks where cockroaches are living provide the best results. Numerous smaller placements applied around areas with cockroach activity may be more effective than placing a few, larger gel placements. 
