Do Penny Pinchers Contribute to Cockroach Resistant Problems?

Penny pinching PCOs are sometimes blamed for the rapid development of resistant strains of cockroaches. It is claimed that the half-strength solution used by some PCOs kills only the weakest individuals in a population. The progeny of the survivors inherit the mechanisms need to cope successfully with residual pesticide applications. This is the genesis of the "super roach" we all dread.

To counter the development of this "resistance movement, "knowledgeable scientists recommend alternating one class of toxicants with another, such as organophosphorus compounds with pyrethroids. It is claimed that the mechanism which enables a cockroach to detoxify one class of pesticide will not allow it to detoxify other classes. In most cases, this strategy is based on the assumption that the cockroach population is an isolated colony with a gene pool from a single, gravid cockroach. In such a scenario, conditions are favorable and the proliferating population spreads into neighboring habitats.

It is a "Myth Conception," in my opinion, to assume that a cockroach population is always static in the premises under contract. Populations flow in and out of storerooms, apartments and other locations. A constant influx of cockroach immigrants spill over from overcrowded habitats, or with packages of commerce. The point of departure of these migrants was very likely treated by a PCO or an owner, using a variety of remedies.

Who knows what selection pressure each of the newcomers was already been exposed to from do-it-yourselfers or a succession of PCOs? The susceptible and the resistant individuals now meld and may complicate the pesticide "rotation" strategy.

The "penny pincher" may get blamed for the resistance problem, but is the full dose residual left by the applicator annually - or semi annually - any different several weeks after application? The new cockroach creeps onto a partly degraded film with a half life no different than that of the "penny pincher’s" weak monthly treatment. It could be that the annual treatment with conventional residuals may be a substantial contributor to the resistance situation.

A DAMAGING DUO. I believe the combination of do-it-yourselfers and "contract vendors of pesticides" speeds the development of resistant cockroach populations. The predictions of Fred Plapp of Texas A&M University, Don Cochran of Virginia Tech and many other who warned of resistance to the "hard" pyrethroids several years ago are coming true. Come to think of it, aren’t some of the newcomers in our arsenal of roach killers actually chlorinated hydrocarbons?

I don’t think resistance would develop so quickly if more PCOs matured and applied the right dosage into areas actually infested, and to periphery sites which are conducive to infestation - all, of course, within the framework of other IPM strategies. These involve IGRs, desiccants, baits, sealants, water deprivation and other adverse influences on insect survival. But this won’t happen soon. This vicious treatment circle is too strong and too well entrenched in the pest control industry. PCOs are not educating themselves or changing the habits of their technicians fast enough. Salespeople are not taking the time to educate the customer to want something more than "spray and pray" pest control.

Customers were conditioned years ago about the magic of new miracle treatments that made it possible to cut the price of the pest control service. Lower revenues, of course, meant lower wages. Service people at the bottom of the pay scale cannot be expected to enhance the image of the pest control industry.

Many aggressive PCOs use the right language to convey the message of total pest eradication. Their trucks and uniforms may be impeccably white, but I’m not sure that the performance of the technicians always match the ads and salesperson’s rhetoric.

This does not bode well for the pest control industry. I understand that there is an ongoing movement by certain political forces in some states to get janitors and maintenance people with a new respectability. These individuals would be awarded state pesticide applicator licenses after taking the appropriate certification examinations, providing a low-cost pest control alternative to absentee landlords, restaurant managers, condominium owners, etc. The managers of these establishments see a baseboard jockey enter and leave in minutes without ever making any observations or reports of conditions that cold correct or avoid infestations. Economic pressures are now forcing management to consider copying this "in and out" treatment, with the blessing of a state agency.

 

Although many people die annually from errors by medical professionals, the nationwide media has a field day with the handful of pesticide misapplication incidents that occur every year in our industry. How much worse will it be for our image when the number of these incidents multiplies as a result of pesticide misapplications by these "pseudo pros" who are required to attend only one hour of training annually. We can expect even more clamor for zero-risk pest control as a result of this disturbing development.

It was Florida entomologist Dr. Phil Koehler who most emphatically told me that unless our industry widens the gap between maintenance men and unmotivated, low pay technicians who get perfunctory training, the image of our industry will degrade seriously in a short time.

 

Harry Katz is an independent consultant who splits his time between Pittsburgh, Pa., and Deeerfield Beach, Fla. If you would like to contact Katz, call toll-free 800/456-0707.