Cockroaches have never been accused of being overly selective eaters. Let’s face it; the places they breed and eat are never going to receive the Good Housekeeping seal of approval.
These filthy and disease-spreading creatures, however, can be finicky when it comes to consuming gel baits. That is why experienced pest management professionals regularly rotate gel baits to ensure there is always an attractive “last supper” for cockroaches to eat.
“In commercial accounts where there is low cockroach pressure we rotate our baits on a quarterly basis to maintain high bait acceptance levels,” says Shane McCoy, director of quality and technical training for Wil-Kil Pest Control, Menomonee Falls, Wis. “In accounts where the cockroach pressure is higher, such as apartment buildings for example, we will rotate monthly.”
Wil-Kill works closely with its distributor partner to ensure the company’s branch offices and technicians receive different gel baits based on the pre-set rotation parameters McCoy has developed.
“Setting up an ordering schedule with our distributor to restrict what the branches can use at certain times has certainly helped support and keep our bait rotation protocols in place and consistently applied,” adds McCoy.
Why do cockroaches develop an aversion to certain gel baits? McCoy says the 80/20 rule applies.
“Eighty percent of cockroaches will accept baits while 20 percent will not take to it and it has little to do with the active ingredient and more with competitive food sources,” says McCoy.
As is the case with rodents, competitive food sources can impact bait acceptance levels. This is especially true in commercial kitchens where abundant food waste and water are in plentiful supply.
“Rotating baits allows us to keep a consistently attractive food source in the account and if we get consumption we get control,” adds McCoy.
PROPER APPLICATION. Another factor impacting the success of cockroach gel bait treatments is the technician’s approach to applying the product.
McCoy says when gel bait was introduced to the market it yielded excellent results and technicians knew they had a powerful tool in their battle against cockroaches. It also brought on a feeling that gel bait was the silver bullet and that no matter where it was placed it would get the job done.
“You must guard against cutting corners and we continually emphasize bait placement fundamentals with our technicians,” says McCoy. “The bait must get to the source of the infestation and that requires getting down on your knees and stomach to place the bait where it needs to go.”
In residential kitchens, for example, simply placing the bait on cabinet door hinges or on the exposed pipe under the sink may not cut it.
“It may be necessary to remove drawers and apply bait on the drawer tracks or remove false fronts in order to get the bait in a position where cockroaches are most likely to encounter it,” adds McCoy.
Before any baiting is done, however, pest management professionals must start at square one and take out the flashlight and conduct a thorough inspection to identify potential harborage and breeding locations.
NEXT STEPS. Once you identify the level of infestation you are dealing with and where they are “holing up” in the account, McCoy recommends using vacuums with HEPA filters to remove high pressure infestations.
“Vacuuming is part of our service protocols for cockroaches since physically removing any pest from an account is a good first step to achieving control,” says McCoy.
After Wil-Kil’s technicians vacuum they deploy a variety of tools depending on the severity of the infestation that can include gel baits, dusts and IGRs.
Another key component in cockroach control efforts is securing the cooperation of the client to properly prepare the account for service.
For residential accounts this includes removing all items (dishes, pots, pans, food, silverware, etc.) from kitchen cabinets and placing it on a table – not the counters. To help homeowners and property managers understand what needs to be done, Wil-Kil hands out a prep sheet with photos to show exactly how the kitchen needs to appear.
“The prep sheet is short and to the point and includes photos that helps us help them in getting the home or apartment prepared for service,” says McCoy.