Quantum Units Education®

1. Cockroaches may transmit bacteria that cause food poisoning (Salmonella spp. & Shigella spp.).

2. Field cockroaches are believed to be capable of transmitting disease-causing organisms such as Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus spp., hepatitis virus, and coliform bacteria.

3. A single female German Cockroach and her offspring can produce over 30,000 individuals in a year.

4. The female German Cockroach carries around a light tan egg case (about 3 inchs long) until it hatches, then she drops it and cares for the young for 1 to 3 days.

5. The brownbanded cockroach, Supella longipalpa, is more common than the German cockroach in California and accounts for about 60% of all indoor infestations.

6. The Brownbanded cockroach seeks out areas that are very warm most of the time, preferring temperatures of about 80°F, about 5° to 10°F warmer than what German cockroaches prefer and because of this, favor locations near the warm electrical components of appliances such as radios, televisions, and refrigerators.

7. The oriental cockroach, Blatta orientalis, is not a true roach, but is really a type of water bug.

8. The Smokey Brown Cockroach is the largest in America with a maximum length of 4.5 inches and is colored dark brown to mohogany.

9. Turkestan cockroaches are relatively new to California and are often mistaken for other cockroach species. Females are often confused with the oriental cockroach but can be distinguished by the cream-colored markings along the edges behind the head and around the short, rounded wings. Males are often confused with the American cockroach but are smaller and have yellowish-tan wings with cream-colored stripes along the edges.

10. The German & Field cockroaches carry their egg sacks until they are ready to hatch while the other 5 species only carry it for a short time before depositing the egg sack to incubate for weeks or months.

11. It is more important to rely on chemical control than to locate cockroach locations and hiding places. Chemical control will eliminate 100% of the roach infestation.

12. It is secondary to identify cockroaches encountered in the home. All roaches prefer the same temperature, have the same breeding habits, and infest the same locations.

13. The keys to controlling cockroaches are sanitation and exclusion: cockroaches are likely to reinvade as long as a habitat is suitable to them (i.e., food, water, and shelter are available), so the conditions that promoted the infestation must be changed.

14. Commercially available devices that emit ultrasound to repel cockroaches have been proven effective and are the cornerstone of any IPM program .

15. By placing traps in several locations and inspecting them regularly, you can identify the areas of most severe infestation and know where to concentrate control efforts.

16. Seal cracks and other openings to the outside,Using weather stripping on doors and windows, & locating and seal cracks inside the treatment area where cockroaches can hide are effective ways of removing hiding places for roaches.

17. Most insecticides used in baits are fast acting, consequently, an effective bait program gives immediate results, eliminating roach infestations within 48 hours.

18. Boric acid is an excellent dust that gains an electrostatic charge when wet. The charge allows the boric acid dust to stick to roaches and is ingested while grooming.

19. Although sprays may provide a quick, temporary knockdown of cockroaches, they do not give long-term control, because of this, sprays are likely just to disperse cockroaches to other areas of the building from which they may return later.