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Abstract
Laboratory and field investigations were undertaken to determine the influence of selected ecological parameters upon German cockroach, Blattella germanica (L.), trap catch. Parameters which increased cockroach catch were: temperature, environmental non-familiarity, and food and water deprivation. Cockroach catch decreased with increasing fecal contamination and cockroach density. Neither light intensity nor sonic or ultrasonic sound had any significant influence upon cockroach catch or movement in choice boxes. Extensive field evaluations revealed little increase in catch of cockroaches with any cockroach bait tested in sticky traps.
Experiments in a cockroach-proof room revealed that male German cockroaches dispersed randomly from a provisioned niche when the niche was located in the center of the room. Substitution of marbles for cockroaches resulted in a marble catch pattern not significantly different from that obtained for cockroaches. When the niche was placed in a corner of the room traps located in floor/wall intersections caught significantly more (P = 0.01) cockroaches than traps on the floor.
Most (85%) cockroaches were caught in traps located on the horizontal surface (floor) of the cockroach-proof room. Catch results obtained in choice boxes indicated that location of partition holes on the bottom of the partition increased cockroach catch significantly (P = 0.05) compared to other hole locations tested. Field evaluations of modified sticky traps revealed that a flat sticky surface was the most efficient sticky trap design.
Field studies in German cockroach infested homes were undertaken to evaluate four trap designs as to their potential efficacy in the reduction of cockroach populations. Traps tested included: Mr. Sticky('TM) sticky trap with manufacturer-provided bait, unbaited bottle trap, unbaited bottle trap wrapped with paper, and an unbaited electrified can trap. Effective population reduction (70%) was not achieved with any traps or trap densities (3-36 traps per home) tested, however use of traps is recommended for monitoring German cockroach populations.
