Over the weekend, Paul Mulkey and I got a call (“The Garden Clinic”, Saturdays from noon to
1:00, on 1250 WTMA) about a cockroach that was mainly living outside the
caller’s house. The caller didn’t think it was an American cockroach (aka
Palmetto Bug), so I was thinking it must be an oriental cockroach. The oriental
cockroach has wings; however, it doesn’t fly. The Palmetto bug loves to fly
when it is hot, and the caller was sure it was flying near his porch light, so
it might have been some young American roaches.
Although this is the Horticulture Hotline, I decided to
write about entomology (insects) today. The old cockroach has found its way
into many Lowcountry homes. Contact your
pest management company if you have a contract or consider getting on a
contract if you do not like dealing with cockroaches. If you are a die hard do-it-yourselfer, here
are a few tips that will make your battle a little more effective.
Treat your outside perimeter. A band about three feet from
your house generally in the mulch is a good place to start. A granular product
like Bug Blaster in the mulch beds surrounding your house will help kill the
roaches before they get inside your house. A NOP (National Organics Program)
organic product that is very effective is InTice Perimeter Bait. Using a spray
around windows, doors, garage entry, and any other entry point to your house
will also keep them from entering your house. EcoVia is a NOP product you can
use around the outside and inside of your house.
Underneath your house, consider dusting with a boric acid
product. BorActin is a NOP product labeled for this or you could use the InTice
Perimeter Bait. These products will last a long time in the crawl space of your
house because they are away from sunlight and moisture.
In your house, consider using InVict Gold cockroach gel. InVict
Gold is a fast acting bait that has our customers at Possum’s singing it’s
praises. The bait products are great because they move throughout the roach
population. Maxforce Gel capitalize on
roaches nasty habits needed to survive, making these products very
effective. An immature roach has to eat
the fecal pellets of the adult roach in order to mature into an adult
roach. Roaches also cannibalize each
other. By using this bait, you get a
domino effect by the little roaches eating the fecal pellets of an adult that
has consumed the bait. When one roach
dies from the bait, then another eats the dead roach, it will also die. In wall voids you can also use InTice
Perimeter Bait.
There are many good aerosols that come with a long straw
that are designed to be sprayed in cracks and crevices. Now there is a good selection of “green”
aerosols to choose from along with the old standbys. If you treat the outdoors
and use a gel, an aerosol application probably will not be necessary.
Definitely consider using a growth regulator to help
lengthen your control of the roaches.
Generally, growth regulators are very safe to humans if applied
properly, and some will also help with fleas (Nylar). Growth regulators will
keep roaches from reproducing; therefore, breaking up their life cycle.
Knowing where to put these products is crucial for the
success. Always read, understand and
follow the product label. There are also
many pest control companies that are well established in this area and are very
capable of taking care of any of your uninvited guests. If you are a
do-it-yourselfer, this article should help and the products suggested should
work well.
