The Roach Approach: Armed for Success

As in years past, the vast majority of PMPs (83%) reported that the one-two punch of sprayable pesticides and gel baits is their typical cockroach treatment protocol. Forty-five percent identified gel baits as their primary control measure, while 28% put residual pesticide applications at the top of their list. IGRs are the go-to for 12% of respondents, and fewer than 5% put exterior perimeter treatments, vacuuming, granular baits, sanitation or glue traps in that top spot.

Anecdotally, PMPs agree that it takes a creative and flexible strategy, incorporating a variety of IPM tools and beginning with a thorough inspection, to manage cockroach infestations. Populations that are particularly large merit considerable thought, 91% of PMPs said, as they alter the number or type of formulations they use (58%), go with higher labeled rates and multiple product types (30%), or simply use higher labeled rates (2%).

A CLEAN SWEEP. Don’t underestimate the value of vacuuming as a tool for those large populations either. “The single most effective change we’ve made to our cockroach treatment approach in the past five years at Saela is adding vacuuming,” said Saela Pest Control’s Dennis Weiss. “It’s so simple to do, but it provides immediate relief for customers, especially in multi-unit housing. You’re clearing out a bunch of roaches right out of the gate, including eliminating egg cases. It can be a game changer.”

BUFFET BAITING. Weiss shared another tip the Saela team has had luck with for quick knockdown: “We keep multiple baits on our trucks so that, on the initial service, we can offer the cockroaches low levels of each to see which they like best. Then we build our strategy around the pests’ preferences. You have to be careful of label restrictions and resistance management, but this ‘buffet baiting’ strategy gives your program a strong start.”

RESPECT THE INSPECTION. As with any pest management account, a thorough inspection is essential to getting the treatment protocol right. Sara Sooklall, commercial supervisor at Lane’s Professional Pest Elimination in Myrtle Beach, S.C., said the secret is knowing where to look.

“Check anywhere that’s warm, dark and humid: behind kitchen appliances, inside cabinets, under sinks, around drains and plumbing, and between small cracks and crevices,” she said. “Then be sure to look up. Everyone looks at floor level, but you need to look from floor to ceiling, especially if you’re dealing with drop ceilings.”

DO NOT GO IT ALONE. PMPs talk about the importance of customer cooperation with just about any pest; with cock- roaches, it is crucial. Accounts with persistent issues are inevitably accounts where the customer either can’t or won’t understand how pivotal their role in pest management success can be.

Elliott Adams, president and founder of Ease Wildlife & Pest Services in Sacramento, Calif., recommends building a strong rapport with customers, especially property management if you’re working in a multi-family complex, because they can become your best friend there, he shared. “We are always educating homeowners and property managers about what they can do to alleviate their pest issues. The better they understand, the more likely they are to cooperate. That makes it easier for us to do the treatments, plus it reduces the number of callbacks we get.”

For Turkestan cockroaches, a peridomestic species that has become prolific across the Central Valley and Southern California, Adams lets property managers know that their tenants may still see a few bugs come in after the treatment. He reassures them the cockroaches will ultimately die and that they are not an infesting interior cockroach. He offers similar education when the pests in question are German cockroaches. “We talk with the customer and provide write-ups that include the health risks and preparation tips, and then we constantly re-coach them over time,” he said.

Pretreatment prep has historically been a point of contention between customers and pest management companies. Weiss said his team has found the secret of cooperation to be keeping the prep list manageable. “Lengthy prep sheets can be overwhelming for customers,” he said. “When we keep the list basic, we get about 70% of the sanitation we recommend. Some requests are easier than others; for example, if we specify that the customer needs to keep their kitchen sink clear of dirty dishes for the next month, that’s typically something we can get.” One step at a time!