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Although the following cockroach management observations and tips might be considered old school, this information will continue to contribute to a pest management professional’s (PMP’s) success.
■ Remember the three fundamental resources cockroaches must have to thrive: food, water and shelter. A PMP’s job is to eliminate or limit access to these resources.
■ PMPs should advocate for floor-level sanitation in cockroach accounts. Poor sanitation provides cockroaches with increased resources and interferes with control methods. Observe and report sanitation problems.
■ Identify the species of cockroaches. Behavior, harborage requirements and bait preferences vary among species.
■ Cockroach control requires access to difficult-to-reach harborage sites in complex architectural structures. Provide technicians with protective gear, professional flashlights, inspection mirrors and access tools.
Joe Barile, BCE, is Technical Service Lead at Bayer Environmental Science.
