GERMAN COCKROACH (Blatella germanica)

• The German roach is the most common species in school kitchens.
• The German roach originated in Southeast Asia, so look for them in “tropical” locations, i.e., warm & moist.
• German roaches reproduce rapidly. Missing one pregnant female is all you need for the problem to rebound.
• German roaches are often resistant to pesticides.
• Fast killing pesticides and flushing agents will cause them to scatter and will make them harder to control.
• German roaches carry their egg cases until they hatch, so loose egg cases are usually empty.
• German roaches generally travel short distances to feed. In other words, their harborage is near where they feed.
• German roaches are usually transported accidentally from one place to another as adults because adults are most resistant to desiccation.
• Roaches have a strong need to be touched on all sides at once so they like to hide in narrow cracks and crevices.
• Roaches are rarely dispersed throughout a building. They will choose suitable harborage near a food source and stay there.
• Roaches are generally active at night and remain hidden during the day.
• A roach sheds its skin (molts) a number of times during its life. When molting, the roach remains in its harborage and doesn’t feed until its new skin has hardened. During this period, gel baits may lose their attractiveness.
• Insect growth regulators (IGRs) like hydroprene (for example, Gentrol) make cockroaches hungry enough that they will feed when they otherwise would not eat. IGRs sterilize immature roaches but do not affect adults. By using baits along with IGRs you will achieve faster and more effective control.

• Which cockroach species is/are present?
  The species will indicate the harborages, what the roaches may be feeding on, how fast they reproduce, what types of controls are appropriate, and where to place the controls.
• What type of site is it? What is it used for and at what times of the day?
  This provides information on the number of roaches the site can support, where the roaches may be coming from, and appropriate control methods.
• Where do building occupants see pests? How many? How often? At what time of year? Are there any specimens?
  This will give you clues to harborage sites and to the species of roach (or other insect) causing the problem.
• Is the problem new? Chronic? Associated with other events such as a change in suppliers?
  This will help to pinpoint sources of the problem and indicate where to concentrate efforts.
• What is history of pest control for the pest at this site? What is being done currently?
  This will indicate how large the problem is and how hard it may be to solve.

Educate principals, teachers, and students about the effects their actions have on pest management and about the relationship between roaches and food/garbage. Encourage all staff to store food in roach-proof containers (see below).