Attractiveness of insecticide baits for cockroach control (Dictyoptera : Blattellidae): Laboratory and field studies

Several insecticide bait formulations were evaluated for their attractivene ss to cockroaches in olfactometer assays in the laboratory and in trapping experiments in thc field. Included in the assays were bait stations, gels, pastes, and a powder that contained one of the following active ingredients : abamectin, boric acid, chlorpyrifos, or hydramethylnon. There were signif icant differences among the baits in their attractiveness to the German coc kroach, Blatella germanica (L.). In trapping experiments, Avert powder (aba mectin), Maxforce station and gel, and Siege gel (all hydramethylnon) were consistently attractive to B. germanica adults and nymphs. Laboratory olfac tometer assays with adult males confirmed these results and showed that nym phs were as responsive as males whereas females were less responsive. Our b ioassays also demonstrate that attractiveness of bait can be dramatically a ffected by the age of the bait. One week of aging significantly reduced the attractiveness of Avert powder in both laboratory and field assays. Aging. however did not diminish the attractiveness of Maxforce gel, indicating th at the formulation may be critical for retention of attractiveness of halts . Baits that were most attractive to tile German cockroach were also the mo st attractive to nymphs and adults of the brownbanded cockroach, Supella lo ngipalpa (F.).