DIY German Roaches: Using tested methods to effectively control German Roaches.

German Roaches infest kitchens in our homes and restaurants all over the world.  German Roaches infest in large numbers and are mainly found in kitchens and bathrooms, where food and water sources are located.  If you are seeing many small roaches in your kitchen or bathroom, you are dealing with German Roaches. There are many species of roaches in the insect kingdom, but they can be divided into 2 categories of control: American Roaches and German Roaches.  German Roaches will be today’s topic.

German Roaches : General Information

German Roach, Image from Wikipedia,Copyright © 2007 David Monniaux

BIOLOGY. German Roaches tend to be the smaller roaches in the insect world.  They are brown with 2 darker brown stripes running down their backs however younger German Roaches might not have the stripes.  These Roaches infest in large numbers that grow quickly and each female is capable of producing many offspring in each egg casing.  She will carry the egg around with her until it is ready to hatch.  The nymphs will reach sexual maturity very fast, thus adding to the reproduction cycle and ability of the infestation to grow.  With a lifespan of nearly half a year, a few roaches will quickly get out of hand.

German Roach Control: Preparation

**NOTE – This guide is written about Pest Supplies Online’s DIY German Roach Kit.

First thing to do is purchase equipment and chemicals you will need to solve this problem. I recommend PestSuppliesOnline.com’s German Roach Kit! It provides everything you will need. Heres a list of what you need :

1. 1 Gallon Pump Sprayer with both pin-stream and fan-spray settings. PSO’s German Roach Kit comes with one made by B&G, a trusted equipment manufacturer in the pest control industry.
2. A GOOD general purpose insecticide.  I am NOT talking about ‘Raid’ you buy at the local store either.  You need a professional insecticide concentrate you can mix in the tank with water. PSO’s German Roach Kit comes with Fenva Star Plus. A great, strong, odorless product that can be shipped to any state in the USA. It has the same active ingredient as the popular Conquer Insecticide, BUT 2 1/2 times stronger. Kills insects and pest including bed bugs, fleas, German roaches and more.
3. IGR (Insect Growth Regulator) – This is the key to breaking the reproduction cycle.  IGR’s make roaches sterile and unable to reproduce which is a huge benefit in controlling any roach infestation. You can buy an IGR to mix in with your insecticide or that comes in small stations you place throughout the infested area.  Either way, make sure you use some form of an IGR! PSO’s German Roach Kit comes with the station form of this product.
4. Flushing agent in aerosol form – I recommend using ECO/PCO ACU, confusing name I know but it’s a great product.  This green can is an all natural product that comes from plants.  It features an insecticide in an aerosol can with a tiny straw at the top.  You place the little straw into every crack and crevice and dispense the chemical.  This is great for reaching the nests that are deep in cracks and crevices, an essential step in treatment.
5. Bait – Many people think “I got roaches, I need bait.” This is true, but if you think bait alone is going to get rid of your roaches you are sorely mistaken.  Baiting comes in the 3rd week of treatment, and is only intended to clean up the last remaining roaches. PSO’s German Roach Kit features Maxforce Magnum, the strongest roach bait on the market.  Best thing about it is the roaches don’t have to ingest it, they can simply touch it and it will do the trick.
6. Pheromone-laced glue boards – These sticky boards are placed throughout the infestation to catch stragglers, and also prevent them from moving into another room. Also known as Roach Motels, these small boxes have the scent roaches love already in the glue.
7. MASK (optional, check your local hardware store.)– you probably want to purchase a dust mask or respirator of some sort.  I don’t mind the chemical smell, you probably will!

PREPARING THE INFESTED AREA. After you have purchased the things you need to do the job lets prepare your area for treatment.  Since most infestations are in kitchens we will mainly stay there for this discussion.  Keep in mind you can use the crack and crevice step on other furniture in bathrooms and other areas if you need to.  Here’s how you need to prepare your kitchen:

1. Remove all dishes and food stuffs from your cabinets and counter tops.  This will allow you to reach every crack and crevice the roaches hide in.  It will also keep you from spraying your food and dishes with chemicals! You do not want to ingest or inhale these chemicals.
2. Pull your refrigerator out a couple feet, roaches love living in the area with the motor in the back.
3. Pull stove/oven out as far as possible, most I’ve encountered only allow about 6 inches of play but that will do.
4. Pull microwave out if you can, again you need to access every crack and crevice you possibly can.
5. Pull dishwasher out if you can, if not its ok.

German Roach Control: Treatment

Now it is time to begin the treatment process.  This is a time tested method of treating for German Roaches.  Save yourself some money and “Do-It-Yourself.”

NOTE: Always refer to the label on the pesticide you are using! It has helpful facts on everything from safety to directions on how to use that particular product. Some pesticides may not allow you to treat in this manner, be sure to check your label before beginning. The label is the law.

1. Mixing the solution… Read the label on the bottle of insecticide and determine the exact amount of concentrate to mix into your 1 gallon pump sprayer.  Add that amount and then ½ gallon of water.  Close the top and shake well.  The product will mix much better in ½ gallon of water vs. a whole gallon.  After you have mixed well remove the top and put another ½ gallon of water in and then close the top.
2. Spraying… Using your 1 gallon sprayer spray your cabinent baseboards, behind, under, and the sides of the fridge, stove, dishwasher, and microwave.  You also wanna spray any problem areas you might see.  Be thorough!
3. Placing IGR stations… Using the Gentrol Point Source IGR stations provided in your kit you want to crush the end which releases the IGR onto the station. You will want to place one of these pads near each problem area you might see. That’s it with the IGR, the station does all the work with this step.
4. Placing Glue Boards…Place Pheremone Glue Boards next to each Gentrol Point Source IGR station, again in problem areas.
5. 

   Crown molding with roach feces (poop!)

   Crack and Crevice Time!  Take the green can of ECO/PCOand attach the little straw to the tip of the can.  You want to stick that straw into every crack and crevice in your kitchen and spray.  Be to turn off your stove’s pilot light if It has one.  Look for nesting areas and problem areas.  These areas include underneath the lip on the counter-top that over hangs, the sides of the stove vent hood, the cracks behind and beside the shelves inside the cabinets, underneath the fridge, crown-molding, window seals, beside and underneath the stove, fridge and dishwasher, etc. These are easily found by the groupings of brown spots or feces the roaches stick to the wall and cabinents.  Be sure to spray around in the cavity located on the back of your fridge, but be careful as a small amount will do the trick. Get underneath the microwave, fridge, oven, and dishwasher as well.

   

   German Roach Egg Case, image from C.D.C. & wikipedia

6. Repeat steps 1-5 every 5 days for 2 weeks. I know it sounds like a lot of work because it is!  But if you want to live BUG FREE it’s a necessary process.  Be sure to clean up any dead roaches and egg sacks (see image) every time you treat.  Roaches eat their dead, you don’t want to leave any food sources for them.  Do not leave any dirty dishes, food, or anything out that the roaches will eat.  They would much rather eat your fried chicken than eat the roach bait you will put out in the next step.
7. Bait time! It is important to wait a week after the last time you repeated steps 1-5 because roaches will not approach the bait if chemical residue is left.  Again you do not want any alternative food sources out like dirty dishes or last nights dinner.  The roaches would much rather eat your food than your bait.  When applying the bait you want to make sure to use a very tiny amount each spot you put it. Inside your cabinets on the hinges place a small dot. You can also add a small dot in problem areas. Don’t over-do it, large amounts will go bad quicker!  During this step you do not want to spray any chemicals on or around your bait.
8. Clean-up… Using a household bleach solution and a sponge, scrub the feces from the infested areas. You also want to clean up and throw out any dead roaches and egg casings.  Even if the mother is dead the babies can still hatch out of the egg cases.

NOTE: Always refer to the label on the pesticide you are using! It has helpful facts on everything from safety to directions on how to use that particular product. Some pesticides may not allow you to treat in this manner, be sure to check your label before beginning.   The label is the law.

Conclusion

All-In-One German Roach Kit from www.PestSuppliesOnline.com

German Roaches are very tough to get rid of.  With the right chemicals, equipment, and know-how it can be done by anyone.  Using Pest Supplies Online’s DIY GERMAN ROACH KIT is the easiest way to do it.  I hope you found this article helpful. If you have any questions feel free to call me at 1 877 245 5995 or post them here on www.ManVsPests.com!

PestSuppliesOnline.com | ManVsPests.com

DIY American Roaches: Using tested methods to effectively control American Roaches.

Roaches are one of the bugs we deal with the most. People across the globe have had encounters with roaches.  Ugly and unsanitary, Roaches crawl across our homes and eat our food.  There are many species of roaches that “bug” us in society, but they can be divided into 2 categories for pest control: American Roaches and German Roaches.

Yucky! How to Get Rid of Roaches, Waterbugs, and Palmetto Bugs

American Roaches : General Information

American Roaches are also known as Palmetto Bugs, Water Bugs, Tree Roaches, Flying Roaches, among other names.  These Roaches tend to be about 1 inch to 1 and ½ inches.  They have wings and can fly.  They are typically brown but can look almost reddish at times.  They are solitary creatures and are mostly found by themselves.  The species that make up the control category of American Roaches are the American Roach, Smokey Brown, Oriental, and Brown Banded cock roaches.  The reason why I have grouped all these into the American Category is how you control them.  All these species act the same for the most part. They like dark, damp places such as pine straw, landscaping mulch, crawl spaces, etc…  And they mostly come from the outside INTO your home.  This is the key to how you control them!

American Roach Control: Preparation

American Roach control is actually quite simple! This is awesome because these insects are nasty! Across the nation most pest control companies use this simple method when dealing with these bugs.

1. First thing you want to do is acquire a 1 gallon pump style sprayer (included).  Be sure to select one that has 2 options on the sprayer, pin stream and fan-spray.
2. Next you want a good general purpose insecticide (included) that is labeled for Roaches.  Most professional insecticides are labeled for Roaches and many other bugs.  Check the label on the bottle to determine how much of the chemical to add into your tank with water.  After you have determined the amount of product to add, pour it into your pump style tank sprayer.
3. Then you want to add ½ gallon of water, close the top, and shake well.  The reason you only want to add ½ gallon at first is the product will mix much easier in a ½ gallon of water vs. a whole gallon.
4. After you have mixed thoroughly remove the top of the tank and finish filling it up with water (1/2 gallons.) Be sure to leave enough room for the lid and cylinder attached to the lid to fit down into the tank.

American Roach Control: Treat the Outside

Now you are ready to spray! Be sure you have the PIN STREAM selected on your sprayer. Starting at the front door on the OUTSIDE of your home begin spraying. You want to be sure to spray around all entrances into your home such as all doors, windows, dryer vents, garage doors, cable and pipe penetrations, etc…

EXTERIOR. After you have finished spraying all around your house it’s time to switch your sprayer to fan spray.  This is helpful if you have landscaping mulch or pine straw up against your home.  Be sure to soak the landscaping material up against your home well, and you mainly want to get the material that is close to your home, within a couple feet.

CRAWLSPACES & SLABS. If your home is on a crawl space be sure to spray around the vents leading into your crawl space.  If your home is on a concrete slab be sure to check for the “weep holes” that surround your home (only if your home is brick.) The weep holes are small 2 inch holes that are in the brick mortar and occur every 1 ½ feet or so.  These holes allow your walls to breathe and can be an avenue of access for bugs to get inside.  Be sure to apply some product to those holes as well, but be careful, a small volume, applied correctly, will do just fine.

NOTE: Always refer to the label on the pesticide you are using! It has helpful facts on everything from safety to directions on how to use that particular product. Some pesticides may not allow you to treat in this manner, be sure to check your label before beginning.   The label is the law.

American Roach control: Treat Inside your home

INSIDE. Using the process for mixing in your tank, ensure the label doesn’t call for a different mix rate inside versus outside, set your tank to pin stream spray.  Inside it isn’t necessary to soak your entire house with chemical. Your family lives in there, man!  Because American Roaches come from the outside-in, your treatment focus should be on the outside.  The inside treatment is more of a second chance, or backup, treatment.  This inside treatment should be applied very cautiously, and only to needed areas.  These areas include door jams, window seals, and pipe penetrations such as under your sinks.

BAIT & TRAP. Also included in this kit is 12 roach glue boards (included) which you can place throughout your home to catch any stragglers that may have made it through.

Solid. This DIY American Roach Kit provides everything you need to get rid of your American Roach problem, including Step-by-Step instructions. Click the image above to see the kit!

That’s it!

NOTE: Always refer to the label on the pesticide you are using! It has helpful facts on everything from safety to directions on how to use that particular product. Some pesticides may not allow you to treat in this manner, be sure to check your label before beginning.  The label is the law.

Conclusion

American Roach Control can be very easy when done correctly.   Using Pest Supplies Online’s DIY American Roach Kit is your best bet! It comes complete with everything you need to effectively control these bugs for many months. I hope you have found this article helpful.  If you have any questions feel free to call us at 1 877 245 5995, or post your questions at www.manvspests.com!

PestSuppliesOnline.com | ManVsPests.com