Cockroach control has become an issue due to infestations of German cockroaches.
The German cockroach is particularly difficult to control because its life cycle allows it to reproduce in a shorter period than its cousins, the larger American Cockroach, the brown-banded cockroach, and the oriental cockroach.
It also adapts most easily to the poisons used to control it, making complete eradication of infestations difficult.
Cockroaches are found most often in apartments where multi-family occupants and frequent moving increase the chances of cockroach infestation.
The roaches arrive in the packing boxes either as adults or as encapsulated eggs and within six months can infest an entire building.
Since the most effective form of cockroach control is sanitary living conditions, multi-family dwellings are also more difficult to monitor.
Cockroaches will eat anything, so keeping human and pet food enclosed is necessary.
They also need water and often appear in a sink drain that may be dripping or leaking.
Leaving dirty dishes in the sink with even a small amount of water is a sure invitation to a cockroach banquet.
Vacuuming and emptying the garbage frequently are other important sanitation practices to prevent roach infestation.
Since cockroaches typically come out at night, if you see them during the daytime they are looking for food and water.
The good news is that this could mean that your sanitation habits are good; the bad news is that it could mean that there are too many of them to be supported by the food and water supply.
In the Midwest states of North America you generally only have a few different types of cockroaches.
You have the German cockroach, American cockroach, and oriental cockroach.
In general you don't see the smoky brown branded cockroach in Iowa.
Normally cockroaches are inside pests and don't generally have an issue outside of the dwelling.
This will have an effect on the treatment methods you use.
Inside dwelling cockroaches are going to be in the cracks and crevices, behind refrigerators, etc.
You will mainly use baits in these areas as that is the safer, more preferred method of treatment.
Dupont even makes a bait that is so safe it doesn't metabolize the poison in a human being.
Some of the more popular home and commercial methods of cockroach control are baits, powder dusts, sprays, and traps.
The cleverly marketed roach motel is still regularly stocked on the shelves in grocery, hardware, drug, and convenience stores.
Another type of bait is the pheromone trap, which attracts roaches with odor.
Although these methods may be successful with adult cockroaches, they do not kill the egg capsules that have already been produced.
To accomplish this there are liquid sprays which inhibit the sexual growth of immature insects and prevent them from reproducing.
The most effective method of cockroach control is a multiple-strategy attack employed frequently.