A mainstay of modern IPM procedures, cockroach monitors have become an essential tool in almost any situation. In some areas they have become the only acceptable method of cockroach control. The rega Slim is available from all Garrards branches.
The monitor is designed to be placed in areas where cockroaches congregate and can be used as a control device or to indicate when and where a cockroach problem is present. They are packed 10 traps to a pack and come complete with cockroach attractant tablets. Each 10-pack is individually shrink wrapped.
Cockroach management begins with a thorough visual site inspection and a continuous monitoring program. Cockroaches are rarely distributed everywhere throughout the building. Once they have located a suitable harbourage, they frequently concentrate there, leaving periodically to forage for food and water.
Use these strategies when monitoring for cockroaches:
- Thoroughly inspect the facility
- Focus on cockroaches’ preferred habitat: near and under sinks and stoves; in or near motors of refrigerators and other appliances; in or near electric clocks, switch plates, and conduits; next to computer equipment; near leaky plumbing fixtures; near steam pipes or hot water pipes with insulating jackets; near drains; in drawers and cupboards; and in areas where packaged goods and equipment are delivered and stored.
- Place rega Slims in all areas of the facility and mark them on a map or keep a record on the ‘monitor trap log’. Increase concentration of sticky traps in areas with cockroach activity. rega Slims play a vital role in cockroach management by indicating the location and severity of a problem.
- The best sites for placing rega Slims are near harbourages and along cockroach travel routes. Initially, it is best to put out traps at all suspected harbourages, water resources and travel routes. However, avoid rega Slims in extremely dusty or moist areas because they will quickly lose their stickiness.
- Cockroaches like to travel along edges where vertical and horizontal surfaces intersect (i.e.: where the floor and wall come together). Hence, it is important that traps be placed flush against the vertical surface or the cockroaches may continue to travel behind the trap without ever entering it. Number and date each rega Slim before deployment and mark trap locations on the map. After 24 to 48 hours, pick up the traps, then count and record the number of cockroaches in each trap. Record the date and the number of cockroaches on the monitoring form.
- Use trap counts recorded on the map to pinpoint sites of infestation. rega Slims with high numbers of cockroaches indicate nearby harbourages, and this is where management efforts should be concentrated. Large numbers of adult cockroaches in the traps can indicate a potential population explosion.
- Have rega Slims inspected weekly or monthly (depending on your preference and the severity of the problem). Continue monitoring after treatments to determine whether or not control efforts have satisfactorily reduced the cockroach population or if roaches are again on the increase.
When inspecting for cockroaches, define the specific area that is to be inspected on a map.
Inspect the entire area in a systematic and logical fashion from floor to ceiling to make sure no potential harbourage areas are overlooked. Most inspections are conducted during daylight hours for the convenience of the inspector. However, since cockroaches tend to remain hidden during the day it is difficult to access the size and location of the population until after dark.
Therefore, be sure to schedule at least one inspection after dark when the majority of the population is active. This will give more information about where the cockroaches are and the level of sanitation at a time when the building is supposed to be clean. Begin the inspection with the lights off if possible. A torch covered with a yellow filter will prevent cockroaches from being disturbed while looking for harbourages and sources of food and water. Then turn on the lights and examine areas where cockroaches were observed. Note this information on your map.
Click here to download a copy of the rega Slim MSDS