Expert cockroach control: Tips from industry technical leaders

Expert tips for smarter cockroach management

Fundamentals like inspection and sanitation will always matter, but achieving total control in tough environments requires thinking beyond basic baits and sprays. To help you stay out of predictable routines, technical experts from across the industry share their best strategies for reframing stubborn cockroach issues.

For each expert’s full response, please refer to Page 50 of the March 2026 edition of PMP magazine.

Key takeaways

• Target the harborages: Effective control is won or lost within three feet of the cockroach’s home; focusing on nymph-heavy areas is critical.
• Protect your bait: Never overlap liquid residuals with gel baits, as overspray can contaminate the bait’s taste and odor.
• Manage resistance: Use rotational strategies and varied modes of action to prevent “genetic bottlenecks” in fast-reproducing populations.
• Engage the client: Transform customers from bystanders into partners by educating them on the “why” behind sanitation and exclusion.

Reframing the inspection

Heather Patterson, technical service manager, Control Solutions Inc.: To break out of a rut, stop asking just where cockroaches are hiding and start asking what resources are supporting them. Look for what stays warm when the lights go off—like coffee pots and dishwashers. Identify their “commute” between heat and water to interrupt high-traffic areas like wire chases and pipe penetrations.

Preventing bait compromise

Sylvia Kenmuir, BCE, senior technical services representative, BASF: Baits are a cornerstone of IPM, but they fail when they are oversprayed with liquid insecticides. Even a light mist can turn a food source into a warning signal, shortening the bait’s life and reducing the transfer effect. Always apply liquids first, let them dry completely, and then place baits in clean, undisturbed areas.

Using population structure as a map

Andrew Fisher, BCE, PHE, business unit specialist, Neogen: In established colonies, about 70 percent of the population consists of nymphs. Because nymphs don’t travel far, a glue monitor dominated by young cockroaches tells you that you are positioned very near an active harborage. Use this ratio to refine your treatment precision

The “3-foot rule”

Tommy Powell, technical field specialist, MGK: Nymphs are the key to long-term control. Because they stay close to home, your applications must be strategic. If your bait or dust is placed more than three feet from the harborage, it is unlikely to impact the majority of the population.

Combatting pesticide resistance

Dr. Jamel Sandidge, BCE, national director of technical services, Nisus: Resistance can form in a single service cycle. When a treatment leaves behind a few survivors, the next generation emerges even harder to control. To fight this, select products with different modes of action, utilize long-lasting borates and tighten inspection intervals at high-pressure accounts.

Building a flexible system

Matt Remmen, senior technical services manager, Envu: Long-term management requires a comprehensive system that combines gels, stations, sprays and dusts. Incorporating a rotational strategy with highly palatable baits is essential to disrupt aversion patterns over time.

The power of client collaboration

Stephen Vanias, ACE, U.S. operations manager, Ensystex: We live in an era where professional-grade products are easily accessible to untrained homeowners. To provide value, we must leverage our technical expertise and bring the customer in as a partner. When they understand the “why” of sanitation, they become active stakeholders in public health.

Targeting the voids

Nick Godfroid, BCE, technical specialist, Rockwell Labs: Don’t ignore the attic, crawlspace, or water heater. Species like American and brown-banded cockroaches use these voids for protection. Boric acid granular baits are ideal for these spaces because they remain effective despite the large temperature swings common in HVAC units and attics.

A foundation of IGRs

Mel Whitson, director of sales and marketing, Zoëcon: A solid IPM foundation combines adulticides for immediate knockdown with Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs) to stop future growth. Look beyond obvious entry points to utility lines and sewers, and track your progress with sticky traps.

Beyond the catch number

Dr. Tim Husen, BCE, PHE, PCQI, technical services manager, Syngenta: Monitor results are more than just a count; they are snapshots of population trends. Dig deeper into your data: Are you seeing nymphs or just adults? Is this a resident population or a new introduction? Use these insights to guide your bait placement rates.

Precision in placement

Isabelle Lucero, education and compliance officer, J.T. Eaton: Successful baiting requires an understanding of cockroach physiology. German cockroaches cannot detect gel baits from far away. Instead of spacing large quantities of bait evenly throughout a building, use numerous small applications as close as possible to foraging paths to increase the likelihood of consumption.