COCKROACH MANAGEMENT

Keeping Kitchens Clean,
Clear and Pest-Free

By Mel Whitson

Residential calls for pest management professionals (PMPs) may slow down in the winter months, but that doesn’t mean insect activity is at a standstill. Insects are drawn to the warmth, food and shelter offered indoors, especially in kitchens.

When it comes to residential or commercial kitchens, restaurants, and other food-handling establishments, PMPs and customers must work together to keep kitchens clean, clear and pest-free.

Know the Enemy

Although there are many types of insects that seek safe harbor in kitchens, the following insects are common offenders:

• Carpenter ants (Camponotus spp.) and a variety of other ant species often come in from nests located outdoors in the ground or under the foundation.

• The German cockroach (Blattella germanica) is the most common kitchen pest, but other species like the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) and the Oriental cockroach (Blatta orientalis) can also be drawn to kitchens. They can aggravate allergies and even cause food poisoning.

• Silverfish (Lepisma saccharinum) can also be found in kitchens, drawn to spilled foods.

• Fruit flies (Drosophilidae) are the most common flying insects to appear in the kitchen. They show up inside the kitchen sink drain, near trash cans, or buzzing around fruit.

• Drain flies (Psychodidae) breed in dark, damp areas of the kitchen and can aggravate asthma for some.

• Stored product pests (SPP) are mostly beetles and moths of several dozen species that infest and feed on dry foods in pantry or storage areas and containers.

Working Together

Part of any insect treatment plan will involve properly managing the kitchen to prevent insects, even after treatment takes place. Cutting off entry points, as well as available food and water sources by keeping floors, surfaces, and storage areas clean, is crucial to successful insect management.

However, a combination of proactive management and indoor product treatment from a PMP is the best recipe for success, especially when an infestation has grown out of hand or has been a problem for quite some time.

PMPs should develop an action plan to handle any kitchen infestation, using the following steps as a guide:

• Properly identify the pest, noting appearance, behavior and life cycle.

• Determine where the kitchen insect problem is occurring, and where the insects found an entry point so you can clean and seal the area accordingly.

• Develop a treatment plan that may involve the use of food handling-approved pesticides, and determine which product(s) would best serve the client in terms of pest and location.

• Pay close attention to label directions for effective product use.

• Ensure proper personal protective measures and appropriate equipment during application.

PMPs should keep in mind that, although many pest control products cover a wide range of insects, application should be customized to the target pest. This means reviewing application methods, selecting the appropriate formulation, and applying it strategically to best treat the target pest.

Customizing Kitchen Treatments

Customizing treatment to the target pest and to the kitchen is now easier with Gentrol Complete EC3 from Zoëcon. Designed specifically for kitchens and food-handling establishments, Gentrol Complete EC3 provides knockdown and lasting control over cockroaches and many other listed insects, including the common offenders listed in the "Know the Enemy" section above.

Offering broad-spectrum relief and simultaneously breaking the life cycles of German cockroaches, SPP, fruit flies and drain flies, Gentrol Complete EC3 features a Multi-Rate Formulation to tackle all levels of a kitchen infestation. Features and benefits include:

• The active ingredient and insect growth regulator (IGR), (S)-hydroprene, breaks the life cycle of common kitchen insects and prevents rebound infestations.

• The IGR translocates deep into wall cavities, cracks and crevices.

• The active ingredient Lambda-Cyhalothrin provides broad-spectrum relief from adult insect populations.

• It is labeled for use in food and non-food areas of restaurants, food manufacturing, processing, and servicing establishments.

• It can be used as a general surface spray or tank-mixed.

CLICK TO LEARN MORE about how you can achieve stronger insect control and reduce callbacks with Gentrol Complete EC3.