Efficacy of synthetic pyrethroid and propoxur aerosol in the control of German cockroaches (Dictyoptera: Blatellidae) in cookhouses

Abstract

Background & objectives: A field trial was carried out in cookhouses in an urban area to evaluate theefficacy of synthetic pyrethroid (0.02% deltamethrin + 0.13% allethrin) and propoxur aerosols (2%) inthe control of German cockroaches (Blatella germanica).Methods: A total of six cookhouses were selected by simple random sampling method (two each forthe two insecticide treatments and two for control).Results: It was observed that 89.36–87.8 and 77.95–59.74% reductions were achieved with propoxurand synthetic pyrethroid treatment respectively by first week post-treatment. The reduction in propoxurtreated areas by eight weeks post-treatment was 82.98–76.13%, whereas the reduction in thesame time period in synthetic pyrethroid treated areas ranged from 14.36% to an increase in density bya phenomenal 157.86% in one of the treated sites.Interpretation & conclusion: The study reports the efficacy of propoxur aerosol (2%) treatment oversynthetic pyrethroid (0.02% deltamethrin + 0.13% allethrin) in the control of cockroach infestation incookhouses in urban area.

Keywords

• Aerosol
• Blatella germanica
• cockroaches
• control
• propoxur
• synthetic pyrethroid