A Closer Look Inside the Battle: Insecticide-Resistant Cockroaches

Insecticide resistance has remained a hot topic in cockroach control, and our industry has been battling it for many years. Residual insecticides and bait products are essential go-to tools for controlling German cockroaches, and it’s possible you have faced a population that has developed resistance to some of the products you use to manage them. Let’s discuss some common FAQs about cockroaches and insecticide resistance:

Yes, there is evidence of field populations that exhibit resistance to various bait active ingredients (AIs), including fipronil, clothianidin, hydramethylnon, and indoxacarb. In a 2021 publication in the Journal of Economic Entomology, researchers at the University of California, Riverside evaluated field collected German cockroach susceptibility to several common AIs. The conclusions of this study showed some level of resistance to most of the baits tested.

While we don’t exactly know the full extent of resistance across the US, we do know how it happens. Continual or repeated exposure to applications of products containing AIs with the same mode of action in a given area can lead to the development of resistance within a population. Additionally, using pesticide products at lower than labeled rates can also contribute to the problem. So always follow the rates provided on the label for the specific pest, site, and infestation level at hand.

If you observe a change or reduction in control or efficacy of a product, this is often a sign of resistance development. Continual applications and population exposure to the same AI or mode of action can lead to an increase in resistant individuals which can dominate a population.

Avoiding the consecutive use of a product, exercising proper product rotation (choosing products with different modes of action), and good IPM practices can help us to avoid or delay insecticide resistance. It’s also helpful to be informed of the IRAC classification for each of the AIs in the products used in your service. Knowing the IRAC group will help you with good rotational decision making. See link here for more information.

The mode of action is the way a specific active ingredient controls the pest. IRAC groups are based on MOA, which considers the biological pathway or target site in the insect’s body that the AI affects. This is why it’s important to not simply rotate brand names, but rotate the MOA.

Our comprehensive portfolio of products includes formulations such as aerosol, foam, bait, flushing, and liquid residual options. Some examples of CSI products you can integrate into your cockroach management program are mentioned below. These products can bring value and results to your service and represent AIs from different groups including 3, 4, 7, 15, and 22:

• Doxem® Precise: Applied with the Precision Delivery System (PDS), this indoxacarb dry flowable bait can be placed deep in the voids, cracks, and crevices where cockroaches are hiding. This resilient and palatable formulation is long-lasting and highly effective against cockroaches and other pests, including ants. Indoxacarb is a group 22 insecticide.

• Stryker® 54: This contact aerosol contains pyrethins and PBO. It delivers a fast knockdown and quick kill of various listed pests, including cockroaches, and works to flush them out of cracks, crevices, and other areas they may be hiding in. Pyrethins belong to IRAC group 3.
• Doxem NXT: This ready-to-use aerosol provides PMPs four distinct modes of action in one convenient non-repellent application. It contains indoxacarb, imidacloprid, and two IGRs – novaluron and pyriproxyfen. It is labeled for use in food areas of food-handling establishments, and with its 360-degree valve, it provides easy, multi-directional applications in those hard-to-reach areas around the kitchen. Doxem NXT contains AIs from groups 4, 7, 15, and 22.

• Tekko® Trio Foam: This Combination Chemistry IGR foaming aerosol is a flexible long-lasting product that inhibits nymphal cockroaches from becoming healthy, reproductively viable adults. Formulated with 3 trusted IGRs ((S)-hydroprene, pyriproxyfen, and novaluron), it’s a great choice for use in residential and commercial kitchens, including food areas, to disrupt the lifecycle and stop the next generation of cockroaches. These AIs belong to groups 7 and 15.