Comparative Efficacy of Pyrethroid-Based Paints against Turkestan Cockroaches
Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Weed Science, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA
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Insects 2024, 15(3), 171; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15030171
Submission received: 28 December 2023
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Revised: 28 February 2024
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Accepted: 28 February 2024
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Published: 3 March 2024
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Close Enemy: Urban Integrated Pest Management)
Simple Summary
Turkestan cockroaches are primarily outdoor nuisance pests in many parts of the world. The application of pesticide sprays in and around areas where cockroaches aggregate is a common practice in trying to reduce their populations. Intensive pesticide treatments can lead to pesticide runoff into water sources, such as rivers, lakes, streams, and dwells. Insecticide-based paints offer an alternative option for long-term efficacy in controlling cockroaches with diminished environmental impacts. In this study, pyrethroid-based paints applied to concrete, metal, and PVC—common surfaces where cockroaches reside—were demonstrated to kill and repel Turkestan cockroach nymphs. The pyrethroid alphacypermethrin produced the highest mortality most rapidly. The lethal and repellency effects of these paints may help prevent the establishment of Turkestan cockroaches around buildings. These results support the use of insecticide-paint technologies in areas where Turkestan cockroaches are a dominant pest.
Abstract
The Turkestan cockroach, Periplaneta lateralis (Walker), is an invasive urban pest prevalent in dry areas of the southwestern United States. Treatment with liquid spray formulations containing insecticides is the most conventional method to decrease Turkestan cockroach population abundance around buildings. Intensive application of insecticide treatments near natural environments has prompted concerns regarding the impacts on non-target aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Technologies embedding insecticides in a paint matrix have successfully been used for the long-term reduction in disease-vector populations in tropical areas. Here, we evaluated the potential effectiveness of three pyrethroid-based paints against Turkestan cockroach nymphs on common surfaces inhabited by this species. Turkestan cockroaches continuously exposed for 1 h to 1-month aged alphacypermethrin and deltamethrin paints applied to concrete, metal, or PVC caused moderate to high mortality. Evaluations using choice boxes indicated that deltamethrin and transfluthrin paints had combined lethal and repellent effects on cockroaches. Alphacypermethrin also caused repellency and killed cockroaches rapidly. We discuss the implications of these findings on cockroach control practices.
