Journal of Integrated Pest Management (2019) 10 (1 - 33)

Changlu Wang, Amanda Eiden, Richard Cooper, Chen Zha and Desen Wang (2019)
Effectiveness of building-wide integrated pest management programs for German cockroach and bed bug in a high-rise apartment building
Journal of Integrated Pest Management 10 (1 - 33)
Abstract: Bed bug, Cimex lectularius (L.) (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), and German cockroach, Blattella germanica (L.) (Blattodea: Ectobiidae), infestations are commonly found in low-income housing communities and result in negative health effects and economic burden. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) has been shown to be an effective approach for managing these pests, yet practice of IPM in housing communities is very limited. We evaluated the effectiveness of a contractor-led bed bug IPM program and researcher-led cockroach IPM program in a high-rise apartment building for 1 yr. A second apartment building that received conventional monthly pest control service was used as control. The bed bug infestation rate decreased from 9% at 0 mo to 3% at 12 mo (63% reduction), even though the contractor only partially followed the IPM protocol; the German cockroach infestation rate decreased from 49% at 0 mo to 12% at 12 mo (75% reduction). In the control building, no monitors were installed in the infested apartments and the apartments received cursory treatment services from an existing pest control contractor. The bed bug infestation rate increased from 6% at 0 mo to 12% at 12 mo (117% increase); the German cockroach infestation rate decreased from 47% at 0 mo to 29% at 12 mo (39% reduction). IPM is a much more effective approach for building-wide control of cockroaches and bed bugs than conventional pest control service. This study confirms the benefit of building-wide IPM on pest reduction and challenges existed for carrying out IPM programs in low-income communities.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Full text of article
Database assignments for author(s): Changlu Wang

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
control - general

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Blattella germanica		U.S.A. (NE)
	Cimex lectularius		U.S.A. (NE)