Vacuums: Very Accessible Control (sample newsletter article)

I’ve been reading through a lot of cockroach research this week—getting plenty of strange looks on the bus. It’s fascinating stuff and so applicable to what we’re doing in housing.

One tool that seems like an obvious fit for IPM work is the vacuum. One study, “Evaluation of Trapping and Vacuuming Compared with Low-Impact Insecticide Tactics for Managing German Cockroaches in Residences,” showed that vacuuming is just as effective as spraying, baiting, and trapping for the initial knock-down of a cockroach population. Benefits of vacuuming include:

• Immediately impacts the cockroach population.
• Reduces the reproductive potential of the population.
• Removes both the susceptible and insecticide-resistant cockroaches.
• Can be accomplished without vacating the premises.
• Reduces the number of dead or dying cockroaches the [residents] will see.
• Reduces the level of allergens present when a HEPA filter is used on the vacuum. (Hedges in Mallis, 2004).

Before I get into the research results, here’s your pest control vocabulary word of the day: GRAVID. “Gravid” means really pregnant. In context: Forcing gravid females from their deep and hard-to-reach hiding spots and removing them are important steps in reducing cockroach population reproduction and growth (KaaKeh & Bennett, 1997). 

KaaKeh & Bennett (researchers) did this study to compare spraying, baiting, trapping with sticky traps, vacuuming, and vacuuming with a flushing agent on German Cockroach control. In short, they found all these methods were effective. Of course, they were taking their time and making sure the treatments were thorough.

I want to highlight the vacuuming parts of their paper, because I think the vacuum is an underutilized tool in pest control in public housing and I want to make you all believers:

• “Vacuuming should be directed into cracks and wall voids, sides of cabinets, behind baseboards, and potential harborage in appliances and furniture….
• [The stress caused by vacuuming] places cockroaches at greater risk to the effects of insecticides and other biotic and abiotic control tactics (Gold, 1995)…
• Vacuuming treatment significantly reduces cockroach populations to a low level, but does not eliminate them because there is no residual, and the remaining cockroach populations tent to rebound in 3-4 weeks (Frishman, 1995)…
• Gravid females are more important than males and nymphs from the standpoint of long-term population reduction (Moore and Granovsky, 1983)…and
• The use of a flushing agent before vacuuming led to a greater population reduction and removal of hard-to-reach gravid females” (Kaakeh & Bennett, 2004).

A quick note on flushing agents: These are chemicals that should only be used by a PMP. And if the PMP is going to use a flushing agent, make sure the residents that see are well-aware of what is happening. If the residents only see the initial effect and miss the vacuum part, the rumor mill will start. I have been to more than one property where the residents’ strongest argument against the PMP is that he, “sprays stuff that makes it rain roaches. He makes the problem worse.” I can’t stress enough the importance of communication between residents and the PMP.

Flushing agents are for the pros, but anyone can use a vacuum. Backpack vacuums are especially useful because they are easy to carry around. Some ideas of how to incorporate vacuuming for pest control into procedures include:

• During housekeeping inspections,
• When maintenance staff or contractors are doing renovations or repairs (in many states it’s illegal for them to use a pesticide in units…even vacant ones), and
• During a one-on-one visit with a resident who is living in an infested unit.

See the sample newsletter article below for the how-to on using a vacuum for pests control. It’ll even work for bed bugs. 

Have I sold you on the value of vacuums yet?

Almost every property has homes with known infestations. I encourage you to focus your pest control time and effort on these locations. Work with the resident and offer any resources you can—some time with a vacuum will impact more than just the pests. I’ve heard from many PMPs and experienced myself, that when you show up with a vacuum and spend some time taking out the bugs, the residents actually believe that you are with them in the battle and then are more willing to do their part. In addition to being an effective pest control tool, a vacuum is a conversation-starter.

And in all honesty, the thrill of the kill is kind of fun—knowing you’re actually taking the bugs OUT. I know, the strange looks I get on the bus are well-deserved.

-------------------sample newsletter article-------------------

Pests: Take Control. Take them Out.

Pests are bad. Doesn’t matter if they’re crawling across the floor or dead on their back—even the dead ones may trigger asthma. How do you get rid of any bug—dead or alive?    A Vacuum.

Vacuuming is one of the most effective ways to get rid of the pregnant female cockroaches that keep the infestation going—these ladies hide away from sticky traps and pesticides. If you see pests, do this monthly:

1. Get a vacuum cleaner. If you can, get a one with a bag and a “HEPA” filter—this will catch the asthma triggers.
2. If it has a bag, make sure the bag is in it.
3. Get one knee-high pantyhose and stuff the toe down the vacuum hose at the sucking end.
4. Keep pushing it down the hose until about 8 inches are sticking out.
5. Fold the open end of the pantyhose over the vacuum nozzle (like you fold a trash bag over the edge of a trash can) and secure it with a rubber band.
6. Put the crevice tool on the vacuum hose over the pantyhose.

You just made a pantyhose bug bag inside your vacuum!

Now go on a bug hunt. Move appliances, open cupboards, and check around your bed. Focus on cracks where bugs like to hide. When you see an insect—dead or alive—suck it up!

When you’re done, remove the crevice tool and rubber band, tie off the end of the pantyhose, get a plastic shopping bag, and pull the pantyhose out of the vacuum carefully. Put it in the plastic bag, tie it off, and throw it away outside.

As long as there are no holes in your pantyhose, this will works on all bugs!

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Works Cited in this Post

Frishman, A. 1995. Vacuum cleaner becomes successful tool. Pest Control 63: 11.

Gold, R. E. 1995. Alternate control strategies, pp. 325-344. In M. K. Rust, M. Owens, and D. A. Reierson [eds.], Understanding and controlling the German cockroach. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Kaakeh, W., and G. W. Bennett. 1997. Evaluation of Trapping and Vacuuming Compared with Low-Impact Insecticide Tactics for Managing German Cockroaches in Residences. J. Econ. Entomol. 90: 976-982.

Mallis, A. & Hedges, S.A. [ed.]. Handbook of Pest Control: 9^th Edition.  Ohio: GIE Media, Inc. 2004.

Moore, W. S., and T. A. Granovsky. 1983. Laboratory comparisons of sticky traps to detect and control five species of cockroaches (Orthoptera: Blattidae and Blatellidae). J. Econ. Entomol. 76: 845-849.

 

Comments

[James Butler]

I've always used a vacuum with pest control. For a pest management professional, I feel it's nearly as important as a flash light. Why leave pesticides and hope they come in contact with the target pest when you can physically remove them from the location? Just good IPM if you ask me.

[Lyn G]

Heat can work as a flushing agent too! Use an everyday hair drier with a bit of PVC tube duct taped on to direct the flow and reduce the heat a bit. One person blows in the cracks / crevices, roaches run out, the other person sucks em up in the vacuum.

[steve]

i enjoyed reading about using a hoover . i do carry a hoover but as yet dont use it much. but reading this has made me want to give it more of a chance rather than hitting every where with chemicals
thank you

[Hilary]

Thanks so much for posting this really great information! I have been looking for good bat removal in monroe ga for a while now... Hopefully, I'll be able to find exactly what I need in the near future!!!

[Allie]

Hilary, eXtension recently did a webinar on bat management. You can view the recording at: https://learn.extension.org/events/936

[Karen J Gray]

If you have a suitable vacuum, and are doing your own general cleaning up, plus sucking up roaches, I've found it helps to make sure the bag contains, or gets a dose of bits of dry soil,gritty stuff, coarse dust, even fine gravel, lint and such, and hair, whether from humans or pets.

The sucked up bugs appear to get badly damaged this way, and I haven't had a single one escape the vacuum or a bag.

I tested for weeks for potential escapes. But just in case, I still leave a tightly sealed plastic bag fastened over the intake end of the hose, and if the canister has the hose removed, I cover the intake hole with tape.

The damaged insects don't seem to last long once in the bag. Wing cases & legs get caught up in the detritus, especially lints and fur or hair.

I have opened vac bags with freshly sucked up roaches to see what happened to them. First, they're hard to find, as they're covered in heavy dust and dirt. I think the spiracles get a bit blocked up, so they don't breathe well, and seem to die pretty fast.

They're also physically trapped in the hair and stuff. If you're not up for making a panty hose catcher bag, or wish to use vacuum bags until they're full, this is a way to do that. Though if you're allergic to them or there's asthma in the home, perhaps not a good idea to leave the bag in the vacuum so long.

Only fair to mention the canister vacuum I use is an ancient, but still very functional, high end Kenmore. It has a pair of filters, one HEPA filter at the exhaust output end, another coarser particle filter inside the canister at the start of the exhaust air stream.

I find the inside filters do need changing a bit more often than normal, but it's not a bad trade off given the price of the good quality bags for those with allergies.

I live in a large building, where no pest control was done for nearly a decade, so the roach population is just enormous. German roaches.

Management was using gel/powder, then spraying, and it wasn't working.

Last week they did a flush/vac, worked pretty well. Now planning a flush/vac/spray. The baits have been very disappointing so far, being largely ineffective.

[William james]

good article on vacuums