Feeding

Foraging Behaviour

Cockroaches are probably incapable of detecting odours over more than a few centimetres and success in locating food appears to be related to chance encounters optimised by regular routes of foraging activity based on experience.

With a good supply of food and water in close proximity to their harbourage, individuals may never come into contact with bait just a few feet away.

Although they may move away to explore new areas, cockroaches commonly follow established foraging routes, with males and late instar nymphs moving greater distances than females and early instar nymphs.

This means infestations can only be controlled if baits are placed close to harbourages and along actively-used routes of travel.

Irregular Feeding

Cockroaches feed irregularly and may go for days between meals.

While males forage actively on most days, females typically spend 75% of their lives not eating and can survive for nearly 45 days without food providing they have access to water. Young nymphs also forage relatively little.

Although starved cockroaches show a frenzied response to food and water, satiated individuals show little interest in either.

This means infestations are unlikely to be immediately controlled by gel baits alone even if they are both palatable and well placed.

Feeding Preferences

Cockroaches show a clear preference for high energy foods and are deterred from feeding by caking, oilyness, insecticide taint, mould or spoilage.

Starved cockroaches are known to eat dead individuals or their excrement but there is little evidence that this behaviour significantly affects control under field conditions.

This means infestations are unlikely to be reliably controlled unless baits applied in sufficient quantity relative to population size, remain palatable and are consumed by most individuals in preferences to alternate foods.

Rapid Breeding >><< Activity