The Use of Genetic Mechanisms and Behavioral Characteristics to Control Natural Populations of the German Cockroach.
Abstract
Experiments conducted in 1983 are focused on the behavior of German cockroach populations. The research is directed towards elucidating behaviors that were discovered in prior laboratory and 'field' (inactive ship) experiments and in expanding this work to include the effects of an insecticide. Our laboratory study of within-harborage aggregation provided evidence that responses to naturally-occuring chemical cues (pheromones) differ with age class and adult sex. Moreover, production by females varies with female reproductive state and density. Experiments using a bioassay technique confirm differences in the response to aggregation pheromone with age/sex class. Data have been gathered from 288 individuals of 6 classes (small nymphs, medium-sized nymphs, large nymphs, adult males, egg case bearing females, and non-egg case bearing females). Differences occur in the time of response, intensity of the attraction, and relative attraction to papers with prior exposure to egg case (gravid) vs non-egg case bearing(non-gravid) females. The behaviors correlate well with shipboard experiments in which small nymphs generally remained concealed in harborages and medium and large sized nymphs tended to disperse widely. A bioassay technique is also being used to study the production of and response to a repellent that is obtained by crowding adult females.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1984
- Accession Number
- ADA138885
Entities
People
- D. G. Cochran
- M. H. Ross
Organizations
- Virginia Tech