Proactive baiting for sustainable German cockroach (Blattella germanica) control

Proactive pest management strategies are critical for preventing infestations before they escalate, particularly in urban environments where pests can pose serious health and sanitation risks. Once established, cockroaches are notoriously difficult to control; although baiting has significantly improved management outcomes, it is typically used reactively. However, whether proactive bait applications can effectively prevent cockroach establishment remains unclear. Therefore, this study evaluated the effectiveness of proactively applied, aged gel baits in preventing cockroach population establishment in the new environment. The experiment was conducted using a large laboratory arena designed to mimic real-world settings. After an acclimation period, mixed life-stage cockroaches were allowed to enter the baited arena, simulating natural infestation dynamics. The design also tested how key variables, sanitation level and cockroach strains, influenced the performance of different bait formulations. Results showed that both baits maintained higher efficacy post-aging, particularly under a clean environment, but showed lower mortality in a complex environment. In contrast, untreated controls showed signs of reproduction and increased population persistence. Environmental complexity and bait type were significant factors influencing bait performance, while the susceptible strain responded favorably to both baits across conditions. Overall, our findings informed that proactive baiting could reduce early population establishment and support its inclusion in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies, especially in high-risk urban settings such as multifamily housing and commercial kitchens.