Optimization of ozone technology as an IPM strategy in german cockroach management

German cockroaches (Blattella germanica) are considered to be an important urban pest due to their potential to impact human health.  Currently, baits are the most widely used cockroach control method. However, resistance and bait aversion have become common among cockroach populations. Thus, new methods are needed for cockroach management.

Ozone technology has been widely used to sanitize water, remove odors from structures, kill bacteria and more recently manage insect pests. As a gas, ozone has the ability to fill large spaces, go where it is difficult for humans to gain access and find hidden pests.  The ability to find hidden pests would be advantageous to manage cockroaches in areas of structures with limited human access.

The objective of this study was to determine the concentration-time (CT) relationship of ozone required to achieve 100% mortality for various life stages (adult, nymph and egg-case) of B. germanica and provide baseline information needed to develop ozone technology for cockroach management. Insects were treated with five ozone concentrations between 80 and 900 ppm at various time intervals until 100% mortality was achieved. Results showed that the most ozone-tolerant stage of B. germanica were the eggs, which required a treatment of 10hrs at 900 ppm ozone to reach 100% mortality for a CT of 9000 ppm-hour. The CT’s determined for adult and nymphs were 5760 ppm-hour and 4800 ppm-hour, respectively. Results indicated that ozone has excellent potential as an effective control strategy and provides baseline information about German cockroach tolerance to ozone.