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BIOCONTROL OF COCKROACH

ARUNKUMAR AKKANNAPALB5125

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Introduction

Cockroaches are insects of the order Blattodea, Currently, there are 4,600 species described and over 460 genera

worldwide. Four species are important. The earliest cockroach-like fossils ("blattopterans" or "roachids")

are from the Carboniferous period 320 million years ago, as are fossil roachoid nymphs.

Cockroaches are generalized insects, with few special adaptations, and may be among the most primitive living neopteran insects. 

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CLASSIFICATIONKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ArthropodaSub phylum HexapodaClass InsectaSubclass PterygotaInfra class NeopteraSuperorder DictyopteraOrder BlattodeaFamilies

Blaberidae,BlattellidaeBlattidae,CryptocercidaePolyphagidaeNocticolidaeTryonicidaeLamproblattidae

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TYPES OF COCKROACHES

American cockroach Periplanata americana Linnaeus.German cockroach Blatella germanica Linnaeus Brown banded cockroach Supella longipalpa Linnaeus Oriental cockroach Blatella orientalis  Linnaeus 

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AMERICAN COCKROACH Periplanata americana

The American cockroach is the largest of the house-infesting cockroaches.

Despite its name, the American cockroach is not native to North America,

but was probably introduced via ships from Africa in the 1600s. 

believed to be of North African origin, Oriental roaches are sometimes called

"waterbugs" because they come out of drains, and "black beetle cockroaches" because of their smooth, dark bodies.

They are known for their strong, unpleasant, "roachy" odor

Oriental cockroach Blata orientalis

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Supella longipalpa (BROWN BANDED COCKROACH)

two lighter bands they have across their dark brownish bodies.

Male brown-banded roaches have full wings that reach beyond the tip of their pointed abdomens, but females have underdeveloped wings that prohibit them from flying.

the brown-banded cockroach can live for about 206 days.

German cockroach  Blattella germanica The German cockroach is the most

common species of the cockroach. German cockroaches can breed at a

rate of up to six generations per year. The German cockroach can fit through

an opening as small as 3/8 inch in width.

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ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE

Cockroaches rank among the most important pests in city and town environments (Ebeling 1975)

 Cockroaches are known to contaminate food, leave unpleasant odors in residences and are thought to transmit disease (e.g., hepatitis). 

 Allergic reactions can occur to cockroaches, probably from contact with cockroach body secretions or feces (Ebeling 1975).

 Cockroaches may damage stored and household goods and could act as disease vectors, besides being unappealing to humans. 

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HISTORY OF BIOCONTROL

LeBeck (1985) reviewed natural control of cockroaches, pointing out that Hymenoptera which were associated with cockroaches as either parasitoids or predators are found in the families Ampulicidae, Evaniidae and the chalcidoid families Encyrtidae, Eulophidae, Eupelmidae and Pteromalidae (Roth & Willis 1960). 

Most species are parasitoids of cockroach oothecae, while members of the Ampulicidae are predators of cockroach nymphs.

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COCKROACH NATURAL ENEMIES CONSIDERED BY FAMILY

Ampulicidae: Ampulicids are all predators of

cockroaches (Krombein 1979).  Piek et al. (1984) determined

that Ampulex compressa Fab.

stings its prey twice.  The first sting in the thorax area

causes a short,a reversible paralysis, while the second sting near the subesophageal ganglion results in submissive, lethargic behavior.

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All evaniids are solitary parasitoids of cockroach oothecae.

 attachment of the abdomen near the top of the propodeum and the long anal lobe at the base of the hind wing.

 Evania appendigaster (L.) is usually found wherever species of Periplaneta and Blatta are found.

 the total developmental time for E. appendigaster is 50-60 days

 Another evaniid, Prosevania punctata (Brulle) 

EVANIIDAE.

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EUPELMIDAE.- Roth & Willis (1960)

identified different eupelmid species as parasitoids of cockroach oothecae.

Anastatus blattidifurax Girault,(aus)

Eupelmus atriflagellum(aus)

 Anastatus umae sp. nov.(ind)

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a eupelmid reared from the oothecae of Neostylopyga rhombifolia in India by Narasimham & Sankaran (1979), reported parasitization rates of 27-84% from 164 oothecae. 

when offered a choice between N. rhombifolia and Periplaneta sp., A. umae always chose the former.

N. rhombifolia which is a domestic pest in India, especially in thatched huts.  There the roach deposits oothecae only on the inner side of palm leaves which form the roof.

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ENCYRTIDAE The biology of only one encyrtid

oothecal parasitoid of cockroaches, Comperia merceti(Compere) has been studied (Roth & Willis 1960, LeBeck 1985). 

 all studies indicate that C. merceti is host specific for the oothecae of Supella longipalpa (LeBeck 1985).

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The egg parasitoid,Comperia merceti (Compere) has potential for use in biological control.

This parasitoid seems to have a significant impact on brown banded cockroach when densities of oothecae are high (Coler et al. 1984).

Comperia merceti has been used for brownbanded cockroach control with great success (Slater 1980).

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The first mass culture and experimental release of C. merceti against brownbanded cockroaches was attempted by Slater et al. (1980) on the campus of the University of California, Berkeley.  

During Jan 1978-Dec 1979, over 20,000 parasitoids were released in offices, classrooms, animal rearing rooms and laboratories. Results showed that C. merceti successfully became established. 

It was suggested that periodic augmentation of the parasitoid might increase parasitization rates which only reached 19% in one location. 

Similar natural parasitization rates (19.5%) for C. merceti were reported by Narasimham & Sankaran 1979) in India.

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EULOPHIDAE.Two genera such as1Tetrastichus hagenowii  2Syntomosphyrum blattae, contain several gregarious parasitoids of cockroach oothecae. Tetrastichus hagenowii (Ratzeburg), has the broadest host range,

including the most cosmopolitan cockroach pests (LeBeck 1985). Tetrastichus hagenowii  has a broad host range, but it laboratory tests

showed that prefers to the oothecae ofPeriplaneta spp., especially P. americana ( Narasimham 1984).

 Host searching of T. hagenowii was studied by Narasimham (1984), showing that parasitoids first seek the proper habitat. 

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  They are attracted to relatively dry environments, became inactive

at 19°C and avoided high temperatures (>34°C).   Visual stimuli did not appear to function in host location, and

following trials that included oothecal extracts, Narasimham (1984) concluded that the female was not attracted to the host by chemical stimuli either.

There were random movements of the female observed until she was within 2-3 mm of an ootheca.

 Oothecae up to 30 days old were acceptable for oviposition, but those close to hatching were rejected (Roth & Willis 1954b).

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Entomopathogenic fungi Metarhizium anisopliae(metschnikoff) Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin

Green muscardine,metarhizium White muscardine.

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EFFECT OF Metarhizium anisopliae(metschnikoff) ON GERMAN COCKROACH. Virulence of Metarhizium anisopliae(Metschnikoff)

against the German Cockroach, Blatella germanica(L.), was determined using four concentrations ranging from 4.2x106to 4.2x109spores per millilitre.

The LD50 value was 1.4x107 spores per millilitre (56,000 spores per cockroach) and LT50 values were 14.8 days and 5.3 days for4.2x108and 4.2x109 spores per millilitre, respectively.

Potential of this strain to be horizontally transmitted and to rapidly spread the infection in the insect population.

E. Moraga,et al(2004)

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The mean number of oothecae laid by female was progressively and significantly reduced by fungal treatment from second oviposition period onwards.

Oothecal hatch of fungally challenged females was reduced by 46–49%, oothecal viability by 48–85%, and nymphal production by 22–35%.

E. -Moraga,et al(2004)

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PATHOGENICITY OF Metarhizium anisopliae AND Beauveriabassiana TO THE AMERICAN COCKROACH (DICTYOPTERA: BLATTIDAE)

The entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana Vuillemin 1912 and Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) Sorokin 1976 were tested against Periplaneta americana cockroach under laboratory conditions (1.1 x 106 conidia/cockroach, 24 ± 2°C and 50

The isolates tested against nymphs and adults of P. americana showed low pathogenic potential and significant mortality differences ± 10% RH).

Adults exhibited less mortality than nymphs, which showed behavioral changes once they received a conidial suspension.

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A second experiment evaluated if different mortality could exist in adult cockroach under controlled conditions (85 ± 10 % RH, 27°C).

Cockroach adults were susceptible to infection by M. anisopliae and B. bassiana; under high relative humidity conditions these fungi caused more mortality (47%), compared with laboratory conditions).

G. HERNANDEZ-RAMIREZ,et al(2008)

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