Lack of repellency of three commercial ultrasonic devices to the German cockroach (Blattodea: Blattellidae)

doi:10.1111/j.1744-7917.2006.00069.x

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Wiley InterScience

Insect Science

Volume 13 Issue 1, Pages 61 - 66

Published Online: 30 Jan 2006

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Lack of repellency of three commercial ultrasonic devices to the German cockroach (Blattodea: Blattellidae)

FANGNENG HUANG ¹ and BHADRIRAJU SUBRAMANYAM ²

¹ Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana , and ² Department of Grain Science and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA

Correspondence: Fangneng Huang, 404 Life Sciences Building, Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA. Tel: 225 578 0111; fax: 225 578 1632; e-mail: fhuang@agcenter.1su.edu

KEYWORDS

Blattella germanica • ultrasonic devices • urban pest management

ABSTRACT

Abstract Three commercial ultrasonic devices (A, B, and C) were tested for their ability to repel the German cockroach, Blattella germanica (L.) (Blattodea: Blattellidae), in Plexiglas® enclosures. Device A generated peak frequencies at 26 kHz and 34 kHz, and produced a 95 ± 1 dB sound pressure level (SPL) at 50 cm distance (0 dB = 20 log₁₀[20 μPa/ 20 μPa]). Device B generated peak frequencies at 27 kHz and 35 kHz, and produced a 92 ± 4 dB SPL. Device C generated a wide range of frequencies between 28–42 kHz and produced an 88 ± 2 dB SPL. Ultrasound from any of the three devices did not demonstrate sufficient repelling ability against the German cockroach in the tests. The result failed to provide evidence that ultrasonic technology could be used as an effective pest management tool to repel or eliminate the German cockroach.

Accepted October 11, 2005

DIGITAL OBJECT IDENTIFIER (DOI)

10.1111/j.1744-7917.2006.00069.x About DOI