Development of Fipronil Gel Bait Against German Cockroaches, Blattella germanica (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae): Laboratory and Field Performance in Bandung, Indonesia

摘要

The present study was conducted with the aim to develop an easily made fipronil insecticidal gel and test this gel both in the laboratory and in the field. Four gel baits were developed, each having the same amount of fipronil (0.03%) but with different attractants. The attractants were: chicken liver, honey-banana, cow blood and cockroach feces. Laboratory tests showed that 100% mortality was achieved within 36 h with chicken liver, 48 h with honey-banana, 60 h with cow blood and 72 h with cockroachfeces, respectively. Statistically, there were no difference between the use of honey-banana and chicken liver as compared to the remaining two. The next test showed that bait containing honey-banana was the most stable gel in terms of consistency and texture. Field trials using honey-banana containing bait was conducted in 16 kitchens, with 2 controls. Throughout the five week trials, the controls received weekly insecticide spraying treatment using cypermethrin. The results showed that the bait was very effective in controlling the population of German cockroach, >90% reduction was achieved after 2 weeks of treatment and 100% reduction was achieved after 5 weeks of treatment, with the initial number of cockroach per kitchen ranging from 41-243.