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Student 10-Minute Presentation

Medical, Urban, and Veterinary Entomology

Student

Student Competition

Undergrad 10-min Competition: MUVE and PBT, Behavior, Pollinators, and Chemical Ecology

Essential oils: Are they essential for German cockroach control?

Monday, November 11, 2024

8:24 AM – 8:36 AM MST

Location: Phoenix Convention Center, 226 C, PCC

Presenting Author(s)

Daniela Jackson

Undergraduate Research Assistant
University of Kentucky
London, Kentucky

Co-Author(s)

Zachary DeVries

Assistant Professor
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
AS

Angela Sierras

University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky

Traditional pest management practices rely heavily on synthetic insecticides, but due to their toxicity, there is concern surrounding potential hazards to humans, pets, and the environment. Consequently, there is a growing demand for natural products that are effective against urban pests. To address the demand for natural products against urban pests, especially cockroaches, several products have been formulated with essential oils (EOs). While the insecticidal profiles of EO-based products are environmentally ideal, their efficacy against German cockroaches, especially in terms of residual activity and behavioral effects, is not well understood. Integrated pest management (IPM) approaches, including the use of EO products, have been proposed for cockroach control. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of commercially available EO products through both direct application and residual exposure. Further, we explored the effects EO products had on German cockroach behavior. Our results show that while EO products work well when applied directly to German cockroaches, they do not perform well when tested as residuals.