Urban Entomology Highlights From 2020-Monitoring and Control of Urban Pests.

Pest management professionals aim to answer two primary questions for their customers: 1) 'Where/What is the pest?' and 2) 'How do I kill it?'. These two questions drive at the core of any pest management program. 2020 was an exciting year for entomology research, with much work being done on novel technologies and methods for detecting and controlling pests.

Effects of foraging distance on macronutrient balancing and performance in the German cockroach Blattella germanica.

The German cockroach (Blattella germanica) is an excellent model omnivore for studying the effect of foraging effort on nutrient balancing behavior and physiology, and its consequences for performance. We investigated the effect of foraging distance on individual German cockroaches by providing two foods differing in protein-to-carbohydrate ratio at opposite ends of long containers or adjacent to each other in short containers. Each food was nutritionally imbalanced, but the two foods were nutritionally complementary, allowing optimal foraging by selective feeding from both foods.

Insecticide resistance and nutrition interactively shape life-history parameters in German cockroaches.

Fitness-related costs of evolving insecticide resistance have been reported in a number of insect species, but the interplay between evolutionary adaptation to insecticide pressure and variable environmental conditions has received little attention. We provisioned nymphs from three German cockroach (Blattella germanica L.) populations, which differed in insecticide resistance, with either nutritionally rich or poor (diluted) diet throughout their development.

Diet quality affects bait performance in German cockroaches (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae).

Background: Bait formulations are widely used to control German cockroach (Blattella germanica) populations. To perform optimally, these formulations must compete favorably with non-toxic alternative foods present within the insect's habitat. We hypothesized that the nutritional history of cockroaches and their acceptance or avoidance of glucose would affect their food preference and thus bait efficacy.

Insecticide resistance and diminished secondary kill performance of bait formulations against German cockroaches (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae).

Background: Bait formulations are considered to be the most effective method for reducing German cockroach (Blattella germanica) infestations. An important property of some bait formulations is secondary kill, whereby active ingredient (AI) is translocated in insect-produced residues throughout the cockroach population, especially affecting relatively sedentary early-instar nymphs.

Results: B.