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Lack of repellency of three commercial ultrasonic devices to the German cockroach (Blattodea: Blattellidae)
Author(s) -
HUANG FANGNENG,
SUBRAMANYAM BHADRIRAJU
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
insect science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.991
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1744-7917
pISSN - 1672-9609
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-7917.2006.00069.x
Subject(s) - blattodea , german cockroach , cockroach , ultrasonic sensor , biology , dictyoptera , ultrasound , materials science , acoustics , german , range (aeronautics) , ecology , composite material , physics , history , archaeology
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 log 10 [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.