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2004 Is quickly coming to an end with business activities at the highest point for the whole of 2004. Bayer Environmental Science in Sub Saharan Africa has experienced an exiting year throughout all of our business segments.

BAYER ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE news
Science - Service - Solutions

Volume 5 - No.: 5 - Quarter 3: July to September 2004

Believe it or Not
If a cockroach loses its head, it can live for about 2 weeks since it has other �brains� on its legs. It finally dies because it has no mouth to get food and water. Generally, cockroaches can live for four weeks without food, but cannot survive for more than two weeks without water. You�ve probably heard the story about cockroaches surviving a nuclear war: we die but they live! Radiologists have found that humans can safely withstand a one-time exposure of 5 rems (A �rem� is the dosage of radiation that will cause a specific, measured amount of injury to human tissue). A lethal dose is 800 rems or more (people are exposed to about 16 rems during their lifetime). Insect researchers have found that cockroaches can tolerate a much higher dose. The lethal dose for the American cockroach is 67,500 rems and for the German cockroach it is between 90,000 and 105,000 rems! In truth the amount of radiation that cockroaches can withstand is equivalent to that of a thermonuclear explosion.
A Word or Two
2004 Is quickly coming to an end with business activities at the highest point for the whole of 2004. Bayer Environmental Science in Sub Saharan Africa has experienced an exiting year throughout all of our business segments. We started off with a relatively slower first six months in 2004 compared to 2003 but this has since changed dramatically. The increase in activity during the last 2-3 months has once again been proof of how irregular and u npredictable our African market is. Together with the excellent performance of our distributors this year and the strengthening of the ZAR against all major currencies to contribute to our above budgeted performance. Well done to all !! In this issue of BES news we focus on cockroach control in domestic premises, food handling areas, public buildings and commercial and industrial premises. Bayer Environmental Science is a leader in passive treatment applications and currently markets Maxforce�, the biggest cockroach control brand in the market. The Maxforce brand consist of Maxforce� Gold, Maxforce� IC and Maxforce� Gel. These various gel formulations allow for passive treatment application in comparison to the general residual spray applications. The advantages of gel applications are: (1.) Easy to apply (Convenient, ready-to-use, re-sealable cartridge with controlled applications). (2.) Minimal disruption of the client (No need to vacate premises; can apply anytime, odourless and no visible deposits). (3.) Acceptability in use ( Low dose rate, minimal protective clothing requirements, controlled delivery minimizing exposure to people, animals and the environment). These products are ideal for use in sensitive areas where residual sprays would not have been possible e.g. in the vicinity of electrical equipment. Bayer Environmental Science has the solution to your cockroach problem wherever it occurs. BES wish you all success for the remainder of 2004 as well as a blessed festive season to you, your family and loved ones. Andr� van Heerden Business Area Manager
BES news Science - Service - Solutions
Introduction Cockroaches have existed on earth for at least 250 million years, having changed very little since the Carboniferous period. There are about 3,500 species of cockroaches, some of which concern man by assuming the role of a loathsome pest. Medical Importance Cockroaches carry many pathogens by their habit of regurgitating food and defecating while feeding. Movement from unhygienic areas into houses can cause mechanical contamination of food with viruses, bacteria, protozoa, helminthes and fungi, causing enteric fever, gastro- enteritis, intestinal infections, food poisoning, dysentery, diarrhoea and other disease conditions Habitat and behaviour The domiciliary species prefer an urban and moist environment. They are mainly found in kitchens, larders, restaurants, door frames, cupboards, electrical boxes, drains and sewers, cracks & crevices. Domiciliary cockroaches are nocturnal. They forage for food at night and hide during the day. They can migrate from house to house through sewers. They are very sensitive to vibrations and disturbances, quickly scurrying for cover.
Valuables
Cockroach control will only be successful if we know: Which species is it? Where do the adults and the juveniles hide, and where do they move around? What is the source of the infestation, and how are the insects getting into premises? These questions must be answered by means of an assessment, such as using sticky traps, before a campaign begins. Integrated pest management is particularly important when it comes to cockroaches. Control and cleaning of an infested area should always be done from the outside in to prevent the insects from fleeing. First, rooms should be cleaned and food removed. Cracks and hollow areas resulting from poor construction should be sealed off. Contact insecticides (powders, sprays, fogging agents) and baits are available for chemical-based control. The egg capsules are usually insensitive to insecticides. It is thus not unusual to see the reappearance of insects a few weeks after initial control; a number of time-delayed campaigns are necessary. If care is not taken, they can quickly re-enter sensitive areas. Modern bait formulations to control cockroach infestations allow highly targeted application close to the cockroach population. Cockroach gels are ideally suited to food handling areas, restaurants, supermarkets, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, hotels and other sensitive areas. In contrast to the application of conventional fogs or liquid sprays, cockroach gel application does not require extensive preliminary preparations. Special protective clothing as prescribed for application of sprays is not necessary. Cupboards do not have to be emptied, occupants do not have to leave during treatment and there is no smell. The normal operation of kitchens, restaurants, offices etc. can continue and people do not need to leave the area. Very little active ingredient needs to be applied to achieve extraordinary results. Cockroach gels should be applied by placing the applicator tip into cracks, crevices, holes, voids, hollow spaces in floors, walls, ceilings, equipment legs, utility entrances, around drain pipes, behind or under cabinets, refrigerators, sinks, stoves, dishwashers and other equipment where cockroaches may hide or have their nests. Gaps through which they may enter the building also need to be treated. Of course, cockroach gels are also intended for use in non-food/feed areas such as garbage rooms, lavatories, floor drains to sewers entries and vestibules, offices, locker rooms, machine rooms, storage rooms, aircraft and so on.
COCKROACH CONTROL: Maxforce� Range
Enquiries: Coopers (Distributor) JHB - (011) 979-4246 PMB - (033) 345-1283 CT � (021) 982-0466/7 BFN- (051) 447-7021 PE - (041) 484-6126 NAMIBIA - (09 264 61) 222 923

Visage Facing Facts There are three main cockroach pest species in South Africa: German cockroach (Blattella germanica) American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) Oriental cockroach (Blatta orientalis) German cockroach (Blattella germanica) Size : Up to 16 mm Appearance : Light brown appearance with characteristic dark stripes on thorax Where found : Worldwide, resides in nearly every part of human habitats Agility : Good climber, even on very slippery surfaces, cannot fly Food : Omnivore Reproduction : Females carry egg capsules until shortly before they hatch, depositing them near moisture sources, 2-3 month development time from egg to adult, 36-egg average, 100-200 day life expectancy, population multiplies very quickly American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) Size : Up to 53 mm Appearance : Medium brown Where found : Tropics and sub-tropics, prefers warm site in temperate climates, sewers, warehouses Agility : Poor climber, both sexes fly well and far Food : Omnivore Reproduction : Females deposit egg capsules anywhere, 600 day development time, 15-20 egg, up to 400 day life expectancy Oriental cockroach (Blatta orientalis) Size : Up to 32 mm Appearance : Dark brown Where found : Worldwide, prefers warm areas such as bakeries, breweries, dairies, sewers A gility : Not a good climber, cannot fly Food : Omnivore Reproduction : Females deposit egg capsules in warm and moist sites, 2-6 month development time, 15-egg average, 150 day life expectancy All three species almost never fly and Oriental roaches cannot fly. They may glide for short distances.
Q�s & A�s:
Q: I read a newspaper article about children taken to the hospital with cockroach bites. Do cockroaches bite humans? A: The cockroach is an omnivore, that is, it eats everything edible, animal and vegetable. Cockroaches tend to be attracted to body secretions e.g. the �sleep� in one�s eye. They would then climb onto the face of the sleeping child in order to eat the secretions of the eye. TAKE PART IN OUR MAXFORCE� COMPETITION (PCO only)
Correspond
Any Suggestions, Questions, Feedback	Please write in to : The Editor, Bayer Environmental Science News, PO Box 143, Isando, 1600 Fax : 011 921-5754 ; email: noleen.meyer@bayercropscience.com www.bayeres.co.za (PLEASE NOTE: NEW WEBADDRESS )

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