Repellency and Toxicity of Eastern Red Cedar to Cockroaches and the Firebrat, 1986

Abstract

Abstract Freshly made, 7 mm thick, 100% cedar particle board was evaluated for repellency in standard Ebeling choice boxes and for toxicity by continuous exposure. Three surface areas of particle board were evaluated: 250, 400, and 469 cm2, as well as untreated control (masonite panel). Each treatment was replicated 6 times. Water and food (Purina Dog Chow) was provided ad libitum only in the light side of the choice box. Twenty adult male German cockroaches, (American Cyanamid Co., Clifton, NJ, susceptible strain), brownbanded cockroaches, American cockroaches, smokybrown cockroaches, or firebrats, were placed into the light side of each box. The insects were allowed access to the treated side after 2 h. Position and mortality were recorded daily for 14 days. Toxicity of cedar paneling was accessed by confining 5 groups of 6 males of each cockroach species or large firebrats to the paneling. The insects were confined under inverted 9 cmdiam petri dish bottoms that had been lightly coated on the vertical sides with petroleum jelly. No food or water was provided and mortality was recorded daily. Control mortality was determined for each species by confinement to masonite paneling.