Effect of Population Density on Exploratory Activity and Mortality Rate of German Cockroaches ¹ in Choice Boxes²

Authors: EBELING, W.; REIERSON, D. A.

Source: Journal of Economic Entomology, Volume 63, Number 2, April 1970 , pp. 350-355(6)

Publisher: Entomological Society of America

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Abstract:

Adult male Blattella germanica (L.) were placed in the light halves of choice boxes in 7 population-density categories, ranging from 1 to 40 insects per box. The floors of the dark halves of the boxes had been treated with boric acid powder or propoxur emulsion, or left untreated as controls. In both treated and untreated boxes the rate at which the insects entered the dark halves (through a hole 1.2 cm in diameter) was inversely proportional to population density because of increasingly greater exploratory activity with decreasing number of insects per box. However, mortality rate was directly proportional to population density. One reason for this relationship was that as the number of cockroaches per choice box increased, competition for preferred insecticide-free niches in the choice box increased. Judging from the reported adverse effect of crowding on the ability of cockroaches to learn to avoid electric shock, it is also likely that the insects were less able to modify their behavior so as to avoid repeated contact with insecticide. The influence of population density on percent mortality of German cockroaches in treated apartment buildings in previously conducted experiments was the same as in the choice boxes used in the present laboratory experiments.

Document Type: Research article

Publication date: 1970-04-01

More about this publication?

Journal of Economic Entomology is published bimonthly in February, April, June, August, October, and December. The journal publishes articles on the economic significance of insects and is divided into the following sections: apiculture & social insects; arthropods in relation to plant disease; forum; insecticide resistance and resistance management; ecotoxicology; biological and microbial control; ecology and behavior; sampling and biostatistics; household and structural insects; medical entomology; molecular entomology; veterinary entomology; forest entomology; horticultural entomology; field and forage crops, and small grains; stored-product; commodity treatment and quarantine entomology; and plant resistance. In addition to research papers, Journal of Economic Entomology publishes Letters to the Editor, interpretive articles in a Forum section, Short Communications, Rapid Communications, and Book Reviews.
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