Cutting Through The Confusion Of Cockroach Gel Selection

The Australian professional pest control market is spoilt for choice when it comes to cockroach gels. Why is there such a broad selection? How do you cut through the product claims and look for the right attributes in a gel to suit a given situation? Let’s take a look at a number of common use patterns and set some must haves when we are evaluating the options.

The Australian cockroach gel market is comprised of a number of broad use categories. These are determined by where the gel is to be used (e.g. domestic or commercial) and what for (clean-out/premium or maintenance). Let’s start with maintenance gels.

Maintenance gels

Maintenance gels consist of products that are placed most often in commercial accounts and are responsible for controlling low to moderate cockroach populations: we are seeking to control developing populations. Most often maintenance gels are used after a knockdown or clean-out gel program has rapidly reduced cockroach populations to manageable levels. Maintenance gels are applied more frequently and for longer periods than premium gels.

These are the gels we use day in day out to maintain our program and, in commercial accounts, the gel we use the most. They are preferably lower in cost than premium gels and they are especially useful rotational partner with other gels in our program to prevent chemical resistance.

Domestic gels

Domestic gels are mostly used on a 12-month service interval. The main feature of such gels is that they remain effective (attractive) on surfaces for long periods of time: sustained level of attractancy as opposed to high attractancy over a short period of time. Toxicants in these products should be moderate to fast to ensure control of resident populations but need not be capable of the rapid reduction of large numbers of cockroaches as often found in commercial accounts.

Cleanout/premium gels

Cleanout/premium gels are often categorised by premium toxicants and attractive bait matrices resulting in rapid reduction in cockroach populations. Expect more than 90 per cent control of cockroaches between 12 and 24 hours, which means a noticeable reduction within 24 hours of above 70 per cent. Gels in this category need to be highly attractive so that their premium toxicant can do its job in the shortest time.

White versus brown gels – which are better?

It doesn’t really matter. Many users choose white gels for cosmetic purposes – for use on white melamine cupboards. However, careful placement can overcome the obvious contrast of a brown gel on white surfaces. The colour of a gel is due to the combination of its food components, not due to the addition of colouring agents. But if colour is important to you, ensure the gel you choose does its intended job. As always, read the product label.

So let’s summarise what we need to look for:

To find out more information about Envu's products and services, reach out to our team.

Always read the label before use.