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Submitted to: Journal of Entomological Sciences
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 4/29/1997 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: The current method of collecting German cockroaches from the field for use in research is not capable of producing adequate numbers of cockroaches for immediate use. Usually a small population sample is collected from the field and allowed to increase in number in the laboratory. Unfortunately, this method may take months to years before sufficient numbers of cockroaches are available for research needs. Anticipating the need for an improved method to collect cockroaches from the field in order to assess their resistance level to insecticides, a scientist at the U.S. Dept. of Agric., A.R.S., Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology, in Gainesville, FL developed the vacuum assisted cockroach collector (VARC). This apparatus can collect large numbers of cockroaches from the field in a short period of time allowing research to be conducted on the cockroaches taken directly yfrom the field. Technical Abstract: A vacuum assisted apparatus was constructed to facilitate collections of large numbers of German cockroaches from the field for research purposes. The majority of the components of the vacuum-assisted cockroach collector (VARC) were polyvinyl chloride pipe and related fittings that were purchased from a local home center at a total cost of 24 dollars. The VARC captured 175 +/- 28.5 cockroaches from an artificially infested kitchen in 5 minutes while only 35.5 +/- 18.5 cockroaches were captured in beer/bread baited glass jar traps in a 24 hour period. |
