cockroaches and deep freeze

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by phorvati

Thanks thinwater, hope you're right.

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My weevil and meal moth statements were based on USDA and WHO studies plus my own data. There are other international studies. Although the exact figues vary some, this is extablished fact.

Several state extension services post info like this (this is Michigan, but also Minnesota and Pennsylvania):
Non-chemical management

Physical removal. Vacuuming can remove a significant number of cockroaches and egg cases from the environment and can be quite effective when combined with other methods. When possible, use vacuums with a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter to reduce cockroach debris that may become airborne.
Sticky traps help capture cockroaches but generally do not capture enough insects to be practical to help reduce a cockroach problem. However, they are a useful management tool to monitor for the presence of cockroaches.
Cold Treatment. You can cold treat small items, such as toasters, clocks, or boxes, to kill cockroaches that may be infesting them. Put the item in a plastic bag, close it up, and put the bag in a freezer. In winter, you could set the bag outside when temperatures are at or near 0 degrees F. Leave the bag in the cold for 5 days. After that, clean the item well before bringing it back into your home.



- temperature treatments
Heat treatments can effectively eliminate roaches if the whole room/apartment can be heated to about 140-150F for 5 to 6 hours. Some pest management firms provide heat treatments for roaches and other pests. Cold treatment can be used most effectively on smaller, infested objects. Items must be sustained below 0oF for several days to kill adults, nymphs, and oothecae [eggs].

So I believe this is also established fact. Just monitor the temp, as you suggested.

How do they survive cold winters? Underground and in protected areas, where it is not that cold. It's not hard for them to find a place in a compost heap that will barely freeze, if that. This is true of many insects and seeds.

[buzzstar]

This has worked for me. One of the single use aerosol misters or one of the single use water activated gassers. No food left on board, and in my case no plan to sail for a few days. Set the device off and be sure the boat is closed tight. I do not like pesticides used randomly, but they have great benefits in specific applications. In your situation the shrink wrap would rally seal the deal. BTW, I recall an article from many, many years ago, probably in Cruising World, but I am unsure, about a guy who thought wolf spiders were the best environmentally safe roach control ever found for small boats. Could be, but since I fear spiders enough to make my wife laugh, not for me.

[Kita]

Originally Posted by phorvati

I don't need to know about poisons etc, I'm not asking how to get rid of them. I am wondering about how cold and for how long before they die. Shrink wrap or not it will get to single digits for consecutive nights/days this winter. Some nights might see below 0F. I will monitor temps with IR thermomenter throughout the winter. Particularly in those hard to reach places.

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Ah,if you know how to kill them then go for it...the winter will NOT do it! As an experiment once when I was younger we put one in water & then in the freezer & frozen solid. ...damn thing walked away after it thawed, I was shocked. ...was told they can kill a scorpion and I didn't believe it so we tried that too and it's true! Roach gets next to the scorpion & puts his wing out on top of the scorpion & the scorpion stings himself trying to get the roach...tough little buggers will inherit the earth!

[zeehag]

if tyou are shrinkwrapping, fog it first--professionally. when you return, vacuum and ta daa.... then go about locating a family of gekkos.

[Dave22q]

Big difference between normal (German) roaches-small/brown and Fl palmetto bugs- big/ hard to squash. Any transported to RI should die off, there is a reason why they are a strictly Southern problem. I find generous application of any commercial liquid to bilge, cabinet floors, any near all water popes works well for a month or two. Anytime I see one I know it's time for reapplication. With the little roaches it seems like a single killing works well but of course they cannot fly.

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by Dave22q

Big difference between normal (German) roaches-small/brown and Fl palmetto bugs- big/ hard to squash. Any transported to RI should die off, there is a reason why they are a strictly Southern problem. I find generous application of any commercial liquid to bilge, cabinet floors, any near all water popes works well for a month or two. Anytime I see one I know it's time for reapplication. With the little roaches it seems like a single killing works well but of course they cannot fly.

donot delude yourself.
yes the little ones fly. it is one of their most favorite travel methods. that and laying eggs in plywood,but yes they LOVE flying. i have watched them.
i live in tropics where the national bird is cockroach.

[tinkrman69]

I didn't read all the posts as I'e found something that works for me....hasn't failed. It may have been mentioned and thats ok.

I really don't like spraying poison all over My home....I live aboard...but ants, roaches and other bugs, drive me crazy. I've found that if I blow Diatomaceous earth...the food grade kind...In all of my out of the way places...around water tanks, overhead liner,storage lockers, under the cabin sole...up away from any water that can get in the bilge... If I bring any on board they are gone within a day or two If I tie up to a dock that also keeps them at bay. I coated everything with a light dust about three years ago and haven't had a problem since. The great thing, is it's non toxic, to me and pets. It kills any crawling insect....Now if I can just get rid of the Fly's ;-)

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by phorvati

I recently purchased a boat in FL. I did notice that it had cockroaches. I wouldn't call it massive infestation but I have no reference as I never had them. Boat has been trucked to RI, and i plan to shrink wrap it and store it for the winter with no heat. It will be out of the water. Will New England winter kill the roaches and eggs?
At first, i though they would not survive the winter but then I understand that the damn things survived the ice age.
i am noticing that they hibernate. Just this morning there was a large one floating(appeared dead) in the very cold water trapped in chain locker. We had the first frost advisory and i've been seeing frost on decks. Well I put it on the toerail and few minutes later as the sun warmed it up, it started wiggling. Thank god i noticed it and squished it immediately. I did the same with 2 other smaller floating ones, and they all started moving.
Next one I find that is hibernating, i will put in a jar and leave in the freezer for few days and repeat the experiment.
Common sense suggests that if they need water to survive, they have some kind of water based liquid in them. Deep freeze will expand the water, and I figured as long as whatever liquid they are comprised of can freeze and expand, it should shatter their tissue.

Error on the safe side put those roach bait things made by Raid around prior to winterizing. Those damn things were here before us and will be after us.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Kita

Ah,if you know how to kill them then go for it...the winter will NOT do it! As an experiment once when I was younger we put one in water & then in the freezer & frozen solid. ...damn thing walked away after it thawed, I was shocked. ...was told they can kill a scorpion and I didn't believe it so we tried that too and it's true! Roach gets next to the scorpion & puts his wing out on top of the scorpion & the scorpion stings himself trying to get the roach...tough little buggers will inherit the earth!

Most likely the freezer was not sub-zero. Many or most are not nearly that cold. They are just in the teens at best. Not even cold by northern standards.

And I agree with the traps. Good to catch a few survivors before they find each other and ....

[captlloyd]

Originally Posted by thinwater

I don't know about roaches.

I did a study while ago renegading preservation of rice and grains on boats. Moth and weevil eggs are killed, or at least rendered non-viable, at about 15F for a long period or 0F over night. I'm guessing a few single digit nights will do it, but a long ~ freezing winter will not. I don't know your temps, but the shrink wrap may keep it too warm. You need some sustained 0F.

I agree, at the very least you will need to open ports and make sure the freezing temperatures penetrate every inch of the boat. The little buggers will seek shelter under anything to keep themselves warm. Let us know what happens after you freeze one.

[phorvati]

Got few larvae and two small(I guess german) ones in a jar. My freezer is 0F as per IR thermometer. Well see what happens. As I was pulling stanchion bases toI saw one come out on teak deck that was warm in the autumn sun. They do seek warmth. I'm doing some major tlc and in the process taking off headliner etc etc, getting into all the places where they like to hide.

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[Three Sisters]

Originally Posted by phorvati

I recently purchased a boat in FL. I did notice that it had cockroaches. I wouldn't call it massive infestation but I have no reference as I never had them. Boat has been trucked to RI, and i plan to shrink wrap it and store it for the winter with no heat. It will be out of the water. Will New England winter kill the roaches and eggs?
At first, i though they would not survive the winter but then I understand that the damn things survived the ice age.
i am noticing that they hibernate. Just this morning there was a large one floating(appeared dead) in the very cold water trapped in chain locker. We had the first frost advisory and i've been seeing frost on decks. Well I put it on the toerail and few minutes later as the sun warmed it up, it started wiggling. Thank god i noticed it and squished it immediately. I did the same with 2 other smaller floating ones, and they all started moving.
Next one I find that is hibernating, i will put in a jar and leave in the freezer for few days and repeat the experiment.
Common sense suggests that if they need water to survive, they have some kind of water based liquid in them. Deep freeze will expand the water, and I figured as long as whatever liquid they are comprised of can freeze and expand, it should shatter their tissue.

Sounds like a fun experiment.

Have the roaches invaded the balsa core ? Great spot for moisture. Oh, wait, you previously mentioned scurrying out when a stanchion was removed.

Till the spring.

[Kita]

Originally Posted by thinwater

Most likely the freezer was not sub-zero. Many or most are not nearly that cold. They are just in the teens at best. Not even cold by northern standards.

And I agree with the traps. Good to catch a few survivors before they find each other and ....

Might not have sub zero,but the roach was in a block of ice! Frozen solid.... thawed & walked away....did the same thing to a paper wasp nest that was VERY active! Killed em all...I will do the test again with a thermometer in the freezer for better accuracy but the point is roaches are tough little buggers and most likely will find a way to stay warm & survive

[Beavereater]

I've never had a cockroach survive freezing temperatures, I own a pest control business in Minnesota, having heavily infested items placed in freezing temperatures for several days is a 100% reliable method for killing them. If you're feeling like doing them in soooner I would dust the interior of the boat with CimeXa, it's finely ground silica and can be vacuumed out later, where a respirator so you don't irritate your lungs it is a strong desicant. Works great on bed bugs too.

[knockabout]

yes as team insatiable explained they fly / if it is very dry and you wash down anything outside with fresh water especially clothes it works like burly / they supposedly survive without water / the cockroach population and introduced cane beetles increased in numbers when cane farmers changed their techniques and don't burn the foliage off as much as they used to / we are having some success with a spray called' crawley cruncher' you need to keep an open mind to ideas as they adapt and survive