The perils posed to public health by the presence of cockroaches in residential areas are unscrupulous. This study was therefore designed to identify major pest species of cockroaches and determine their seasonal distribution in Abraka Delta State so as to design more efficient control/intervention strategies for their control. The collection was done during the dry season (November 2014-February 2015) and wet season (July 2014-October 2014). Abraka was divided into West-South, South-East, Central, and South-East. Collection was carried out actively by hand picking and careful use of swat sticks and brooms; and passively by trapping methods from different parts of the households. Adults and the different stages of instars were identified using standard taxonomic entomological keys based on their morphological characteristics. A total of 7835 cockroaches were caught, 6 species of which P. americana, P. fuliginosa, B. orientalis, B. germanica and Parcoblatta spp. had population of 1885(24%), 1867 (24%), 1756 (22%), 949 (12%), 844 (11%) and 534 (7%) respectively. When the distribution of dry and wet seasons was compared there was no statistical difference (P > 0.05). There was high abundance of species in the Central site (50%), while the North-East, West-South and South-East had 28%, 14% and 7% respectively. Although more cockroaches were found in the Central site, higher species diversity occurred in North-East site when compared to other locations. The species were evenly distributed as the abundance and index (H) increased. This study has attested that there was no significance difference (P>0.05) in the distribution of cockroaches in Abraka. To successfully control the proliferation of cockroaches in Abraka there is need for constant practices that includes good sanitation, proper management of solid and liquid waste and the use of environmental sensitive insecticides as effective control is easily achieved in a temperate climate than in humid and warm areas.

1. Seasonal Distribution of
Cockroaches’ Species in Abraka
Delta State
*Odibo, E.O1. Egwunyenga, A.O2 and
Ojianwuna, C.C2.
1 D e p a r t m e n t o f B i o l o g i c a l S c i e n c e s , M i c h a e l a n d
C e c i l i a I b r u U n i v e r s i t y, A g b a r h a - O t o r, D e l t a
S t a t e .
2 D e p a r t m e n t o f A n i m a l a n d E n v i r o n m e n t a l
B i o l o g y, D e l t a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y, A b r a k a .
48TH ANNUAL ENTOMOLOGICAL
SOCIETY OF NIGERIA
CONFERENCE AWKA 2017

2.  Cockroaches are insects of the order Blattaria or Blattodea
that lives in tropical and subtropical area with over 4500
species identified, majority of these species are not pests
but live in the wild, playing important roles as they feed on
dead vegetation recycling dead matter.
 About 25-30 species are synanthropic in nature associating
themselves with human habitat, of these less than 1% that
is only 4-5 are regarded as global pest.
 They feed on little and to a large extent contaminate stored
food products, where they leave a persistent characteristic
odour which then has to be thrown away. The adult
cockroaches have the ability to survive without food for
several weeks.
INTRODUCTION
2

3. 2.0 MATERIALS AND METHODS
3
• West-
South
site
• Central
site
• North-
eastern
site
• South-
eastern
site
Study
area
Environmenta
l/Climatic
conditions
• Hand
picking,
careful use of
swat sticks
and brooms
• Traps,
insecticides
• Dry season-
November
2014-
February
2015
• Wet season-
July -October
2014 and
March 2015 Sample
collection
Cockroach
identificatio
n • 2-way ANOVA
was used to
ansalysed
both wet dry
season at
P<O.O5.
• Shannon-
Weiner
diversity
index (H) and
evenness
(H/Hmax).was
used to
determine the
cockroach
species
richness and
evenness in
each of the
sites the
sites.
Statistica
l
Analysis
-Cockroaches were
transported to the
laboratory
immediately.
-The sex, nymph
instar and species of
cockroaches were
identified using
standard taxonomic
entomological keys
based on their
morphological
characteristics.
-Climate is
equatorially
hot- 23-370C
-Relatively
humid- 55-
70%
-Annual
rainfall-
3,098mm
-Rainforest
biome

4. 2.1 Study area
Abraka lies between the latitude of 5050 North of the equator and longitude
6015 east of the Greenwich meridian. Abraka is located on the south bank of
the river Ethiope and is an agglomeration of several communities that make
up the linearly aligned arrangement along the new and old Sapele-Agbor
high way. The study town was divided into 4 sites based on the Google map
navigational system and the linear aligned arrangement of the town.
 West-South site- Urhouvie, Erho, Oria and Otoroh;
 Central site- Ekrejeta, Abraka P/O and Ajalomi;
 North-eastern site- Ugono, Abraka in-land, Ughere and Urhuagbesa;
 South-eastern site- Ogbeje, Umeghe, Urhuoka and Okierhirhe.
Housing units sampled were selected randomly after reading/explaining and
accepting the details of the sampling procedures to the participating
occupants. Also houses previously fumigated with insecticides were secluded
out.
The findings were communicated and oriented for the practicing of proper
housekeeping and personal hygiene, all information obtained at each course
of the study was kept confidential.
2.0 MATERIALS AND
METHODS
4

5. 2.0 MATERIALS AND METHODS
CONT’D
FIG 1: Map of Delta State
Source: Efe and Aruegodore (2003)
FIG 2: Map of Abraka, the study area
Source: Ozabor and Wodu (2016)

6. RESULTS
6
FIGURE 3-Graph showing the frequency of cockroaches obtained in both dry and wet
seasons

7.  There are several suppositions that certain change in environmental
conditions alters the distribution of insects such as population and
distribution.
 The outcome of this study indicates that the seasonal changes do not
influence the distribution and occurrence of cockroaches in the study area
as there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) when the occurrence of
cockroaches in the dry season and wet season were analysed. This could
be as a result of the temperature, relative humidity and availability of food
source.
 Species of cockroach encountered in Abraka town seem to have a
wide range. Worthy of note is that all housing unit sampled were all
infested with pest species of cockroaches and these species were
both observed in the wet and dry season.
 With respect to sites, there was significant difference (P < 0.05) in the
occurrence of cockroaches across site, results also showed that
more samples of cockroaches were obtained from Central site
communities. This may be a direct reflection of food remnants that
may be available in the kitchen at homes belonging to these
4.0
DISCUSSION
7

8. Hence, the control of cockroaches wherever they occur is essential and the
use of integrated pest management that incorporates cultural practices,
good sanitation, proper management of solid and liquid waste, use of
environmental sensitive insecticides should not be misused and properly
handled by skilled workers which should be advocated and promoted as
cockroach infestation can be controlled with knowledge about their biology
and behavior, attention to sanitation and effective use of commercial
insecticides. With the environmental and public health consideration and
importance due to the risk of high infestation rate of cockroach especially
in Abraka town, there is need to educate the populace, at home level this
should include this should include general cleanliness, proper discarding of
leftover food, timely washing of dishes and rinsing of cans or bottles before
disposal and the use of cockroach-proof garbage bins and outside the
home, control should include proper management of landfills, use of proper
disposal facilities and proper sanitation. This study has proved that to
effectively control the proliferation of cockroaches in Abraka town there is
need for constant practices that includes good sanitation, proper
management of solid and liquid waste and the use of environmental
sensitive insecticides.
CONCLUSION

9. 9

10. 10

11. THANK
YOU
!!!