Hi Rahul
On the face of it, what PCI Rentokil are suggesting looks sensible, by using chemicals with different active ingredients and modes of action. A classic pesticide users’ approach to IPM. However, true IPM means using insecticides as a last resort. Have they been monitoring already and have they identified possible harbourages, and hot spots of activity. Any proposal to apply insecticides should be based on a thorough survey and monitoring programme first. American cockroaches can equally well live outdoors, especially in hotter climates, so I would be challenging them to propose long term solutions not just quick fixes. Prevention is better than control, so what are they suggesting regarding improved hygiene, exclusion and changes to the building to prevent this problem from developing further or reoccurring. Or are they just wanting to come in and spray? Fipronil is one of the most effective and highly recommended active ingredients used in gel bait formulations to control Periplaneta americana (American cockroach) and Blattella germanica (German cockroach) so not sure why they would say it won’t affect them. The SDS is from Gaiagen which is the sister company to PCI, so is one of their own products. If their own product won’t work (according to them) what other gel baits can they propose? I would still want to see them try the gel bait approach first before spraying anything. Baits need time to work, so this will not be a quick fix. Effective pest management may mean repeat visits. Is this part of their recommendation or are they just suggesting a one-time visit? You mention pantry areas. If you have an area of the building which contains food or is used for food preparation, I would question using sprays in these areas and look at how to improve hygiene here first. For voids in public spaces, perhaps consider treatments such as Diatomaceous Earth or other desiccant powders if available. Any such gaps and spaces should be sealed to prevent insects from using these spaces as harbourages and also to facilitate cleaning. Again, gels will help treat populations that live in ducts and voids as the cokroaches should take the bait and return to the harbourage where they die. It is often suggested that other cockroaches then feed on the dead roach, creating what is known as the domino effect. That was certainly an early marketing claim of brands such as Maxforce. Would they be able to treat these ducts and voids any better with sprays? I hope you find these suggestions helpful. Regards David David Loughlin Historyonics www.historyonics.com From: <[email protected]> on behalf of R R <[email protected]> Reply to: <[email protected]> Date: Wednesday 10 June 2026 at 07:48 To: <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [PestList] Suggestion regarding pest treatment in an art gallery stationed in Mumbai, India Hello David, Thank you for this. Pest management company is saying that the gel won't affect American cockroaches which i highly doubt. Also they recommend using sprays in pantry area and draining and ducts, and skirting areas of the viewing space, which I am not sure of. What do you suggest On Wed, 10 Jun, 2026, 12:10 David Loughlin, <[email protected]> wrote: Hello Rahul Rentokil PCI are probably the largest pest control service company in India but perhaps not the brightest. They seem to be wanting to throw everything including the kitchen sink at your cockroach problem. If they are proposing to use gels, that is great and fipronil based gel is a decent one to use. However for gels to work, it is advised not to disturb the population by applying any other insecticide, so why they would want to use a repellent and a insecticidal sprays is confusing unless they are treating different parts of your gallery, but even then I wouldn’t. Gels are placed discretely so the cockroaches feed on them, then go back to their harbourages to die. Sprays would disturb this effect. Clothianidin Is a more modern chemical, an neonicotinoid and also used in gel baits but the SDS you supplied is for WDG or water dispersable granules which suggests they want to spray it. Again I would not recommend this alongside gels. It has a broad spectrum effect so will take care of most crawling insects. I wouldn’t allow propoxur anywhere near the gallery. Already banned in many countries, carbamates are old technology and as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, not great for us. Gumtree are a good Indian company making some decent insect traps so those are fine and I would want to see PCI monitoring the situation. PCI also have access to super sized traps from Gumtree like the Exoroach so that might be worth exploring with them. Hope this helps. Good luck. David Historyonics On 10 Jun 2026, at 06:40, R R <[email protected]> wrote: Hello everyone, Recently in one of the galleries, the pest management company saw American and german cockroach in our gallery. Now they are suggesting following chemicals? Are they safe for the art gallery which has artworks. Request you to please advise. Thank you Rahul Raina Senior Manager and Senior Conservator. -- This PestList and the MuseumPests.com web site are made possible due to the talent, intelligence, devotion and donations of hundreds of volunteers. Your donation to help this resource continue would be greatly appreciated. Please consider a donation donating at https://givebutter.com/MuseumPests To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MuseumPests" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pestlist/CAG_4n2XM3cWJU9iBZYEoA%2BUoi_1cR2L2Ak2YCNdHtzBkSS8GVQ%40mail.gmail.com. <Fipronil Gel MSDS.pdf> <MSDS-Bug-Beetle_Guard-_Nov-24__1_ (1).pdf> <MSDS TRANSPORTEX (Propoxur 20% EC) 2021.pdf> <Sumipride CLOTHIANIDIN 50 WDG-MSDS (2).pdf> <GSS Brochure (2) (1).pdf> <Gumtree IMT MSDS.pdf> -- This PestList and the MuseumPests.com web site are made possible due to the talent, intelligence, devotion and donations of hundreds of volunteers. Your donation to help this resource continue would be greatly appreciated. Please consider a donation donating at https://givebutter.com/MuseumPests To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MuseumPests" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pestlist/ADAE94FE-9AAA-44B8-A0D7-EF5BFEF68A0C%40historyonics.com. -- This PestList and the MuseumPests.com web site are made possible due to the talent, intelligence, devotion and donations of hundreds of volunteers. Your donation to help this resource continue would be greatly appreciated. Please consider a donation donating at https://givebutter.com/MuseumPests To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MuseumPests" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pestlist/CAG_4n2W8%2B-mgvLeHDFoXL%2BcWGNWn4dh12Q2zdM674YDeHCBTiw%40mail.gmail.com. -- This PestList and the MuseumPests.com web site are made possible due to the talent, intelligence, devotion and donations of hundreds of volunteers. Your donation to help this resource continue would be greatly appreciated. Please consider a donation donating at https://givebutter.com/MuseumPests To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MuseumPests" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pestlist/D721445B-037A-4049-94CD-BC03A9C27444%40historyonics.com.
