Cockroaches

Cockroaches are one of the most hated and widespread pest found in houses, restaurants and commercial properties. Sometimes even the cleanest home can develop a cockroach infestation.

Cockroaches are a nocturnal creature and will only come out when disturbed during the day. They like cracks and crevices and warm damp environments. Unluckily for humans, ‘roaches have the ability to carry many diseases such as salmonella, dysentery and gastroenteritis which can be carried into your homes. Moulting occurs a few times a year and their discarded skin has been known to cause asthmatic reactions in some individuals. There are many different types of cockroaches which, their species deciding  where to find them and how to treat the infestation.

German Cockroach

Blattella germanic

The German cockroach is 12-66mm long, pale brown in colour with two long streaks down its back. They are quite active and have wings but don’t usually fly.

• Life Cycle
  Female German cockroaches lays 4-8 capsules in her life time and carries an egg capsule containing 30-48 eggs until they are ready to hatch roughly 30-48 days into Nymphs. Nymphs will moult about 7 times before reaching their 1 year adulthood lifespan.
• Location
  The German cockroach is the most wide spread insect pest of the world and they are even known to be found in Alaska in cold, harsh environments. They don’t survive very well in areas away from humans and prefer warm, high moisture ares. German cockroaches are also attracted to food sources such as your pantry, kitchens, bathrooms, and round cooking appliances. Being nocturnal they come out at night when they can’t be disturbed.
• Food
  Being a scavenger, they will be found eating anything from food scrapes to leather and books but prefer fermented foods. German cockroach adults can live around one month without food.

American Cockroach

Periplaneta americana

American cockroach at 1.5-2 inches is the largest of the cockroach species. Brown and reddish colour with a yellow band after its head.

• Life Cycle
  Female American cockroaches lay 6-90 capsules in her life span and carry their egg capsule containing 12-16 eggs for 4 days before leaving them near a food source. They are ready to hatch roughly 6 to 8 weeks into a Nymphs. Nymphs will moult about 7-13 times before reaching a 1.5 to 2 year adulthood lifespan.
• Location
  The American cockroach enjoys hiding in dark, damp and warm environments such as under the house or in sewers. They can also be found around fridges, water pipes, boilers and heating appliances.
• Food
  American cockroaches prefer to eat a variety of animal materials and plants. Adults can live 2 to 3 months without food.

Australian Cockroach

Periplaneta australasiae

Growing to about 30-35mm long with a yellow boarder behind its head, the Australian Cockroach usually exhibits a dark reddish brown colouration with light markings on its body. Wings cover its body.

• Life Cycle
  Females lay 12-30 capsules in their life time and discard the capsule containing 16-24 eggs soon after developing near a food source. They are ready to hatch roughly 1 month into a Nymphs. Nymphs will moult about 10-12 times before reaching an 8 month adulthood lifespan.
• Location
  The Australian cockroach is mainly found outside under bark or in piles of wood. They have been found inside in warm, humid environments such as cupboards, sub floors and roof spaces.
• Food
  Australian cockroaches prefer to eat a variety of organic matter.

Management and Control

Cockroaches like cracks and crevices to live where they can touch the top and bottom of their bodies. They stay in their hiding spots only to leave in search of food, water and for reproduction. As cockroaches like to live in numbers they readily come into contact with each other which can assist in treatment of large populations. When treating cockroaches you can assist in creating it less inviting for them to take up residence by sealing all gaps and removing food sources.

Unfortunately a single cockroach treatment will not eliminate the entire cockroach infestation and can take a few days to notice a change. A plan needs to be put into place to rid them from your property. It is important to assess the problem areas in your property, the type of cockroach, how large the population and what products will be needed. Pest Alert will use a mix of different chemicals such as:

• Insect growth regulator baits which have a delayed effect so the cockroach feeds and takes back to the other cockroaches to eat, before eliminating the host.
• Permethrin dust is used in enclosed areas such as sub floors, roof voids and walls and other hard to reach places.
• Liquid insecticide treatment will be used in open areas such as fences, exterior of houses, garages, skirting boards and around drains etc.

By using different combinations of treatments you are able to target the different stages of the cockroach lifecycle. This helps eliminate the current population and also stop the eggs from hatching and starting the process again. However once a treatment is carried out if you clean out the areas where the technician has applied chemicals, the treatment will become ineffective. Best practise is to empty and clean these areas prior to the technician arriving.