Cockroaches are attracted by food, moisture and shelter, there are many ways cockroaches get into homes and commercial properties. Cockroaches gain access through open doors and windows however they can also get entry through vents, drain pipes, cracks or they can be brought inside with items for example – inside a box of produce, food or drink. Cockroaches are nocturnal, they are good at hiding and generally come out at night or when things are dark and quiet. Often people don’t realise they have cockroaches until they find the cockroach droppings. In this post we discuss ways to prevent cockroaches and how to get rid of cockroaches. How to prevent Cockroaches
- Store food items and pet food in sealed containers
- Ensure work surfaces are kept clean of food spills and waste
- Rinse out empty cans and bottles before throwing them into the rubbish bin
- Empty rubbish bins regularly
- Repair damaged water pipes and clear blocked drains
- Seal areas where cockroaches can hide or enter through; under kitchen sinks and bathroom cabinets
Identifying some common types of Cockroaches
- An Australian cockroach is brown in colour and has a flat broad body with long antennae and hairy legs, fully grown they are 30mm–35mm in length
- An American Cockroach is reddish brown in colour, the male wings are longer than the female wings, fully grown they are 35mm–40mm in length
- A German Cockroach is easily identifiable by their square tail end, it is a small species of cockroach, fully grown they are 12mm-16mm in length
Habit and Lifestyle of the Australian, American and German Cockroach
The Australian Cockroach female deposits the egg sack containing 16-24 eggs normally near a food source, after hatching nymphs take 6-12 months to develop into adults. The Australian Cockroach is generally an outdoor cockroach that prefers plant material as a main source of food. They are also found in walls voids, sub floors, garages and sheds.
The American cockroach is one of the largest cockroach to invade our homes and workplace. The egg sack will contain 12-16 eggs and is carried by the female for several days before being deposited. The eggs hatch in 1–2 months, after hatching nymphs take 6-12 months to develop into adults. The American cockroach prefers dark, humid and undisturbed areas. They can be found in subfloors, basements, kitchens, roof voids and bathrooms.
The German cockroach female carries 35–45 eggs in an egg sack until they are ready to hatch. The eggs hatch in 1 month and the nymphs take between 6 weeks to 4 months to develop into adults. German cockroaches are commonly found indoors and like confined spaces. They like warm, humid conditions and are typically found in kitchens and food handling areas in commercial properties.
How do we get rid of Cockroaches?
Cockroaches find roof voids and wall voids a favourable habourage; the photos below show us having carried out a dusting treatment to the wall void and all the cockroaches picked up a dose and made a hasty exit. As you can see the dead and dying cockroaches that were flushed out their hiding spots.
We cannot stop cockroaches coming into our homes and workplaces looking for food, water and shelter; but our treatment program is designed to target areas where we suspect they will go to hide and in turn they will pick up a dose.
Contact us today for an obligation free quote on getting rid of cockroaches.