Cockroaches are one of the toughest and most resilient insects to control. In outdoor settings cockroaches feed on dead animals and fading plants conversely when indoors cockroaches invade kitchens, contaminate food and destroy stored items. The German cockroach is the most common and troublesome species found in domestic and commercial areas. German cockroaches are light brown in colour, flat, and narrower in shape compared to conventional American cockroaches. These small roaches range in size between 10mm-20mm when completely grown. Fridges, dishwashers, cabinets and other electrical components are common hiding spots for German cockroaches. German roaches love to hide in dark, moist areas with a high degree of warmth. Furthermore their feeding habits range from starchy, sweet, and greasy foods.
The major reasons German cockroaches are such a problem in kitchens and indoor regions is the number of eggs laid per capsule. The second factor is the quick growth period and rapid level in which roaches hit sexual maturity. German roaches are smaller than a lot of other species, which plays as an advantage in hiding and concealing themselves in cracks and crevices. Therefore detailed inspections, dissembling items and bright torches are the first step in managing cockroaches correctly.
German cockroach facts
- Egg stage ranges from 15 to 35 days
- One egg capsule (ootheca) is produced every six weeks.
- The life span of as adult female ranges from 20 to 35 weeks.
Successful control methods of German cockroaches are much easier in cooler seasons than warmer seasons. The reason being there are numerous more hiding spots for roaches to hide in warmer months. Pest Assured has noticed from many years of experience that cleanliness plays a major role in the levels of infestation. The dirtier the house, especially the kitchen, the higher the chance you’ll have cockroaches invading your home. The crafty Germans love harbouring in cabinets, cracks in bench-tops and splash-backs, and hiding in warm electrical components. However cleanliness is not the only reasoning behind having cockroaches creating havoc in the kitchen. In addition transporting second hand items and stored items into clean households is the other major reason German cockroaches will appear out of the blue.
Spotting German roaches
- Searching all cracks and crevices thoroughly in kitchen.
- Using a bright torch, looking underneath skirting boards and base cabinets
- Inspect boxes.
- Distinct droppings marks around hinges and the top of cabinet doors.
- Turning on lights at nighttime to see the small insects scattering back to there hiding spots.
Tips to minimise future infestations.
- Food stored in sealed containers.
- Clean bench-tops and minimise crumbs and small parts of organic matter left behind.
- Groceries and food items to be inspected before transporting into the building.
- Reducing access to cockroaches by sealing cracks and crevices with silicone.
Pest Assured has treated a large number of German cockroach infestations using a number of various successful methods depending on the situation. Consequently all chemicals are registered products that do no harm to pets, young children and adults. Finally Pest Assured will provide a complete examination of the situation and strategies to employ non-chemical measures to keep German cockroaches away from your building.
Call Pest Assured now 0423 66 5678 to control your German cockroach problem.
