The common cockroach (lat. Blatta orientalis), also known as the oriental cockroach or - more famously - cockroach, are common pests in houses and apartments. They are considered carriers of serious diseases. This makes it all the more important to combat the animals effectively.
How do you get rid of common cockroaches?
The common cockroach, also known as the cockroach, is a common pest in homes that is considered a vector of disease. They are nocturnal and hide in dark, damp places. To combat them effectively, regular cleaning, sealed food and pesticides are necessary. A professional pest controller can be helpful.
- A cockroach rarely comes alone as they reproduce explosively, but they are nocturnal and shy of light, therefore difficult to detect.
- Fighting them is difficult, which is why you have to repeat the treatments over and over again for months.
- Using a professional pest controller makes sense.
- A cockroach infestation usually has to be reported.
Signs of a common cockroach infestation
The common cockroach is a true master of hiding. The nocturnal animals often remain undetected for a long period of time - hundreds of these pests could be living in your home without you knowing. In this section you will find out how to track down cockroaches.
First signs
Cockroaches are nocturnal and always occur in hundreds
Many people only notice that they have a cockroach problem when they see a live specimen at night or find a dead one. In such a case, you can safely assume that you have at least 200 more of these adorable animals at home - experts estimate that for every cockroach you see, there are at least 200 more hiding nearby. These findings also provide further evidence of a possible cockroach infestation:
- Skin Remnants: During their development, cockroaches shed their skin up to eight times. The shed skin coverings or remnants therefore indicate active reproductive activity.
- Egg packets: Female cockroaches lay their eggs in packets near the hiding places. The egg packets are about half the size of a coffee bean.
- Excretions: The animals' droppings are also reminiscent of coffee, because they resemble the crumbs of ground coffee beans. The crumbs are about one millimeter in size and often run in the form of elongated lines along or on walls.
- Eating traces: Cockroaches are omnivores and are not very picky when it comes to choosing their food: eaten food (especially fruit and vegetables) and damaged packaging indicate the presence of the pests.
- Sweet smell: The animals communicate via certain scents, which in turn we humans perceive as a sweet, musty smell. An inexplicably unpleasant smell in the apartment can indicate a cockroach infestation.
Excursus
What do cockroaches look like?
The common cockroach or cockroach grows up to three centimeters long and has a flat, beetle-like body. Their thin antennae are about a third as long as the dark brown to black body. The animals are found almost everywhere in the world and are masters of adaptation.
Common hiding places
“Cockroaches love dark, damp and warm places. Let’s make it uncomfortable for them!”
The common cockroach is called that for a reason, because its food preferences mean it prefers to stay in kitchens. Here it hides in even the smallest cracks and crevices during the day and only goes looking for food at night. The animals can also be found behind and in cupboards, as long as there are enough dark niches and corners. Nests have even been discovered under ovens, behind refrigerators or in electrical appliances – such as toasters. Cockroaches hide practically everywhere, which makes them so difficult to find and control.
Tip
By the way, the animals don't just live in the kitchen, but wherever it is dark, damp and warm. This means that an infestation can also occur in the bathroom, boiler room or laundry room.
With these tests you can determine an actual infestation
Now the listed indications of a cockroach infestation are quite vague, which is why you should definitely confirm your suspicions with the help of adhesive traps. These are traps treated with special pheromones that attract and hold the animals. Of course, such traps are not suitable for effective control, but you can use the cockroaches you catch to estimate whether and how severe the cockroach infestation is.
You can also build such a trap yourself by pouring beer into a bowl and placing it on the floor. The next morning there should be one or even more dead specimens in the liquid.
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Don’t crush cockroaches
Even if you are frightened at the sight of the animals: do not trample them! Female cockroaches carry egg packets with them until shortly before they hatch, which they then stick to their shoes and distribute around the rest of the apartment or elsewhere - with the result that the infestation only gets worse. Not to mention, it is very difficult to actually crush cockroaches. The animals are apparently indestructible.
Fight cockroaches effectively
As soon as you are certain about the cockroach infestation, you should act as quickly as possible: Not only do the animals multiply very quickly, they can also cause diseases (e.g. tuberculosis, cholera, etc.) as well as asthma and Cause allergies and are therefore classified as harmful to he alth. When combating it, it is important to be patient and not rely on just one method. What is important, however, is to put together a whole package of measures and apply them over a period of several months.
video: Youtube
Basic measures
It starts with these basic measures, which initially deprive cockroaches of their livelihood and which ultimately show their effectiveness in combination with chemical control agents.
- Do not keep open food supplies.
- Neither in cupboards, nor in pantries, nor in the basement.
- Freeze all foods where this is possible.
- Perform a thorough cleaning of all rooms.
- Clean behind, under and in cupboards and appliances.
- Use a steam cleaner or hot water, because eggs, larvae and adults die at temperatures above 60 °C.
- Seal holes and cracks in walls and floors.
- Sprinkle diatomaceous earth behind and under cabinets, appliances and trash cans.
Also pay attention to the utmost cleanliness so that the cockroaches can no longer find food. Crumbs and hair on the floor must be removed immediately. Also, take the trash outside and don't leave used dishes lying around.
Use of pesticides
Poisonous baits are particularly effective in the fight against cockroaches
Now you can start fighting the pests. So-called anti-cockroach gels (€34.00 on Amazon), poisonous baits and other insecticides that can kill a large number of adult cockroaches and larvae have proven particularly useful. However, you cannot fight the eggs with these measures, which is why new animals keep hatching. Therefore, repeat the control at regular intervals. But be careful: these insecticides are not only toxic to cockroaches, but also to pets and children. So just place them within their reach!
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Why sugar traps don’t always work
If the cockroach traps you choose don't work, it could be because of the sugar. Cockroaches are extremely adaptable animals that have only been able to survive on Earth for hundreds of millions of years thanks to this characteristic. But it also means that cockroaches have seemed to be repelled by the sweet attractants for several years. In this case, switch to a sugar-free bait.
When should you hire a professional pest controller?
The best possible control method - as well as the one that promises the greatest possible success - is simply to hire a professional pest controller orexterminator. This has means and methods at its disposal that you, as an inexperienced layperson, do not have.
How to prevent a cockroach infestation
With a few - admittedly not always easy to follow - measures you can ensure that the common cockroach no longer shows up at your home in the future.
- Don't leave leftover food lying around, put it in the fridge.
- Wash dirty dishes immediately.
- Rinse dishes before putting them in the dishwasher.
- Place trash cans with lids that close as tightly as possible.
- Store food supplies in safe containers, e.g. B. made of glass.
- Ventilate regularly.
- Clean regularly with hot water under and behind furniture and appliances.
- Seal cracks and holes in masonry and floors.
- Do not take boxes from the supermarket into your apartment.
- Dispose of this outer packaging immediately.
- Unpack suitcases and other luggage in the bathtub or shower.
- Clean them thoroughly afterwards.
- After a trip, do your laundry immediately.
- Keep electrical appliances clean and regularly remove crumbs from e.g. B. the toaster.
Frequently asked questions
Are cockroaches reportable?
Basically, due to the he alth risk, there is an obligation to report to the he alth department as soon as a cockroach infestation has become obvious. This applies especially to the commercial sector and to community facilities - such as restaurants, cafés or public buildings - where legal regulations require reporting to the authorities. In the private sector, it is the responsibility of the housing orHomeowner whether to report the infestation. It is important for tenants to know that they can also report a cockroach infestation to the he alth department (and should do so!) if the landlord does not take appropriate measures against the infestation despite the tenant reporting this.
Are cockroaches beetles?
Cockroaches have six walking legs and very long antennae, which is why they look similar to beetles. In fact, it is an independent order of insects (lat. Blattodea) that does not have much in common with the order of beetles (lat. Coleoptera). Cockroaches have been around the world for a long time because these animals are extremely adaptable. Even 300 million years ago there were cockroaches that looked almost exactly like the cockroaches of today.
Can cockroaches fly?
In fact, female cockroaches – or cockroaches – can fly. The male animals, on the other hand, are unable to fly due to their atrophied wings.
Are cockroaches attracted to light?
Unlike nocturnal moths, cockroaches that live on the ground are not attracted to light, but instead even take flight. Therefore, you are unlikely to encounter a cockroach with the lights on.
Can cockroaches bite?
Cockroaches can actually bite (preferably sleeping people) if they can't find enough to eat - for example because the population has become too large or there isn't enough leftover food. However, such behavior has become very rare and usually only occurs when the animals have reproduced too much over a long period of time.
Tip
Cockroaches are not necessarily an indication of poor hygiene. Instead, you may have brought the uninvited guests with you from your vacation or they may have immigrated to you from a nearby food processing plant. It is not without reason that the pests are also nicknamed “baker’s cockroach”.
