All about cockroaches
What you need to know!
Cockroaches are rather beetle-like insects but with very long antennae. They are extremely shy of light, and will scuttle away rapidly if their hiding place is exposed.
They need warmth and humidity to survive and so prefer to live in heated human buildings where there is also a ready source of food.
There are two common species of cockroach in the UK, these are the German Cockroach, and the larger Oriental Cockroach which can grow up to two and a half centimetres long.
Cockroaches will eat a wide variety of substances including paper, faeces (human or otherwise), other cockroaches, vomit, etc, in addition to most of the foods that we humans like to eat.
Cockroaches like to hide away in cracks and crevices. They give off a pheromone or ‘smell’ which attracts other cockroaches and so they can be found clustered together in their hiding places. This smell attracts more cockroaches even when the existing ones have been eradicated.
A dangerous insect
Cockroaches contaminate their environment with faeces, and regurgitated food. They happily commute between filth and food, spreading bacteria around as they do so. For this reason, the presence of these insects in human habitation is a real threat to health. If you think you have cockroaches you need to take action straightaway.
The biology of the cockroach
Cockroaches have a life cycle which passes through several stages. The juvenile stages are all referred to as ‘nymphs’ and look similar to the adult.
At the end of each nymph stage the cockroach moults its skin and a new larger nymph emerges. The final nymph stage ends in the emergence of the adult cockroach.
The adults lay their eggs inside little cases which can easily be carried unwittingly by humans from one location to another.
Understanding the exact life-cycle of the cockroach, how long it spends in each stage etc, is important for effective control.
However this cycle varies depending not only on the species of the cockroach but also on the temperature and the humidity of the building it is living in.
A professional solution
Cockroaches are difficult to control. A range of methods are available to the professional pest controller and which methods will be most effective will depend on the species, the building, and the extent of the infestation.
Treating cockroaches is always a job for professionals.
If you are concerned about a possible cockroach infestation, you can call us now on
01428 714031
