Everything you need to know about these filthy dwellers- Cockroaches

Everybody is the fan of the tele-cartoon series ‘Oggy and the Cockroaches’ and we surely can feel the ruckus situation which the owners in this cartoon series face due to the cockroaches. No one wants to be in a situation like this. The kitchen, Basements, Wooden Cabinets, Rugs, Corners of beds and places where sunshine isn’t available is the best dwelling place for cockroaches. The presence of Cockroaches or Cockroach Infestation can be identified by many physical shreds of evidence like; cockroach droppings smear marks, Cockroach eggs, the damage caused by cockroaches, odor and sightings in kitchens & bathrooms.

They are most active during the night, as during the daytime they prefer to stay in the cracks, corners and crevices. They get attracted to the food which is available in your premises and they feed on anything from food leftovers to animal droppings or human feces/waste material.

If you find a cockroach infestation in your house, it is very important to take immediate and accurate action to ensure a fast solution for this problem as this can lead to hazardous health complications on you and your family.

How to spot Cockroach Infestation?

Cockroach Droppings - Black grainy droppings can be found in cabinets and along the walls or routes that they have traveled on.

Smear marks –That ugly looking color on your favorite tiles in the bathroom or furniture which returns a more ugly smell is known as smear marks. Where water is abundant, brown and irregular shaped smear marks will appear on horizontal surfaces and wall floor junctions.

Damage – You can also look for signs of damage on food packaging, leather objects and books.

Whether it is your home or office, your shop or showroom the fear of cockroach infestation is more than enough to raise your eyebrows and bring some stress on your forehead. Cockroaches’ presence in the business environment poses a real threat of food contamination, damage to stored items and more than that your business reputation as you don’t want your employees to hold a weekend meeting only to discuss their rescue from these creepy pests. More than all, the health complications it carries is beyond description.

How to prevent cockroaches?

• Conduct regular inspection by pest cure experts and make sure every time that there isn’t a single sighting of these ugly insects.
• Never leave food out in the open.
• Always keep the food in air-tight containers.
• Clean up all the food leftovers and spills from the cooking area, in and beneath the wash basin, appliances and keep all the waste materials in covered basins.
• Don’t pile up the newspapers, cardboards, cartons as these things act as fine place for cockroaches to stay.
• Seal areas such as gaps between doors, windows, drainage pipes or other cracks to reduce their entrance and access to your home/office/shops.

But do keep in mind through DIY methods you can only keep these Pest for a temporary basis. So, contacting professional team is the option here.

Types of cockroach species found in India.

Mainly there are 4 species of cockroaches found in India:

German Cockroaches

• It has 2 long and dark strides at the shielded head.
• The female produces around 148 – 396 eggs.
• They have a life cycle of more than 100 days.
• Majority of them are found in restaurants, hotels and apartments and prefer places like under the cupboard and behind the refrigerator.

American Cockroaches

• They are the most popular cockroach species found in India.
• They are shiny red in color.
• The female lays 140 –1000 eggs.
• Prefers to dwell in warm and humid environment such as drains and sewers.
• They live about 100 to 3 years.

Brown Banded Cockroaches

• They are one of the smallest pest cockroaches.
• They have yellow stripes around their abdomen.
• The female lays around 208 eggs.
• An adult lives around 90-115 days.
• Prefers to dwell in warm and humid environment such as drains and sewers.

Oriental Cockroaches

• They are dark brown in color.
• The female can lay about 300 eggs.
• Adults live upto 180 days.
• They run than fly and can tolerate lower temperatures than other cockroaches.

Cockroaches can transmit the following diseases

• Typhoid
• Cholera
• Salmonellosis
• Dysentery
• Leprosy
• Plague
• Campylobacteriosis
• Listeriosis
• E.Coli (Serious food poisioning)

How can human catch a disease by a cockroach?

Inhaling the air infested with the saliva and faeces of cockroach.

Eating the food and drinking the water contaminated by cockroach.

Touching the items infested by the saliva, faeces, vomit of the cockroaches and then touching your eyes and mouth.

To get rid of a cockroach attack always consult an experienced pest control service and adopt a healthy hygiene. Wash your hand often while keeping the sink, basins, cabinets, kitchen slabs, bathrooms clean. Fill in the gaps & cracks in the walls and in between the doors and windows etc.