Cockroaches

There are numerous varieties of cockroaches in the world but the two principal species found in Glasgow are:

          Blatta orientalis   (Oriental Cockroach) 

and

          Blattella germanica  (German Cockroach  or  Steam fly)

What is a cockroach?

The cockroach is an insect which is not native to the U.K. They are most common in hot countries but can survive here by living exclusively in warm buildings. They are a primitive order of insect which have had no need to evolve much over the last 250 million years. In general they are quite large, strong insects with whip-like antennae. They have two pairs of wings but the front pair hides the hind pair whilst the insect is at rest .

How could I tell them apart?

1) The Oriental Cockroach

This cockroach is a shiny, chocolate brown colour. A fully developed adult will measure about 25 mm in length and they tend to be found at floor level

2) The German Cockroach

This cockroach is a yellowish brown colour and the fully developed adult measures about 13 mm in length. They are more active than the Oriental cockroaches and are good climbers.

Do you want to know more about their life-cycle?

The life-cycle of this insect pest differs from most insect pests, which tend to be egg – larva – pupa – adult. The technical name for the cockroach’s life-cycle is “incomplete metamorphosis” 

Female cockroaches lay their eggs into a pod within their bodies. As the pod begins to fill with eggs it starts to stick out from behind the female as she runs about. Eventually, when the pod is full of eggs, the female “lays” it. The pod is brown in colour and is quite hard. The name for the pod, containing the cockroaches’ eggs, is an ootheca. They are quite large in comparison to the adult insect and the ootheca of an Oriental cockroach is about 10.5 mm in length whereas that of the German cockroach measures 5.5 mm.

The eggs develop within the pod and when they hatch the young insects burst open the seam of the pod and wriggle out. As they do this they undergo a moult and come out as white, first stage nymphs. After a few hours the colour darkens. They are strong enough to run about immediately after hatching. The nymph is a small version of the fully developed adult and, depending on the species; it will take from 6 – 10 moults, with each successive nymph getting larger, before it becomes a fully formed adult

Health significance.

It is possible for cockroaches to act as transport for bacteria, taking them from contaminated areas to clean ones such as food storage or preparation areas. It has also been shown that certain harmful bacteria can be transmitted by cockroaches but, under normal circumstances, cockroaches do not come into contact with these bacteria so the problem does not arise. More importantly to us is that they spoil food by nibbling or by leaving their droppings on it. In addition they create an unpleasant smell and it can be very unsettling to know that they are present

How do I know if they are in my home?

As we have already seen these are quite large insects so you are liable to see them, particularly if you switch a light on at night you may see them scurrying for shelter. You may also find bits of the insects (such as legs) in the areas where they hide.

Control

As ever, the first level of control is to ensure good household hygiene. This serves to deprive these insects of suitable food and will also ensure that you identify any problems at an early stage.

If you are unfortunate enough to find that you have an infestation of cockroaches you have two options:-

1) Professional treatment

 

You can consult the Yellow Pages and, under the heading “Pest Control”, select a suitable contractor to carry out whatever treatments are needed. We would recommend that you choose a contractor who is a member of the British Pest Control Association (BPCA). The contractor will provide you with all the details of the product which has been used and advise you of any additional precautions which you must take. If you live in rented property the landlord may be prepared to assist you with this

                                                         

OR

2) You can undertake a treatment yourself.

If you choose to carry out the treatment yourself here is some guidance which you may find helpful. Firstly thoroughly clean and vacuum your house, paying particular attention to areas to which you do not usually have access such as behind the cooker.

 

You will need to find out the extent of the infestation and where they are hiding when it is not dark. To do this use a crawling insect aerosol spray and give a quick burst of the pesticide into any cracks or hiding places which you think cockroaches may be using. This will have the effect of flushing them out giving you an idea of what you are dealing with

 

Seal up any cracks and crevices, particularly around hot water and drainage pipes with a convenient filler.

 

The aerosol mentioned above, and any other insecticide you may use, can be bought at garden centres and many of the major DIY stores. Make sure that you read, understand and follow all the instructions that come with the product which you have selected.

 

Try to avoid cleaning or vacuuming the areas which you have treated for as long as possible as this will increase the effectiveness of the treatment. It may be necessary to carry out further treatments before you can be happy that the problem is over.