What is the Best Way to Get Rid of a Cockroach Infestation?
Are you tired of cockroaches South Africa? Find out how a cockroach infestation extermination can safeguard your home.
Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Cockroaches
Did you know that cockroaches are nocturnal? That is why you can often spot them scurrying away when you shine a light on them. And did you know that some cockroaches can live up to three months without food and water?
The one thing we all know is that it’s hard to kill cockroaches or get rid of them once they appear in our space. Like the cockroach on the Disney Movie Wall-E, it seems that not even the end of the world could eradicate these hardy pests. Why is cockroach eradication so tricky, and what detrimental effect do they have on our health?
(contact a cockroach exterminator)
Why are cockroaches so hard to get rid of?
1. They Are the Ultimate Survivor
Some cockroaches can survive for extended periods without water or food in cracks and crevices in our home. Even more disturbing is that roaches can live for an entire week without a head! Once a cockroach’s head has been severed, it dies only because of a lack of water.
2. They Are Adaptable
Roaches are super-adaptable. New and innovative pest control strategies need to be created all the time because roaches can build up a resistance to those already being used. This is why a professional pest control strategy applied by experts is essential.
3. They’re Virgin Birthers
Female roaches can produce 40-60 young every time they give birth without the need for males to assist in the reproduction process. Females can reproduce offspring pathogenically (virgin births), especially under extreme conditions when there is a lack of male cockroaches to assist with the reproduction process.
4. They’re Good at Holding Their Breath
Cockroaches can hold their breath for long periods, and according to scientific research, can hold their breath for as long as five to seven minutes at any given time, as they have sophisticated breathing mechanisms. So, drowning a colony isn’t usually a viable solution.
5. They Can Handle the Heat
Cockroaches can survive huge temperature extremes, too. This is primarily because their cells are not complicated, with only a few genes that can develop and mutate. Cells that divide at a slower rate than human and animal cells afford the roach time and the means to repair tissue damage caused by extreme heat.
6. They’ve Been Around the Block
Could this be the reason for the fossil records of cockroaches dating as far back in time as 300 million years BC? Cockroaches thrive in all weather conditions right across the globe, although they prefer warm climates to cold conditions. A large portion of homes are roach infested, with up to 330,000 cockroaches per home, causing allergic reactions and other detrimental health conditions.
Why should I get rid of cockroaches in my home or office?
1. Diseases
There are different types of cockroaches that can appear in your home, such as the American cockroach and the German cockroach. No matter what species of cockroaches are in your home, they carry specific diseases and can spread microorganisms that causes sicknesses.
If they’re exposed to your food source, they could even cause food poisoning. Diseases that cockroaches spread include cholera, dysentery, leprosy, giardia, salmonella, typhoid, and a list of other offensive illnesses. Certain health issues are triggered by the allergens that cockroaches produce.
2. Allergic Reactions
The saliva, droppings, and the exoskeleton a cockroach sheds all contain proteins that lead to a variety of allergic reactions in humans. People who spend many hours in doors can succumb to these allergies. The elderly, infants and babies, the immune compromised, and the infirm are particularly susceptible to allergies caused by cockroaches.
3. Asthma
Cockroach antigens can cause asthma to worsen and can lead to various kinds allergies, including rashes. Asthmatic reactions that are escalated through cockroach antigens have the potential of being fatal or very dangerous for anyone susceptible.
4. Bacterial Infections
Bacteria carried on the exoskeletons of cockroaches include E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus. These are the most common infection-causing bacteria that roaches are responsible for carrying and spreading. As you can see, the health problems that cockroaches bring alone are reason enough to get rid of them.
5. Smell and Filth
If any doubt remains, consider the dirt and odour that cockroaches spread in your home. Also consider their tendency to stay in areas near food and water where infection of substances your family consumes is more likely. Don’t take chances with these vile and nearly indestructible bugs.
How to Tell if I Have a Cockroach Infestation?
1. The Odour
The minute you detect one roach, chances are the little critter has an entire tribe of aunts, uncles, and cousins lurking under the kitchen sink. There are easy ways to know whether your home is cockroach infested. Cockroaches produce an unpleasant smell that lingers and fills your home or the space they’re infesting. This smell is a sure sign.
2. The Droppings
You can also look out for cockroach droppings that are about 2mm long, smear marks, and shed skin. Don’t mess around by trying to get rid of cockroach infestations using one of the do-it–yourself methods you may find online. Mr Roach and his cousins are not easily fooled as they adapt extremely well. Instead, call the pest control experts right away to enjoy a roach-free existence.
How to Get Rid of a Cockroach Infestation
1. Keep Everything Clean
The most common steps to take to prevent cockroaches is always to keep your home clean and to ensure your environment is clutter-free. Keep all surfaces where food is prepared pristinely clean and store all food in airtight containers to prevent attracting insects, rodents and cockroaches, especially if you live in a humid climate. Prevention is better than cure.
2. Remove Access to Food Sources
Putting food, including pet food, away is a step in the right direction. Ensure that cracks in walls and any gaps on the sides of doors and windows are sealed. Ensure the food you buy at the supermarket is free of insects, too.
3. Use Professional Services and not DIY Methods of Pest Management
You can try to get rid of cockroaches with boric acid, but cockroach control is notoriously difficult. Gel baits, bait stations, and other do-it-yourself remedies do not have the long term effects needed. You may catch some of the roaches, but if just one survives, the infestation can regrow in a short while.
4. Don’t Delay Getting Help
Even though we take strong measure to keep our workspace and home free of insects, cockroach infestations can and do happen. When you find one cockroach, it is best to be proactive and act right away. You may have found lots of home remedies for getting rid of cockroaches, but the best way to get rid of them is to call in the professionals.
Professional pest control and eradication companies will have experience and the latest know-how in the industry, and they will be equipped to get rid of these ever-evolving pests. Professional pest control exterminators can help you to get rid of these tough creatures and will advise you on any measures you need to take to prevent re-infestation.