It is disgusting to find cockroaches and creepy bugs around the kitchen. These bugs and cockroaches can cause food poisoning and other harmful diseases. Thus, control of roaches is very important for living a safe and healthy life.
How to control cockroaches
Cockroaches are not small insects; they can grow very large in size that adults can be as long as 2 inches. These bugs carry germs and bacteria on their feet, and if you come into contact with them by touching your mouth or nose or eyes, then also they can transfer the germ
One of the best ways to control them is by using bait traps. These are easy and cost-efficient; you can buy these from a local store or online shops and start controlling roaches with this method. There are different types of cockroach baits for trapping different types of cockroaches. You will first need to identify your problem.
Know your enemy
There are different kinds of roaches like American Cockroaches, Oriental Cockroaches, Brownbanded Cockroaches, and German Roaches. Each one has a unique habitat preference and sanitation requirements. Here is some information that will help you to decide what kind of cockroach problem you have:
A) American Roaches
American roaches will thrive at places where it is warm and humid because they cannot survive in extremely cold conditions. These bugs are commonly found in homes, restaurants, hotels or workplaces. They can also infest sewers and sewage systems. American cockroaches create a lot of health problems including allergies, asthma, food poisoning, and other dangerous diseases.
Most commonly, you will find them in hotels and restaurants because they are attracted to food. Another place where you can find them is around the kitchen area or laundry room of your home; this is especially true if there is a lot of leftovers that have not been disposed of properly. The waste material provides an ideal breeding ground for these roaches.
American Roaches need food and are not picky eaters as they will eat anything from peanut butter to bread crumbs, pizza crusts, or even tobacco. They are also attracted to starch-based foods such as flour, pasta, and potatoes. These bugs prefer light-colored surfaces because dark colors tend to absorb heat which is a condition most favorable for these bugs.
B) Oriental Cockroaches
Oriental cockroaches are found in similar places as American roaches, however, they prefer cooler climates and can survive cold temperatures. These insects have dark brown or black glossy bodies with yellowish-brown heads. The female has a pouch-like body where it holds its eggs before it hatches. These bugs are known to cause allergies and asthma in humans.
C) Brownbanded Cockroaches
These roaches are not usually found in homes, but they do come inside the house on a regular basis. They are light brown or tan in color and these bugs have darker-colored bands across their wings and abdomen. Furthermore, these roaches prefer the outdoors over being indoors.
Brownbanded cockroaches tend to be very picky eaters, unlike other roaches. They are found living in moist, cool areas such as drains and sewers. You will not find them in your kitchen or pantry because they do not like the dryness of the environment on their body surface.
Brownbanded cockroaches do not survive for long periods without moisture; thus they will die within a few days. However, it is possible for them to get into your home on a regular basis if you live in an area where they are common.
D) German Cockroaches
Just like the American roach, German cockroaches will thrive in warm and humid conditions. They prefer to live inside homes and buildings; however, they can also be found around sewers and cesspools.
The German cockroach is a very small-sized bug that has two generations in a year compared to other types of roaches which have one generation every year. So, a German roach infestation can really grow quickly if not treated with the proper methods.
Female German cockroaches have three to five egg sacs each year which contain 50 – 200 eggs and are generally oval in shape. It normally takes about 21 days for an egg to hatch out as a baby cockroach.
In summary, though you may not completely eradicate cockroaches from your residence, you can control them if you know which type you are dealing with and know the weaknesses of each type.