Cockroach dangers
Cockroaches are a seriously dangerous infestation that can cause massive health issues to the occupants of the residence. They age by melting and live in sewers so their bodies shed their carapace hundreds of times throughout their lives. This moulting can carry with it dangerous bacteria and even human feces. It’s very light and can float in the air like a moat of dust. This moult can be inhaled by humans and animals and can cause repertory infections that can be disastrous. This can include and actual staph infection in your lungs which can be deadly. This is why it is so important to inspect your home for activity regularly. Knowing what to look for will give you a jump on the pest infestation that is trying to take hold.
Signs of cockroaches
Cockroaches have two obvious signs that make it easy to notice an infestation without ever seeing a cockroach. Their feces look like tiny spots of black paper and are often found under the kitchen sink in a low cupboard. These feces are very hard to see and find so you will want to get a flashlight. You will notice some of it is smeared and this will ensure that you have found cockroach feces.
Eggs and feces
Another important thing to look for is cockroach egg sacks. Cockroaches do not have a birth canal like mammals the eggs must travel through the digestive tract and come out through the same opening as the feces the cockroaches defecate. This means they must be protected from the stomach acid that could destroy them. This is done with an ootheca or a leathery egg sack. They look like a tiny purses, much smaller than a cockroach and can contain, depending on the species of cockroach anywhere from 5 to 60 eggs. These egg sacks are often left in the lower cupboards of the kitchen and are a clear and guaranteed sign that you have an infestation.
Cockroach species
What’s more, you can tell by the colour of the egg sack or ootheca what kind of cockroaches you have. If the sack is brown then its likely the American or Brown-banded cockroaches which are both native to this continent. If it’s black it may be an oriental cockroach or worse, a German cockroach infestation. The German cockroach is very small compared to other cockroaches and came here on ships from Europe. They are so small their egg sacks can contain up to six eggs. This is a huge amount and shows how serious a German cockroach infestation can be compared to others.
Treatment
If you have cockroaches you can try a domestic treatment. A three-pronged approach is recommended. You can use insecticide dust which can be purchased at hardware stores and grocery stores to dust around the baseboards of the kitchen and bathroom followed by the use of permethrin which can be sprayed in side cabinets and around baseboards and on the wall where it meets the kitchen and bathroom counters. Finally, you can use domestic Gell bait that can be placed behind the fridge and in other areas like the kitchen behind counters, the toilet and behind the oven and the microwave. If this does not work after a month it’s time to call a professional or you will have cockroaches forever.
