The cockroach is a funny looking creature. It has a tough exoskeleton and very long antennae. They have an almost prehistoric look and conjure up images of horror movies. IN fact these creatures have been on the Earth for approximately 70 million years. It is believed they are the only ones that could survive a nuclear holocaust!
Unfortunately the image is correct. Cockroaches are known to carry a variety of diseases. These include:
- Salmonella – which can cause Typhoid
- Polio
- Dysentery
- Urinary Tract Issues
- Sepsis
- Digestive Issues
These are not creatures you want roaming round your home or on your food. If you have seen them then it’s time to call the professionals; you can find out more about your local service here.
Steps To Control Cockroaches
It is a good idea to find out more info about cockroaches from a professional. But, alongside the treatment they can offer there are a number of steps you can take yourself:
Cleanliness
Like most pests cockroaches are attracted to the food in your home. You can’t eliminate the food but you can remove the temptation. All your food should be stored in plastic containers and inside your cupboards.
You should also make sure you wipe down your countertops and wash your dishes as soon as you’ve finished with them.
Locate Their Base
If you shine a flashlight behind your refrigerator, under your kitchen units and in other dark spaces you should be able to locate where the cockroaches are coming and going from. You can also do this at night by sitting quietly on your countertop and waiting for them to emerge. Use a red light to see properly.
The next step is to put glue strips down at these sites; the cockroaches will get stuck on them. The more roaches you have on a strip the bigger the infestation in that area.
Sealing Your Home
Your next step must be to locate all the entry and exit points that the cockroaches could be using to get into your home.
Once you’ve found them you can seal them up. Don’t forget a cockroach can get through a very small space; no entry point is too small.
Dealing With The Roaches
Glue strips can tell you where the biggest infestation is and capture some of the cockroaches but it won’t help you deal with the main issue; the nest.
This is where you need to implement bait boxes. These are small stations that have bait which is extremely attractive to the cockroaches. They eat it and carry it back to the nest; along with the poison in the bait.
The roach will die and their cockroaches will eat it, spreading the poison and ultimately destroying the nest.
Of course you’ll have dead cockroaches round your home and you’ll need to clear them all away. The poison they’ve ingested can also be harmful to your pets.
You can also use boric acid to help get rid of the roaches but this is a fickle substance; you may prefer to leave this part to the professionals.
