Cockroach Pest Control throughout Brisbane and Ipswich
Understanding Cockroaches
Cockroaches are highly sociable insects and can exploit to their advantage virtually any area that contains moisture and food.
Cockroaches are so highly affective due to their ability to spread their eggs throughout any chosen area in food and other packaging. Although sanitation and hygiene are important issues, even the cleanest of homes can become infested with cockroaches due to the minute deposits of grease, sugars and other deposits in areas that are difficult to clean, such as;
- in drains
- behind refrigerators
- behind dishwashers
- inside the cracks and crevices that are so abundant in kitchen cupboards.
Do Cockroaches Spread Diseases?
It is due to these abilities that cockroaches can so readily carry and spread diseases such as:
- salmonella
- dysentery
- gastroenteritis and
- stomach complaint organisms.
What is "Moulting" in Cockroaches?
Cockroaches must moult several times as they grow from young nymph to adult.
It is through this moulting growth cycle that their discarded skin becomes air born and this can, and does, cause severe asthmatic reactions particularly in children, the elderly and people with bronchial ailments.
It is the shedded body parts and faeces of cockroaches inside the home that can trigger asthma and allergies. Controlling cockroach infestations is one approach to help manage asthma flare-ups and allergy reactions.
Seeing Cockroaches During the Day
Cockroaches are nocturnal in their habits – they rest during the day and only emerge from their safe harborages during periods of darkness.
If you see cockroaches in your house during the day, you have either:
- just had a professional treatment done to your premises, or
- have a very serious cockroach overpopulation problem (cockroach infestation).
If you are experiencing or seeing cockroaches in your home or business premises, please contact us now and our cockroach pest control technician will be happy to talk to you! Contact Xtermin8er Pest Controll now!
Call us for Cockroach Infestation Extermination in your home
Cockroach pest control in Brisbane and Ipswich suburbs for both residential and commercial properties.
Species of Cockroaches
German Cockroach - Blattella Germanic
Identification
The German cockroach is the most common cockroach species found worldwide. While German cockroach infestations are occurring in a variety of human occupied spaces, they are most often associated with restaurants, food processing facilities, hotels, nursing homes and other institutional facilities.
The German cockroach is:
- Light brown to tan in colour
- Females can be darker than males
- Two dark stripes located down their backs
- A world-wide species that can develop a resistance to insecticide
Habitat
German cockroaches prefer to live in warm, humid places close to food and moisture sources. They are frequently found in residential and commercial environments and bathrooms.
You are also likely to find German cockroach droppings in areas they frequent. Droppings may appear small, dark, pepper-like material left on counter tops or in drawers. There may also be faecal staining, which appears as dark spots or smears in the corners of rooms, along the tops of doors or around small cracks and openings into walls.
Cockroach Infestations
When German cockroach populations are present in large numbers, it may be possible to detect a mild, somewhat musty odour.
If there is evidence of a German cockroach infestation, contact us at Xtermin8er Termite and Pest Control so we can inspect and treat the problem.
Rapid Breeding Cycle
- The female lives up to 140-280 days
- The male lives 90-140 days
- The female produces a total of 200-250 eggs
- The entire life cycle is completed in 100 days.
German cockroaches can breed at a rate of up to six generations per year, so we may recommend re-occurring services to address this rapid reproductive rate.
Health Threats
More than just a nuisance, German cockroaches have been implicated in outbreaks of illness and allergic reactions in many people. Cockroaches have been reported to spread:
- at least 33 kinds of bacteria
- six kinds of parasitic worms and
- at least seven kinds of human pathogens.
They can pick up germs on the spines of their legs and bodies as they crawl through decaying matter or sewage and then carry these into or onto food surfaces.
Medical studies have shown that German cockroach allergens cause allergic reactions and can exacerbate asthma attacks, especially in children. This makes German cockroach control incredibly vital.
German Cockroach
Photo Credit: David Monniaux
Australian Cockroach - Periplanta Australasiae
Identification
The Australian cockroach is:
- Reddish brown and looks similar to the American cockroach but is smaller
- 1.25 inches (35mm) in body length
- Yellow strips on the outer edge of the front wings.
- A world-wide species that prefers a vegetarian diet. It is known to eat holes in clothing and even book covers.
Habitat
Australian cockroaches are generally prevalent in areas where winters are relatively mild. However, in colder climates they are prevalent in greenhouses and near large heating appartus, air-conditioners or other equipment emitting heat constantly. They are opportunistic fliers and will infest anywhere adequate heat, humidity and food supply is available. Prime areas of interest are often pet food bowls and food waste storage areas.
Rapid Breeding Cycle
- The female lives up to 6 months
- Incubation period of eggs 40 days.
An infestation can rapidly expand in ideal conditions, particularly during the warmer climates when temperatures are regularly above 80F. Chronic household cockroach infestations usually eminate from the roof void, attic or sub-floor areas of the building.
American cockroach – Periplaneta Americana
Identification
The largest of the cockroach pest species:
- The body of an adult American cockroach or “water bug” is 1.5 to 2 inches in length
- Color: reddish brown, with a yellowish band behind the head
Habitat
Preferred daytime habitat locations include the subfloor, basement, in sewers and other warm, dark, moist locations. They avoid cold areas but will thrive outdoors in temperatures above 80F. Indoors they often congregate around hot water pipes, fridge motors, boilers and other heating appliances. The American cockroach will feed on a wide variety of plant and animal material.
Rapid Breeding Cycle
- The female life span is up to 1.5 years
- Incubation period of eggs 6 to 8 weeks
- In ideal conditions they quickly reach plague proportions
Oriental cockroach — Blatta Orientalis
Identification
- The body of an adult oriental cockroach is about 1 inch in length
- Dark brown to black in color
Habitat
Most often found in dark basements or cellars, but can also climb garbage shutes, sewer and water pipes to the upper floors in highrise buildings. Oriental cockroaches prefer to feed on starchy foods.
Rapid Breeding Cycle
- The female lives up to 2 years
- Deposits up to 18 egg-sacs in lifetime; each eggsac contains 16 eggs
- Incubation period is 1 to 2 months
- Development period is 12 months, undergoing 7 moults.
An infestation will rapidly expand in ideal conditions, particularly during the warm summer months with temperatures regularly above 80F.
