Focus on ... cockroaches
A big pest problem that we deal with in Reading, and one that seems to be getting worse are … cockroaches, an insect guaranteed to hit the top of the Yuck ‘o’ meter, these elusive and nocturnal insects really are one of the worst pests to have, and for business owners, they pose the additional risk of having their business closed, taken to Court and fined and then worse, they’re reputation ruined.
Here are some facts, a few myths and the low down on cockroaches in Reading.
What do cockroaches look like?
There are three types of cockroaches which are regarded as pests which you’re likely to meet in Reading: the American, Oriental and German cockroach. All three look very similar in that they are all oval in shape and quite flat; they need to be able to scoot into a crack or small gap so obviously being flat in cross section is a must have.
The American cockroach is the largest and they are usually a dark brown in colour with a light-coloured band that runs sideways and separates the insects head from its body.
The Oriental cockroach is the one that you’ll likely find someplace wet; floor drains in commercial kitchens can easily be home to these and they are quite small and dark in colour.
Lastly, the German cockroach which is the most commonest one that’ll you come up against in Reading because these are the fastest breeders, are a light brown in colour and have two dark stripes that run back from their head, down onto the body segment.
All of these cockroaches have two long thin antennae, and six legs that have tiny spurs sticking out of.
How fast can cockroaches run?
Incredibly fast is the answer to this question, and you’d be surprised just how quickly these insects can run. Obviously, you can’t measure their speed as you would a car or something larger like a horse but if we look at the fact that they move 50 body lengths per second, which equates to 200 miles per hour, you can see that they’re pretty fast!
Cockroaches just love to gather together in a small crack behind a ceramic tile or crevice behind a wall unit and being nocturnal, you’ll usually see them after dark in places like bathrooms and kitchens where there’s food and water.
As the population rises and the cockroach problem grows, this means the greater chance you’ll have of seeing them in daylight, so if you see them in a well-lit place during the day, it’s time to leave.
Do cockroaches bite?
If you were to pick one up, it would wriggle around and try to escape your grip, the chances of it biting you like a pet hamster are pretty low, but cockroaches can bite and this behaviour is usually found in certain places like prisons and large ships.
Its thought that having a constant human sleeping presence around the insects leads to a low degree of biting, because there are times when food is scarce and the insect population is high, and so their natural fear of us diminishes and hungry cockroaches will take any opportunity to have a quick nibble.
Can cockroaches hear?
Despite not having ears, cockroaches can still hear noises and particularly the low frequency sounds like human voices, their legs are covered in small sensitive hairs which vibrate when sound waves wash over them, this allows the cockroach to ‘hear’ sounds.
So, the quick answer is yes, cockroaches can hear you approach and they can also hear you say “Oh my God! We’ve got cockroaches”, so whisper if you think they’re around, and don’t phone for pest control within ear shot.
How large can cockroaches grow to?
If you take a trip to the zoo, and if you visit the Insect House while you’re there, you’ll no doubt see large cockroaches in glass containers and these are usually hissing cockroaches and these grow up to 75mm in length; but you won’t meet a cockroach anywhere that big as a pest.
The three species that we see in the UK and are regarded as pests are the American cockroach which is the largest one at half the size of the hissing cockroach , but still a hefty 36mm in length, our smallest pest cockroach is the German cockroach and only 12mm long, while the Oriental cockroach comes in the middle at 22mm.
It really doesn’t matter on the size or even the species, as cockroaches pose a significant health hazard to us through the spread of disease and the specific risks posed by their droppings.
How can cockroaches affect your health?
Cockroaches by their very nature represent a major health hazard to us, if crawling through drains where human faeces may lie isn’t enough, they will be all over any rubbish: rotting foodstuffs, any animal faeces, and the general waste that we leave behind is full of harmful bacteria, which may all be dragged through your kitchen on their feet.
If the possibility of food poisoning wasn’t enough, the debris from dead roaches: wings, bits of exoskeleton, and their droppings can all bring on asthma attacks and allergic reactions, they really are a health hazard.
What are the myths about cockroaches?
Cockroaches feature very highly as a pest that has a lot of myths about them; maybe it’s because they are hard to get rid off or just, because they’re truly horrible to have in your home, but let’s look at some of these myths that surround cockroaches.
There are white cockroaches.
No, there aren’t white cockroaches. They are not some new mutant strain or some exotic species but only a cockroach that has just shed its exoskeleton and is waiting for the new one to harden and change colour. Usually, they stay hidden away because they’re at risk of predation by other insects, so its highly unusual to see a white one.
Cockroaches can survive a nuclear war.
Maybe setting off a nuke is a bit of a drastic way to get rid of cockroaches but no, they can’t survive a nuclear war. They can, however, withstand around 40 times more radiation than us, so in the event of a full-blown nuclear war, they will survive for about 20 minutes more than us, which does make them the winners, sort of.
You only find cockroaches in dirty houses.
Another huge myth, yes having access to an unclean kitchen is going to help in their population development but they thrive in both clean and dirty houses equally. Cockroaches can be bought in via second hand kitchen appliances, and I’ve seen this on two occasions.
Cockroaches don’t lay individual eggs, they have a small leathery capsule called an ootheca which holds loads of eggs: 14 to 16 for the American, 30 to 50 for the German and the Oriental cockroach will just a mere 18 to 29 eggs inside. So, a single egg case means a full-blown cockroach infestation.
All cockroaches are harmful
Not quite, I had to write an entire blog on what’s called garden cockroaches because of the spread and growth of these benign and innocent insects that really are cockroaches but not to be considered a pest.
We have three species of garden cockroaches that generally live outside and just get on, munching away at rotting vegetation and causing us absolutely no problem whatsoever. However, as we see hotter and longer summers these insects are seeing a rise in population which, when combined with campaigns like ‘No Mow May’ means that you are highly likely to meet a cockroach inside your house at some stage.
I don’t recommend trying to kill these insects off, they present a threat no bigger than woodlice and are beneficial to the environment, read the blog and if you find yourself face to face with one of these, just trap it under a drinking glass and throw it outside, with all the others!
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