COCKROACHES
Cockroaches are serious pests in urban areas. They spread disease, contaminate food, cause allergies and asthma and generally live in rotting garbage and faecal matter, tracking germs into our living areas.
Cockroaches are known to cause infection by carrying bacteria such as Staphylococcus and Streptococcus, Hepatitis Virus, coliform bacteria (E. coli), as well as causing food poisoning by carrying Salmonella and Shigella bacteria. Historically they have also been linked to typhoid, dysentery and cholera.
TREATMENT
To successfully treat a cockroach infestation, it’s imperative to identify the species you’re dealing with. We see German Cockroaches, as well as the American, the Brown-Banded, Smokey Brown and Australian species with the German and Americans being the most common.
GERMAN COCKROACHES
Notorious world-wide indoor pest, hiding in cracks and crevices particularly in domestic and commercial kitchens and food storage areas. They are particularly difficult to eradicate and are best treated professionally.
German Cockroach.
BROWN-BANDED COCKROACHES
Brown-banded cockroaches (Supella longipalpa) are a common, smaller invasive cockroach with distinct brown-banding across wings. They tend to prefer locations up higher and drier than other species and can hide in all manner of places like picture frames and clock workings. Known to carry and spread harmful bacteria and protozoa which cause gastroenteritis and diarrhoea.
Brown-banded Cockroach
AMERICAN COCKROACHES
American cockroach adults grow to an average length of around 4 cm (1.6 in) and about 7 mm (0.28 in) tall. They are reddish brown and have a yellowish margin on the body region behind the head. Immature cockroaches resemble adults except they are wingless.
American Cockroach.
AUSTRALIAN COCKROACHES
The Australian Cockroach (Periplaneta australasiae) common species of tropical cockroach. Despite its name, it is not native to Australia. It is relatively large compared to other species and capable of flying from outdoors to inside, especially in colder conditions.
Australian Cockroach