It has always been said that the only survivors of a nuclear attack will be cockroaches. In fact, climate change is already affecting them. But not in the way that many would like, eliminating them, but rather, while before they were a more seasonal pest, concentrated in summer, when it began to get hot, now the warmer winters of recent years prevent them from dying and also end up leaving .
The cockroach usually appears in the sinks or kitchens, because that is where it finds food and water. It also has dark places to hide and hot spots where it can be comfortable and breed. One of his favorite points is the motor of the refrigerator. Explains it to RAC1 Juanjo Molinero, technical manager of the pest control company Conplag. He details that the easiest way to see if you have them or not is by removing the fridge and looking if there is one next to the engine.
The expert also warns that the most common thing is to find them alive. Cockroaches are a nocturnal species, which is why Molinero explains that the most common thing is to see them at night, “when you go to look for a glass of water in the fridge and you see it run across the kitchen counter.” In fact, he adds that “if you see three during the day, you have fifty at night.” The expert says that they like the dark, and that they seek warmth. In his years of experience, he has even found it on a DVD.
-The most common cockroach is the German or kitchen beetle (Blatella germanica). It is yellowish in color, it is between 13 and 15 millimeters long and it has wings, but it cannot fly. It is easy to climb.
– The oriental or black cockroach (Blatta orientalis) is between 20 and 35 mm long, almost black brown in color and has wings, but cannot fly either. It usually lives in the sewer.
– The third most common species is the American or red cockroach (Periplaneta americana). It is between 35 and 50 millimeters long, is brown in color and has the ability to fly. It can be seen in places where there is food, but it hardly enters the house.
There are three types of cockroaches. The German cockroach or kitchen beetle is the most common, since it is the one that appears indoors. There is also the oriental cockroach and the American cockroach, which usually live in the street. Even so, it is also possible that these two enter premises, ground floors or apartments near the street. As for the German cockroach, it can appear on any floor, and if a neighbor in the community has it, it is very easy for it to end up appearing in the rest of the houses.
The problem with cockroaches is that they leave a trail that is harmful to health. They leave it on the food, on the kitchen counter, everywhere they go. It is their way of marking the path where they must pass. Among the health problems that can cause there is the transmission of different bacteria, such as salmonella. They can also spread viruses and fungi and even cause asthma or other allergy problems.
One of the most important difficulties when it comes to controlling cockroach pests is that “nothing kills the eggs”. There is no product that eliminates them, according to the Conplag specialist Juanjo Molinero. For this reason, he warns that “if you do not do it well, there is always a trace”. In fact, he remembers that “from a dead cockroach the pups can come out.” This makes it very difficult to remove them completely.
Molinero explains that, to eliminate cockroaches, a treatment similar to that used for lice must be carried out, because once the adult has been eliminated, the eggs must be destroyed. For this reason, he says that it is better to vacuum than to rub. If you scrub, you risk spreading the eggs around the space without removing them. Instead, by vacuuming the area you make sure that the eggs are gone. Then you just have to throw away the vacuum cleaner bag to prevent the pups from being born.
– The most important thing to eliminate a plague of cockroaches is to know the origin, as Juanjo Molinero says.
– It must be taken into account that the name of the cockroach comes from the bread, because it is very common for them to appear in the flour to make bread. They also often appear in coffee brown.
– Cleaning is a good way to eliminate them, but in clean houses there can also be, coming from the market or carrying the eggs on clothes or shoes.
– The most important thing is to remove the eggs. There is no product that kills them; the most effective is to vacuum and throw what is sucked into the bag and not rub.
As for traditional products, Molinero assures that they are not effective. In fact, professionals work with target insecticides. These are products that are specifically created to eliminate certain species, in this case cockroaches. These insects carry the product to the nest and die. In addition, those that eat the cockroaches that have died from the poison also die. The product is effective and can be found in drugstores.
With this new system, you can choose which species you want to eliminate, while the rest of the insects continue to live peacefully. In addition, when a professional comes to put it at home, it is not necessary for the family to march for days as it used to be. For Molinero, however, the most important thing when a cockroach infestation is detected at home is to call a professional; He affirms that he is the one who will be in charge of eliminating the pest safely and doing the control, since eliminating cockroaches from home is not an easy process.
