Our Services >> Cockroach Control If you have a cockroach problem, Effective Solutions have a safe, non toxic solution to your pest problem. Contact us now to see how we can assist you. The application to manage a cockroach infestation requires detailed attention. Cockroaches hide and nest in dark areas, such as table legs, drains and open pipes, skirting boards, behind wall panels, inside appliances, ovens and cracks and crevices in plaster and tiles.

They also live in staff change rooms, clothing cupboards, bathroom cupboards, behind picture frames and wallpaper that is lifting from the wall. The resultant offspring from one female can be as high as 20000 to 35000 in one year, if treatments are not done correctly and regularly. To manage a cockroach infestation effectively, we recommend the treatment cycle shown here.

Cockroach Management

RECOMMENDED TREATMENT CYCLES IN FOOD PRODUCTION ESTABLISHMENTS
INFESTATION	RECOMMENDED TREATMENT CYCLE
No Infestation	Maintain a 30 – 45 day cycle even if no insect is seen.
Mild Infestation	Maintain a 30-day cycle.
Medium Infestation	Maintain a 30-day cycle. Occasionally, a 15 day cycle may be required
Severe Infestation	Start with a 15-day cycle for two months. Thereafter a 30-day cycle must be maintained, with occasional 15-day cycles in between.

 

For cockroach control in households, we recommend 1 to 4 treatments per year, depending on the severity of the infestation.

A vital component of effective cockroach management is a high standard of cleanliness in all areas of a building or home.

Insecticide Products

We use BioKill Insecticide, Cockroach Gel Bait, and in some cases, an Aerosol Space Spray. BioKill is odourless and not harmful to humans and pets. When we use BioKill and the Gel Bait, you’ll not be required to evacuate the premises. When we use the Space Spray, you’ll need to evacuate the premises for at least 3 hours. Upon return, you’ll need to ventilate the premises very well.

About Cockroaches

There is a good fossil record of cockroaches that dates back to the Upper Carboniferous period. That is well over 300 million years ago. Several thousand kinds of cockroaches have been described, however, only three species (German, Oriental and American) regularly infest buildings. The rest prefer to live outdoors. All cockroaches are nocturnal, meaning that they move about at night. Cockroaches are omnivorous. This means that they will feed on almost anything from paper, vegetables, bread, cake, fruit, toothpaste, soap, glue and meat to leather. Cockroaches are probably the most disliked insects.

The German cockroach is by far the most important and usually the most common. It has been implicated in outbreaks of illness, the transmission of pathogenic organisms including at least one parasitic protozoan, and allergic reactions in humans.

Habits

German cockroaches are found throughout homes and buildings, but prefer warm and humid places. Any crack or crevice near to a food source and water is prime harbourage. Newly hatched instars require a crack width of about 1mm, while an adult requires only 4mm to 5mm.

These insects are introduced into buildings via paper products and packaging, cardboard boxes, vegetable crates, beverage suppliers and second hand appliances. They also gain entry via staff clothing and parcels brought onto the premises.

Activity times vary, depending on life stage, age and physiological state. Reproducing females are highly active, whereas egg-carrying females are relatively inactive. They will search for food and water only when necessary. Males spend most of their time in harbourage. They will only come out for food. All nymphs become immobile and stay in harbourage during the last three days of their instar period, while they prepare to malt. Hence, about a third of nymphs will not be found or found exposed during an inspection.

Biology

The female carries her ootheca (egg pouch) until it is within 1 to 2 days of hatching. She will deposit it near to a food source, in a sheltered area. On average a female will produce an egg pouch 3 to 6 times a year. Each pouch will hatch about 30 to 40 eggs. It takes about 103 days on average for a cockroach to mature from the time it hatches. Adults live for approximately 100 to 300 days. An established German cockroach population is typically composed of at least 75% nymphs.

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