Summary

    – What is a cockroach?

    – Why are cockroaches harmful?

    – Cockroach and legislation

    – How to get rid of cockroaches?

    – Getting rid of cockroaches: using a pest control company

The words roach and cockroach refer to the same insect, also known by the scientific name Blattodea; the word cockroach is more often used in everyday language.

What is a cockroach?

Two types of cockroaches are common.

    – The German cockroach or Blattella germanica, brown. It is the common cockroach in our homes, which likes heat, darkness and humidity.

    – The oriental cockroach or Blatta orientalis, black, lives willingly in relatively cool places, such as cellars and parking lots.

The cockroach, an omnivorous and nocturnal insect

The cockroach is an omnivorous insect.

    – Any form of meal suits him: meat, vegetables, fruit, sweet foods, fats, fabrics, cardboard, paper, dead cockroaches …

    – This is why you can find it almost everywhere: in houses, apartments, restaurants, stores and warehouses, food or not, boats, hospitals, etc.

During the day, the cockroach usually hides in a dark corner and comes out at night to hunt.

The cockroach will enter any building with the slightest air vent or even a tiny crack: 1.5 mm is enough! It likes to circulate along the technical ducts and columns of garbage disposals, and thus it can quickly contaminate all the apartments in a building.

Life cycle and reproduction

After fertilization, the female stores the male’s seed, which allows her to continue to lay eggs throughout her life without even mating, the eggs are formed in capsules called oothecae, which the female deposits everywhere.

It only takes one egg capsule introduced by chance into a room for an infestation to start, stuck to a bag or the sole of a shoe!

Moreover, the cockroach reproduces at an incredible speed: during its lifetime, a cockroach can theoretically produce 100,000 eggs just waiting to hatch!

Why is the cockroach harmful?

Humans have an almost atavistic repulsion for cockroaches. It is not without reason: gravitating in suspicious places such as garbage chutes or drainpipes, the cockroach is often a carrier of pathogens: viruses and many bacteria causing respiratory allergies for humans.

Cockroach and legislation

As far as pest control is concerned, all departments have set up regulations to eradicate cockroaches. The hygiene department of the town hall can inform you about the rules applicable in your province.

How to get rid of cockroaches?

Cockroaches are never content to live in an isolated area without quickly contaminating the surrounding areas.

As soon as you see the slightest cockroach in a home or public place, it would help if you react immediately. Warn whoever you have to! It is also useless to fight alone in your corner. It is necessary to immediately alert the neighbours, the owner, the syndic, and even the city hall’s hygiene service. No false modesty: the cleanest of places can be infested by cockroaches!

Some basic advice

The fight against cockroaches starts with a few simple means, effective against several types of insects.

Cockroach traps

Traps play a crucial role in the fight against cockroaches.

Cockroach insecticide

There are specific insecticides against cockroaches in aerosol, powder or spray.

    – The spray products are interesting because they allow you to treat the dark corners and nooks that cockroaches love: under the sink, behind major appliances, under the bathtub, in the nooks and crannies of closets, and garbage rooms. It is also necessary to spray all baseboards and door frames.

    – However, really effective sprays of the “total extermination” type are also toxic to animals and children. This is why new products are increasingly using gels or baits based on boric acid.

Getting rid of cockroaches: calling a pest control company

If cockroaches’ infestation is severe or recurrent, it is necessary to call a pest control company to use the most appropriate products to eliminate these pests.