The common cockroaches In Perth are German cockroaches and Australian cockroaches because of their environmental preference. These are often associated with unsanitary, unhygienic and unclean conditions. In Perth, German cockroaches and Australian cockroaches also have ideal breeding grounds and environments.
These cockroaches enter your homes and commercial settings via drains, gardens, cracks and crevices in walls. However, it is important to exterminate them as it concerns your health and property damage. Thus, the faster you take action in finding solutions for cockroach infestations, the quicker your place becomes safe to live in.
Everything You Need To Know About Cockroach Infestation Solutions
Common Cockroaches In Perth
Some of the common species of cockroaches you find in common households in Perth are German cockroaches and Australian cockroaches. One of the reasons why they are most prevalent is that they are well adapted to Perths’ local environment. Look further to know in detail about these cockroach species.
German Cockroaches
- In appearance, German cockroaches are light brown and small with distinct strips along their back.
- As they prefer warm environments to live in, they choose the indoors of your property.
- Most commonly, you firm German cockroaches’ presence in bathrooms and kitchens as these places have easy access to water, food and shelter.
Australian Cockroaches
- In comparison with German cockroaches, Australian cockroaches are larger with a bodily colour of reddish-brown.
- Although Australian cockroaches are outdoor species, you can even find them indoors if there is abundant access to food and water sources.
- Upon getting attracted to light in your homes, they get indoors of your place through cracks, crevices and gaps.
Behaviour & Breeding Habits
German cockroaches find it easy to climb as they are excellent climbers and hide in crevices and gaps during the day. They are nocturnal and are quick to reproduce with the next generation. A single female cockroach produces many generations in one year.
Australian cockroaches, despite being outdoor species, enter your homes in search of food and water. Their go-to places in your home are basements, kitchens and bathrooms as they have excess moisture. To lay eggs, these roaches choose outdoor areas where there is mulch and leaves.
A few effective ways to cockroach-proof your home are as follows:
- You can remove any potential entry points of cockroaches such as cracks, gaps and crevices by sealing them.
- If there are any leaky pipes, faucets or AC units, fix them as soon as possible to eliminate excess moisture.
- Declutter your storeroom regularly and check in cabinets, cupboards and behind the refrigerator for the presence of roaches.
- Install door sweeps and window screens to prevent cockroaches from accessing your indoors.
- Upon finding food crumbs, spills or any waste on the floors or dining areas, clean the areas immediately.
Natural Pest Repellents
There are a few essential oils such as peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil and cedarwood oil that upon mixing with water can be used as spraying solutions. So, choose an essential oil of your choice and mix about 5 drops of it in a cup of water and take this content into a dry spray bottle. Then, spray it over infestation areas of cockroaches.
However, if you want to find an alternative natural repellent for cockroaches other than essential oils, you can count on herbs. Some such herbs are bay leaves, catnip, garlic, chrysanthemums, rosemary, citrus, basil, lavender, etc. You can grow any of these herbs outdoors to prevent cockroach entry indoors, making your home cockroach-resistant.
Signs of Cockroach Infestations
- Spotting Live Roaches- One of the obvious signs you get noticed is to spot live cockroaches across your home, especially during the night.
- Egg Casings- You find small oval-shaped egg cases of cockroaches varying in different sizes in hidden areas such as cracks and crevices in walls.
- Shed Skin- Cockroaches have an exoskeleton that is shed over time in their hidden areas.
- Droppings- Dark pellets that have a similar appearance to coffee grounds are droppings found in kitchen cabinets, behind refrigerators, along baseboards, etc.
- Damaged Food Packaging- The irregular holes and damages you find on your food packages are due to these nocturnal pests called cockroaches.
- Unusual Odours- Usually roaches emit musty and distinct odours and these unusual odours keep on increasing with the increase in their population.
Understanding Cockroach Behavior
Cockroaches are active during the night and are generally categorised as nocturnal pests. This behaviour of theirs is mainly because they prefer hidden and dark areas, to avoid predators. However, if it’s daytime, they hide in secluded areas such as Cracks, Under appliances, Crevices, Gaps in walls, In paper bags, Stacks of cardboard boxes, Attics, Garbage bins & Crawl spaces.
Moreover, roaches are omnivorous pests and thus they consume a wide range of food sources. Their diet also includes organic material, plant and animal matter, decaying matter, per food, and anything that is made of cellulose and leftover food scraps. When it comes to the environment that attracts cockroaches, there are a few of them. Hidden areas with moisture, warmth, food sources, water sources, clutter and darkness attract cockroaches the most.
Health Risks And Concerns
Infestations of cockroaches pose a lot of risk to your health because of their behaviour, breeding, potential disease transmission and habits. Some of such health implications you should take note of are:
- Allergic reactions: Because of the proteins roaches produce, allergic reactions arise as these proteins become airborne.
- Respiratory Problems: Upon exposure to cockroach allergens, it aggravates people with respiratory problems such as asthma and hay fever.
- Skin Rashes: In sensitive individuals, you notice skin rashes due to the allergens of cockroaches.
- Disease Transmission: Cockroaches also act as vectors for the transmission of infections like stomach cramps, diarrhoea, food poisoning, etc.
- Worsen Health Of Immunocompromised Individuals: If there are people who are immunocompromised or have chronic illnesses, cockroach allergens worsen their health.
- Additional Impacts: Cause negative impacts psychologically to cause anxiety, discomfort and stress.
DIY Cockroach Control Methods
Homemade Traps and Baits
- Jar Trap- Take a dry glass jar to line the insides of it with a petroleum gel as a layer. Now, place cockroach-attractant into the jar and leave this jar in areas where cockroaches roam frequently. Once you do this, over half an hour or an hour, cockroaches get lured and get trapped in this jar.
- Tape Trap- In all the areas where you find the presence of cockroaches, lay double-sided tape as traps. So, once roaches crawl into these areas with tapes, they eventually get trapped.
Baited Traps With Chemical-Free Ingredients
Two of the common cockroach-baiting traps are a mix of sugar with boric acid and coffee grounds with water.
- Mix Of Sugar With Boric Acid- Take equal parts of both to mix thoroughly and place them in small amounts in areas pests frequent.
- Coffee Grounds With Water- Take coffee grounds and water to make a paste and form this paste into small balls. Now, place these balls in pest-frequenting areas.
- Diatomaceous Earth- It is made from remains of diatoms and acts as a dehydrating agent on cockroaches. Thus, dust diatomaceous earth in areas roaches frequently roam.
Preventive Measures To Discourage Cockroach Infestations
- Clean your place regularly and sanitise it while paying extra attention to food crumbs and juice spills.
- Upon noticing leaks in sewer lines or faucets, get them fixed immediately.
- Remove excess clutter such as cardboard, packages, magazines and old newspaper stacks.
- If there’s pet food left in the pet bowl, store it away in sealed containers.
- Dispose of the trash regularly.
- Trim the shrubs and plants in your gardens to prevent an indoor cockroach infestation.
- Seal all the entry points of cockroaches such as cracks and crevices in windows, walls and doors.
Professional Cockroach Extermination
At times, only professional cockroach control can salvage the situation you are in and your property can be saved then. So, confirm the following aspects before seeking advice for professional assistance for eradicating cockroaches In Perth.
- Infestation Severity Level: If you find it hard to get rid of cockroach infestations on your own, you can count on professional help.
- Repeated Infestations: Oftentimes, despite getting rid of cockroaches, they keep coming back and you shouldn’t let this repeat and call experts.
- Health Issues: If you find that the reason for triggering respiratory or any other issues is cockroaches, get their infestations eliminated at professional hands.
- No Results For DIYs: When there are no effective results upon implementing DIY tricks, immediately avail of cockroach control services.
Different Treatment Options & Their Effectiveness
- Spraying- One of the chemical treatments that results in effective outcomes is spraying treatment and kills roaches upon contact.
- Heat Treatment- It is a treatment that removes the root cause of cockroach infestations like eggs.
- Bait Stations- These are poised food for cockroaches and once roaches carry this food into their colonies, chances of completely getting rid of infestation are high.
- Fumigation- It is a treatment where gas insecticide is used to kill cockroaches along with their eggs and nymphs.
- Insect Growth Regulators- These disrupt both the growth and development of roaches and prevent them from reproducing further.
Choosing Reputable Pest Control Companies In Perth
Consider the following factors before choosing a reputable pest control company for cockroaches In Perth:
- Licenced and insured pest exterminators
- Experience
- Expertise
- Abide by safety guidelines
- Ask for eco-friendly pest solutions
- Affordable service pricing
Cockroach Prevention In Commercial Settings
If you have commercial settings like hotels and restaurants, you need to focus on regular inspection of the area. Upon noticing grease, food crumbs and residues, the immediate action of cleaning is required with the use of cockroach baits and traps. One thing you should never forget as an owner of a commercial setting is compliance with health and safety regulations. So, follow guidelines and local health departments and keep thorough records on pest control inspections your setting has gone through. In addition to this, educating staff on cockroach preventive measures plays a key role as this helps in eliminating potential cockroach infestations.
Sustainable Pest Management
Sustainable pest management includes eco-friendly approaches and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Strategies. Eco-friendly approaches for the elimination of cockroach infestations are to use natural repellents like essential oils and diatomaceous earth. IPM strategies include a variety of approaches like biological, physical and chemical control methods. Apart from these two approaches sustainable pest management can be obtained by balancing effectiveness with environmental impact. Here, it is focused on long-term pest prevention rather than directly relying on chemicals.
Conclusion
As mentioned earlier, German cockroaches and Australian cockroaches are the common cockroaches in Perth. So, it is important to know their signs, behaviour, habitats, breeding and preventive measures if you do not want them to infest your place. Having the right information on the signs of cockroaches plays crucial as they help in early detection and cockroach removal. It is advisable to go with eco-friendly cockroach treatments like baits, traps and heat treatment, especially if you have kids and pets in the home. Moreover, multi-faceted extermination for cockroaches is the most effective way to adopt if you want to focus on complete prevention & management.