Cockroach Pest Control, Removal and Treatment

There are many varieties of cockroaches, some more troublesome than others. Whichever one you have we will be able to treat, but knowing which one you have is a benefit there will be certain things that you can do to control them after we have removed them. Based on whatever variety you have, ASPC will provide you with a guide on keeping them from entering your property again.

Australian Cockroaches

The Australian cockroach is about 5cm long when fully grown and will often fly in your face when you go outside. They like to breed in tree mulch and tree bark as well as palm trees. The baby ones are often mistaken for German cockroaches. They tend to stay outdoors but can be lured in by food, moisture or a secure breeding spot, often in kitchens or bathrooms. Whilst they are not the most dangerous species, they are still a health hazard and will need to be removed.

German Cockroaches

German cockroaches don’t fly so are easily distinguishable from American and Australian varieties. They breed like crazy though so can become a huge problem in a very short time. About 2 cm long when fully grown and brown in colour. They are fairly docile unless foraging for food and like all cockroaches will live in humid conditions that are safe, warm, and near water and food. If left untreated, German cockroaches will infest all parts of your property making them a bigger problem. They also carry a huge number of bacteria and viruses but they can safely be safely removed by skilled experts such as ASPC using a variety of up-to-date methods.

Another flying variety so you only have to worry about them if they have invaded your home as you can’t do much about them outside. This is one of the larger of the common varieties at about 4 cm long and usually dark brown. They are smelly and again carry harmful bacteria but are luckily easy to treat once identified and located.

• Salmonella
• Gastroenteritis (food poisoning)
• Allergic Reactions
• Diarrhea
• Dysentery
• Cholera
• Leprosy
• Typhoid Fever
• Asthma
• Viral diseases such as Poliomyelitis

Spraying - Spraying is the most common and effective treatment as it works very fast and so can stop them from migrating to another room or area. We only use modern spray formulas which are safe for you, your family and your pets. Once we have sprayed identified areas they mustn’t be cleaned or get wet as this will render the insecticide ineffective. We’ll let you know what areas have been treated and when it's safe to clean etc.

Baiting - Newer products and techniques have made baiting effective again, especially in combination with spraying. Newer types of gel baits are safe, odourless and can even be used in commercial kitchens. Far more effective than powders they attract the cockroaches and eliminate them.

Sticky Board Traps - Just like traditional fly paper these traps are safe to use in all areas and are quite effective when well placed by our pest control technicians. They only attract certain types of cockroaches like nesting females which is good) but used in combination they form part of an effective strategy. Good for follow-up visits and telling us more locations.

Cockroaches have incomplete metamorphosis. Most species of cockroaches lay eggs in an ootheca (egg case) that is either deposited on or under suitable substrate, or carried attached to the genital region. The egg stage lasts from a few weeks to a few months. The young are active from hatching and resemble the adults but are usually lighter in colour and lack wings. The young cockroaches develop through a number of nymphal instars, which may range from 2 to 12 depending on the species and may take from a month or so up to 12 months to reach maturity. Some species may live for several years.

Much of the feeding habits of native Australian cockroaches is unknown, but it is likely the majority are omnivorous. Some species are known to feed predominantly on rotting wood while some species harbour symbiotic gut Protozoa that aids in cellulose digestion. The introduced domestic species appear to eat almost anything.

Cockroaches in Australia are widespread and adapted to both wet and dry environments. Most species are nocturnal and ground dwelling and are usually found hiding during the day in crevices, under bark, rocks or logs and in burrows. Some species may occur on plants or in litter and some also occur solely in caves or ant nests. Others are associated with human habitation.

Do you have cockroaches in your home or business? The larger cockroaches are easier to deal with but the most common across Australia is the German cockroach. A cockroach infestation isn’t easy to remove in a single treatment, but with care, patience, the right techniques and some persistence they can be eliminated completely.

The general form of cockroaches varies little, however their size can range from only a couple of millimetres in length up to 70 millimetres for the Giant Rhinoceros cockroach from Northern Queensland. There are just over 400 species of cockroaches in Australia out of 4000 worldwide, the best known being the introduced pests which commonly inhabit houses, restaurants and sewers. All cockroaches have the following characteristics:

• Oval and flattened body shape
• Thorax covered by a large plate (the pronotum), which extends partly over the head
• Chewing (mandibulate) mouthparts
• Compound eyes and 2 simple ocelli-like spots
• 2 pairs of membranous wings when present. Forewings are more sclerotised than hind wings. Wings are folded left over right when at rest
• Prominent cerci
• Long antennae