Cockroaches
Wave Goodbye to Your Cockroach Problem for Good
What are Cockroaches?
Cockroaches are from Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Arthropoda, Order Blattaria and Class Insecta. They are one of the most primitive species still in existence on Earth.
Usually two inches long, cockroaches found in tropical areas tend to be larger than cockroaches in other climates. These species have two antennae, six legs and some varieties even have wings. However, most winged cockroaches are not able to fly. There are around 450 specie are found in Australia.
Why are Cockroaches Regarded as Pests?
Believe it or not, some species of cockroach are considered advantageous to the environment. The reason is that some cockroaches are recyclers of organic material.
Most cockroaches are seen as pests, especially those that invade residential dwellings. The cockroach species most commonly found in homes and restaurants (German Cockroach) is generally located around food and carries many dangerous diseases.
Which Cockroach Species are Found in Sydney?
There are several cockroaches found in Sydney, including: the Australian Cockroach, Smoky Brown Cockroach, American Cockroach, Brown Banded Cockroach, German Cockroach and the Oriental Cockroach.
Each of these species emits an unpleasant smell and can produce sound. What’s more, when cockroaches crawl around your house, office or restaurant, it creates a very unpleasant look.
When hungry, cockroaches will eat almost anything, including: glues, pastes, solid soaps, foods, starched-based paints and much more.
AUSTRALIAN COCKROACH (Periplaneta australasiae) – Similar to the the American Cockroach, an Australian cockroach adult measures between 32mm-35mm long and ranges in colour from reddish brown to dark brown. They have wings for glider flying and can be identified by the distinctive yellow bands on its upper forwings.
The Australian Cockroach mostly lives outside but can make their way inside during the evenings. They prefer to live in areas with mild winters, making the Northern Beaches & Dee Why a desirable location.
A ootheca (egg case) contains up to 24 eggs and takes 40 days to incubate before hatching. The Nymphs (baby cockroaches) takes 6-12 months to mature into adulthood.
SMOKY BROWN COCKROACH(Periplaneta fuliginous) - Slightly smaller than the American Cockroach, this mahogany coloured roach has wings that reach the tip of their abdomen. A mature adult can grow to 35mm long, with males having slightly larger wings.
The Smoky Brown Cockroach can be found under floors and bark, and nooks in any war dark place. As nocturnal creatures, they come out at night looking for food in your home. They scurry around floors but in warmer climates will fly.
The danger to humans is that their excrements and saliva can contaminate food with harmful bacteria. A ootheca (egg case) contains up to 22 – 26 eggs and takes 40 days to incubate before hatching. The Nymphs (baby cockroaches) takes 6-12 months to mature into adulthood.
AMERICAN COCKROACH(Periplaneta americana) – One of the largest of the cockroach species, the American Cockroach can grow to 50mm. They are a shiny reddish-brown in appearance with a yellow band behind its head. The American Cockroach lives in dark humid areas such as basements, kitchens, bathrooms and subfloors, making them visible in the home and workplace. A real pest in both commercial and residential properties, the American Cockroach will feed off just about anything from glue and paper to sewers and rubbish and food scraps. Due to their unsavory feeding habits, they easily contaminate food preparations surfaces, dishes and utensils. Their secretions and odour can affect the taste of food and spread harmful bacteria that can cause food poisoning. A ootheca (egg case) contains up to 14 – 16 eggs and takes 50 – 55 days to incubate before hatching. The female can produce up to 800 offspring a year. The Nymphs (baby cockroaches) takes 6-15 months to mature into adulthood.
BROWN BANDED COCKROACH (Supella longipalpa) – An adult Brown Banded Cockroach may only reach 11-14.5mm in length making them one of the smallest and invasive cockroaches. They can be distinguished by the two brownish, broad bands across the body at the base of the abdomen and at mid-abdomen.
Brown Banded Cockroach need the warm temperature to survive, so they prefer locations in the home such as inside pantries, near refrigerator motor, closets and dressers. Being scavengers, they can feed on almost anything from food to trash.
They may invade the home when infested furniture, food, grocery and other items are brought in.
GERMAN COCKROACH (Blattella germanica) –The German cockroach varies in colour, from tan to almost black and can measure up to 15mm long.
They are seen mainly at night, so if they come out during the day, there may be a substantial presence of an infestation. They prefer areas with moisture, warmth, and food sources.
The German Cockroach are frequently found in restaurants and commercial kitchen environments, spreading harmful bacteria. Bacteria can cause food poisoning through to rashes and asthma attacks.
ORIENTAL COCKROACH (Blatta orientalis) – Also known as waterbug or beetle, these large species can measure up to 32mm long. It's dark brown to black in colour and has a glossy body.
To breed and develop, they prefer damp, dark, cool and sheltered areas, so they are often seen under sinks, washing machines and wet basements.
The Oriental Cockroach often travel through sewers and come inside the home through pipes and drains. Outdoor plants may also provide a place for them to populate.
How Can Cockroaches be Controlled?
Roaches are one of the most known carriers of deadly diseases. It is our duty to guide you with some expert suggestions that will help you in keeping the pesky pests at bay:
1. Since cockroaches love water and moisture, keeping your house dry and clean will discourage them from nesting at your place.
2. Keep all the trash bins closed and tightly shut, to restrict any sort of access to the waste food materials.
3. Keep all the cooked and unsealed food items covered to ensure that cockroaches do not reach those. This includes food of your pets.
4. Clean under your stove or similar cooking devices quite often. Make sure you kitchen is kept clean, without the remnants of food.
5. Wash away the used dishes and other utensils right after using them.
6. Repair all the cracks and holes in or around your bathrooms and kitchens to ensure zero entry space for the pests.
Are you sick of seeing your beautiful home, office or restaurant overrun with cockroaches?
Do you live in Sydney’s Northern Beaches or surrounding suburbs?
Getting rid of the annoying pests is as simple as getting in touch with the team at R.I.P. We can control all types of cockroach infestations.
Our highly experienced team uses a wide variety of safe, environmentally friendly products to get rid of the pests once and for all. We are confident that you will have no future cockroach problems when you hire us as your pest exterminator.
So, what are you waiting for? Don’t put up with those filthy, frustrating cockroaches for one day longer. Just call [02 99995510] or email the experienced team at R.I.P. today, and we will banish those cockroaches for good.
