Oriental
cockroaches are usually black to dark brown. They can become
numerous in damp, secluded areas such as crawl spaces,
basements, and drains. The oriental cockroach is often found
in a bath tub because they lack sticky pads on their feet
and cannot climb the smooth sides.
The female produces about eight egg capsules in a lifetime
with each containing 16 eggs. She deposits this capsule
within 30 hours after its produced. The nymphs emerge and go
through 10 molts before becoming adults. There is usually
one generation per year which takes more than 480 days to
complete.
German Cockroaches
The German cockroach is the most common household insect. They are usually
found in kitchens, and bathrooms, but can be in any portion of a heated structure. A nocturnal insect, German cockroaches remain hidden in dark secluded harborages during the daylight hours. If you see some during the day, it is a sure sign that a tremendous population exists.
The female produces 4-8 capsules in her life time. Each capsule contains 30-40 eggs. The female carries the capsule until the eggs are ready to hatch. This usually takes 28-30 days. Nymphs molt 6-7 times before becoming adults. The cockroach population can grow 3-4 generations each year.
Cockroaches are scavengers with a wide choice of food. They thrive on food humans eat and pollute human food in process of feeding. Cockroaches carry disease organisms on the loins and bristles on its body, as well as the sticky pads on its feet. Roaches defecate on food and transmit staphylococcus, streptococcus and E. Coli bacteria.
CONTROL
There are 3 levels of control:
-
Cultural
Sanitation is the primary key to controlling roach infestation. You need to eliminate food material and harborage.
-
Physical
Sealing up cracks and crevices where roaches hide. Also the placement of baits and gels along with residual insecticides.
-
Mechanical
This plays an important role in monitoring the presence of cockroaches. Sticky traps are useful for this purpose.
