Cockroaches

It's Just NOT Safe With Cockroaches Around!
an article by Candy Bouwer.

Ask yourself these questions?????

Are you sick & tired of seeing cockroaches creeping around at night?
Are you worried about the health hazards from cockroaches in your every day environment, (If you are not, you should be!)
Are you concerned about your family and animals or even your work colleague’s safety with cockroaches crawling around all over the place?

If all these questions sound familiar to you, you don’t need to search any further!

My friends and clients are always asking various questions regarding cockroach control so I have researched and prepared some basic information for you to digest, and prepared a few tips for you to take action.

Firstly please note
(Warning: If you see cockroaches even in the day, you have a serious cockroach infestation problem!) So when you have a little time go through this carefully it is for your benefit.

Cockroaches have been man’s No. 1 pest problem for decades. They are serious health hazards to humans and pets as they carry bacteria in their bodies that can be easily passed on.
Cockroaches can carry pathogens that can cause asthma, allergies, abscesses, boils, bubonic plague, diarrhoea, dysentery, gastroenteritis, intestinal infections, leprosy, lesions, typhoid fever, urinary tract infections and more. Of all domestic pests, Bacteria such as streptococcus, coli form, salmonella, staphylococcus and clostridium may travel from a cockroach in a kitchen to food and people.

Cockroaches that are in our back yard in South Africa
There are two very common species found in South Africa that plague our homes and work places: namely: The American and The German Cockroach.

First about our American invader:

SIZE: American cockroach adults are +-(38mm) American cockroaches are the largest of the common cockroaches.
COLOR: American cockroaches are reddish brown and have a yellowish margin on the body region behind the head.

And secondly our German invader:

SIZE: Adults are about +-(17mm) German cockroach is the number 1 cockroach of concern, it is dependent on humans and is unable to survive locations without humans or human activity.

COLOR: Adult German cockroaches are light brown with two dark stripes,

The typical signs of Cockroach Infestations are:

Actually seeing live insects – cockroaches are night time creatures and are therefore nocturnal and hide during the day. The most obvious time to see them is when you turn the light on in a dark area such as your kitchen at night. Hidden during the day they becoming active at night to obtain food and water, and to reproduce.
Cockroaches will drop their Egg cases or cast skins
Droppings – cockroaches leave a trail of black droppings
An established cockroach infestation produces an unpleasant, musty smell odour
Damage - cockroaches will attack any organic goods including leather and books Cockroaches will eat almost anything: left-over human food, wood, leather, cigarette butts, tooth paste, milk, sugary materials, coffee grinds, glue, soap, faeces, fabric, shoes, paint, the glue on the back of wallpaper, human hair, fingernails, etc.

What you can do to keep Cockroaches at bay!

Sealing entry points can help prevent a cockroach from entering the home. Key risks are gaps under doors or around pipes to the exterior or neighbouring properties.
Also seal gaps where cockroaches can harbour - cockroaches are nocturnal and hide during the day in cracks and crevices in the walls, around skirting boards or behind electrical sockets.
The most effective way of controlling cockroaches is to deny them food and water:
Seal and store food in sealed containers and sealed plastic bags.
Spot clean all food and waste spillages straight away.
Regularly clean and clear all food residue and debris from under and behind stoves and fridges.
Put away crockery and cutlery
Food and water should not be left out over night and should be stored so as to deny access by the roaches.
Refuse and compost should be housed in sealed bins.
Populations can be managed by controlling the availability of food, water, and hiding places.
Poor sanitation that is contributing to a cockroach problem should be corrected.

Risks and advice
If untreated, cockroaches quickly establish themselves in high numbers and will spread to neighbouring properties.
You may be able to kill insects with Do – it - yourself products. As you know these are available in lots of shops over the counter but an established problem will often require the services of a Professional Pest Controller or Pest Management Program to ensure that you will not have a re-occurrence of the problem.
Doing – it - yourself also poses the problem as the over the counter products are not equipped to deal with difficult to reach cockroach hiding places and will most likely have a reoccurrence as the surviving eggs hatch after a month or two. If it is necessary to use chemical pesticides, this should be done on a limited basis only to remove cockroaches from hiding places or to eliminate small populations. Only those materials registered for use against cockroaches, and recommended for the needs of the particular situation, should be used. Please remember that all pesticides can be harmful if misused. Follow the label directions very carefully.

Professional Cockroach Control!
If the scope of the cockroach problem is beyond the capability of individuals to control, the advice and services of professional certified Pest Management Control Specialists should be engaged.

This is one of Alcocks prime areas of expertise!

The Alcock’s Pest Control Division is dedicated to Service and Maintenance of all Domestic, Commercial and industrial premises. This is providing a structural pest control managed service in compliance with most good management practices and protocols in all walks of life.

Firstly a fully trained and experienced consultant will survey the premises and make a detailed report on the situation to each matter. Then he/she will make recommendation and offer treatment and control measures. Treatment and Control will usually involve pesticide treatment. Advice on sanitation measures is also a standard operating process. A good sanitary environment mean no place for bacteria build up and less food source for Pests.

Our teams are registered and our operators are all highly trained individuals and are accompanied by assistants currently in training. All chemicals are registered under Act 36 of 1947 and conform to the specifications of the Department of Agriculture and are SABS approved. Each are members of the (SAPCA) South African Pest control Association and carries a PCO number. Further to, the company is registered with the Pest Control Service Industries Board (PCSIB). This is of importance to the various audits required in industry.

Should you have any enquiry or simply need more information don’t hesitate to call me anytime.

Candy Bouwer
Marketing Executive

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