Professional tips on DIY cockroach eradicaiton

How to eradicate cockroaches? Tips from an Auckland Professional Pest Controller (http://www.commercialpestcontrol.net.nz/).

Professional pest control companies deal with large infestations of German cockroaches on a weekly basis. Mostly it's commercial business that has left things to run a little too far. In some cases the cockroaches are in the walls and appliances and are very difficult to get rid of.

What are the tips from a Professional pest controller? Well straight off the bat, I will admit that a Professional pest controller have an advantage. That is we have access to restricted products. Some of these are very specific to cockroaches and very effective.

But here are comments from ACES pest control (http://www.commercialpestcontrol.net.nz/).

(i) Keep your friends close but your enemies closer.

First thing is to work out what type of cockroach it is and this will tell you where they are hanging out and where they are coming from. Indoor vrs outdoor cockroaches. There are two types of outdoor ( bush) cockroaches. The native (small reddish brown and oval) and the Gisborne cockroach (large dark brown with a tan stripe on its side). The Gisborne cockroach is wrongly named and is actually from Australia. It first hopped off a ship to NZ in the port of Gisborne. Both of these prefer cooler outdoor environments e.g. bark gardens. They are not health risk and mostly come inside your house when it cools down in autumn or winter months. They can set up shop inside your house but it is uncommon.

The second type of cockroach is the indoor cockroaches, these are never found outside as they need to be somewhere warm. They are American and German cockroach, BUT both originally are from Africa and wrongly named. You will find in areas of your homes or businesses that are most like Africa e.g. fridge motors, kettle stands. These guys are a health risk and spread Salmonella. The American is large and reddish brown. They frequent sewers, and are often a sign that there is problem with sewerage pipes under your house or business. Lastly the German cockroach is common in homes and business around Auckland. Smaller and more rectangular than the American it is a light tan colour. It has two black stripes on each side of its head (pictured) .

Cockroaches are like most insects that is they reproduce quickly. Left untreated you have a serious problem is less than six months.

(ii) Treatment- bush cockroaches

You need to create a barrier around the house to stop them coming in. Hardware shops or kiwicare have some excellent long acting sprays for this job. Spray the base of the house and all entry points ( windows and door ways). If you can also spray the inside of windows and doorways, upper and lower skirtings. Inspect the kitchen. In particular behind the draws and cupboards. Look for oothea from the Gisborne cockroach, as they stick them to these areas. These are brown to whitish 5mm long. Remove and destroy all of these. Get hold of some bait for cockroaches ( hardware or kiwicare) and hide this away inside the cupboards away from food and utensils.

NON chemical tip. Trim foliage touching your house and or deck to a 5cm gap. This is how they often access your house.

(iii) Treatment - German or American.

Inspect all areas of warmth. Specifically . kettle stand, fridge motors, around and inside dishwasher, microwave, hot water cylinder, portable phones and their holders and ADSL modems. Look for cockroach poos, these look like dark black coffee grinds. Example-poos under the microwave tells you there is cockroaches in the microwave without seeing a cockroach. Electronics treat with a bait. If the level of infestation is high OR they are forming “hives”, dome like collections of 100s or 1000s of cockroaches consider using insecticide dust to reduce down the numbers. The most common dust available is a permethrin dust ( hardware store or kiwicare) . Some pesties just use bait no matter how bad the infestation. The spray the inside of the house as above.

Remember be thorough as it only takes one survivor to start the process over again.

And always wear a mask, gloves and protective eyewear at the least. Further safety gear is available at NZ safety.

In some cases large established infestations of German cockroaches even professional pest controllers can struggle to eradicate them. ACES pest control (http://www.commercialpestcontrol.net.nz/). has found the best treatments are slow acting transfer treatments e.g. baits. As they go back into the hives or nests regardless of where they are e.g. walls. But as mentioned at the beginning of the blog the best products ( as per ACES pest control’s experience) are restricted to purchase with approved handlers certificate only.

Should you need further information http://www.commercialpestcontrol.net.nz/services/cockroaches/