Cockroaches

The main types of cockroaches to be concerned about are Australian(pictured right), American (pictured below) and German (pictured above). There are a few other types but those are the main ones. They are omnivorous scavengers, meaning they eat both plants and meat and feed on whatever they find but they don't hunt. They are also mostly nocturnal, meaning they will generally only be out at night or when its dark. They do sometimes venture out in the light.

When left to do there thing they are great at breaking down organic materials like food scraps, cardboard, fabrics, spattered grease droplets or any tiny crumbs. Once they process this waste they excrete it and it is constituted into soil. This makes them good at composting and will normally find there way to any compost bin in the area.

There are a few issues they can cause. First issue is the ick factor. Most people don't like the idea of a big cockroach crawling across the wall or floor in front of them. Some of the more serious issues they can cause are contamination and disease transmission. Moving between raw and cooked food or contact with food prep surfaces can cause a huge risk of cross contamination. If there is an extensive infestation they can also cause an unpleasant odour.

For most cockroaches we can expect to greatly reduce their population by treating the internal areas chemically, with extra care around the kitchen, and dust applied to roof void and sub floors. To keep their numbers down will require some work from you too. Cleaning up any food, regularly emptying the bins, not leaving pet food out and limiting any gaps or crevices in walls, floors and skirting boards.

German Cockroaches will require a bit of extra work but and will require a second visit to ensure the best results.