For over 300 million years, cockroaches have been on Earth, among the insects that invade homes most frequently. More than 4500 cockroach species exist worldwide, but fewer than 1% are considered pests.
The majority of cockroach species live outdoors, and pests are those that live around people or in human habitats. Roles for cockroaches in the natural ecosystem are crucial, and some even consider them to be petted.
Singapore’s Cockroach Species
Less than 1% of cockroach species, as was already mentioned, are pests. The following three species are prevalent in Singapore:
- American cockroach (Periplaneta americana)
- German cockroach (Blatella germanica)
- Brown-banded cockroach (Supella longipalpa)
American cockroach
The cockroach that Singaporeans see the most often is the American one. Its pronotum bears a yellow ring, and its body is reddish-brown (plate-like structure behind the head). An American cockroach can grow to a maximum length of 40 to 50 mm. American cockroaches are active inside and outside because of their sewer system infestation.
German Cockroach
The size of a German cockroach is about 20mm. They are tan or light brown in color. The two dark stripes on the back of adult German cockroaches are a telltale sign of their identity.
German cockroaches are typically found in the following locations:
- Indoors
- Kitchen
- Food preparation areas
Restaurant and F&B business owners have nightmares about large German cockroach infestations. Compared to other species, this species’ control tactics are more complex. This is brought on by the growth of pesticide resistance and its rapid reproduction.
Brown-banded Cockroach
German cockroaches and brown-banded cockroaches both have similar body sizes. The females are deeper in colour than the males, who are light yellowish or brown. The transverse stripes visible on the brown-banded cockroach’s body give it its name. Moreover, this species is to blame for cockroach infestations in residences and workplaces.
Biology and the Life Cycle
Cockroaches only undergo a partial transformation, growing from the egg through a few instar stages and reaching adulthood. Nymphs that have just emerged are tiny, wingless adults. To reach the adult state, they must go through multiple moults. Cockroach species vary in terms of their maturation times and several moults.
They like to move or venture along the edge of the wall in public areas. Cockroaches are fascinating because they eat nearly any organic substance, preferring a starchy diet. Even paper and moist cardboard can suffice as food for them. Unless when starved, cockroaches are usually unwilling to search for food outside of their breeding territory.
Such cockroaches are very common in our everyday lives. It is important to know the right company to contact in times like this. EminentPestControl is Singapore’s number 1 company to call. We will be able to render the best services to cater to your needs. Do not hesitate to contact us now!
Importance in Medicine
Mechanical Disease Vectors
Cockroaches’ dwelling and feeding habits are frequently linked to unsanitary conditions. They are exposed to a variety of infections as a result. As they crawl over surfaces, they pick up the viruses with their bodies and legs and spread them to food, kitchen utensils, and areas where food is prepared.
It is well known that cockroaches harbour germs that cause illnesses like:
- Food poisoning
- Salmonellosis
- Cholera
As pathogens cannot be seen with the human eye, we must eradicate their vectors to protect ourselves from infection.
Allergies & Asthma
Allergens found in bodily components, excretory material, and saliva may cause allergic reactions. Common allergy signs include:
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- Nasal congestion
- Wheezing
- Skin rash
Cockroach allergies frequently bring on asthma in both adults and children. You risk having extended allergic reactions resulting in various health issues if you have cockroaches in your home.
Katsaridaphobia
The irrational and excessive dread of cockroaches is known as katsaridaphobia, also called cockroach phobia.
Being repulsed by seeing a cockroach is not the same as having katsaridaphobia. Individuals who have katsaridaphobia have an unreasonable fear of cockroaches, which may lead them to:
- Stay frozen
- Have an elevated heart rate
- Have difficulty breathing
- Get panic attacks
An unpleasant or traumatic experience with cockroaches in the past is one of the reasons for katsaridaphobia. Psychotherapy, including exposure treatment and cognitive behavioural therapy, can help people with katsaridaphobia recover from their mental illness.
3 Ways To Get Rid of Annoying Cockroaches in Singapore
1. Warning Signs of a Cockroach Infestation
Being nocturnal insects, cockroaches are most active at night and conceal themselves in shaded, moist regions throughout the day. As a result, we frequently only become aware of them once an infestation is severe. In this section, we’ll review the telltale indicators of a cockroach infestation.
Droppings
Cockroach droppings have a cylindrical shape and resemble black pepper. Often, their waste is dispersed along the wall or around the edges and corners of the cabinets, and these are their primary escape routes and hiding places.
Shed Skins
To attain a mature stage, cockroaches must undergo moulting. As a result, they will need to shed their skin 5 to 8 times on average. There may be cockroach infestation if you notice brownish shed skins at the potential locations described above.
Oothecae (cockroach eggs)
Ootheca are more prominent and more noticeable than cockroach droppings. They are oval-shaped shells with several eggs within, and the ootheca must be removed before it hatches. An infestation of cockroaches might worsen with the hatching of just one ootheca.
An Unpleasant Odour
Most of the time, humans cannot identify a cockroach’s aroma. An overwhelming cockroach infestation, however, may have a musty odour.
2. How to Keep Cockroaches Out of Your House
Locate their Points of Access and Hiding Places
Finding cockroach access ports and hiding areas requires many inspections. It would be preferable if the review were done at night since cockroaches are nocturnal insects.
They could enter through fissures, cracks, or openings developed around pipes and utility lines. These access spots can be sealed with silicone-based caulk. Moreover, remember to check, clean, and ventilate spaces under the refrigerator and kitchen sink because these moist regions might develop into cockroach harborages.
Remove all Sources of Food and Water
Cockroaches’ two basic needs are food and water. Eliminating water sources in your home is one of the most significant ways to keep cockroaches out, and it’s crucial to keep up with the cleaning.
Stains, grease, and food scraps left in the kitchen must be cleaned immediately since they might serve as cockroaches’ food and water sources. To prevent access, ensure that all food being stored is adequately packed. Cockroaches can fit their bodies through a 2mm wide opening.
Organise and Clean Your House.
Cockroaches thrive in chaotic, congested environments, especially those with paper and cardboard, which provide them with perfect harborage and nesting locations. They use paper products for more than just concealment. If other food sources are unavailable, they can also be used as food.
It’s essential to declutter your home and keep it clean frequently. Cockroaches may conceal themselves in carton boxes if they are used for storage. As a result, different options, including plastic containers, might be utilised to stop cockroach infestations.
DIY Methods
Cockroaches can be caught in traps and removed from your home. The typical technique is a sticky trap, which you may buy from specific retailers.
You can question whether employing pandan leaves to block cockroach ingress is effective. We are being honest with you here. The pleasant smells that pandan leaves emit may act as a weak natural repellent to keep cockroaches away. But it might become a cockroach haven when the leaves are dried off! Thus, using pandan leaves to treat a cockroach infestation is not a long-term solution. Here are more suggestions I have for you:
Infestations of cockroaches can be a frequent issue in houses and flats, but you can employ several do-it-yourself remedies to treat and prevent them. To get you started, consider these suggestions:
- Seal cracks and gaps: Cockroaches can enter your home through these openings. Use caulk or weather stripping to fill in cracks around windows, doors, and pipes.
- Employ boric acid: Cockroaches can be controlled with this natural insecticide. Use it in places where cockroaches are likely to be, such as under sinks and cupboards, after combining it with sugar and water to produce a paste.
- Use diatomaceous earth: This all-natural powder can be used to repel cockroaches. Sprinkle it where cockroaches are likely to be, like beneath cupboards and behind appliances.
- Employ essential oils: Natural cockroach repellents like peppermint, eucalyptus, and tea tree oil can be used to repel cockroaches. Spray in locations where cockroaches are likely to be by combining a few drops of water in a spray bottle.
A professional exterminator may be needed for severe infestations; remember that these treatments may take some time and effort to be effective.
Sealing off Cracks & Gaps
As cockroaches may squeeze through even the smallest spaces, sealing cracks and gaps is crucial to reducing cockroach infestations. Cockroaches can fit through small openings and crevices in your home’s walls, floors, and even around pipes and cables.
By capping off these openings, you may make it more challenging for cockroaches to enter your home. As a result, they will need help finding food, water, and shelter in your home, making it less appealing.
Sealing cracks and openings also aids in preventing the entry of other pests like ants and spiders, which can be a nuisance. Also, it can help increase energy efficiency and minimise drafts, reducing your cooling and heating costs.
Overall, filling in gaps and cracks is a crucial preventative technique that can help you manage cockroach infestations and enhance the general condition of your property.
Use of Boric Acid
A white, odourless, non-toxic powder called boric acid can be used to manage cockroach infestations effectively. Cockroaches that consume boric acid suffer internal and external damage that ultimately results in their demise.
Following are several explanations for why cockroach infestations can be controlled with boric acid:
- Low toxicity to people and animals: Boric acid is considered relatively safe around people and animals when used as instructed. It is a preferred option for homeowners because it is less hazardous than many other insecticides.
- Long-lasting: Boric acid can continue to kill cockroaches even after it has been administered and can continue to be effective for several weeks.
- A boric acid is an efficient approach to access regions that are challenging to access since it may be applied to tiny cracks and crevices where cockroaches are likely to hide.
- Low cost: Boric acid is a reasonably priced choice for homes and is available at most hardware and home improvement stores.
Overall, using boric acid to reduce cockroach infestations is reliable and secure, especially with preventative measures like caulking crevices and gaps and keeping a clean living space.
Use of Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth is a natural and successful way to control cockroach infestations. It damages the exoskeleton of cockroaches, causing them to dehydrate and die. Diatomaceous earth is also safe for humans and pets, making it a great alternative to chemical insecticides. Apply it in areas where cockroaches are likely to be, such as behind appliances and under cabinets, and let it do its job. It is a non-toxic and affordable option that can be used as a precautionary measure or to control existing infestations.
Use of Essential Oils
Because they function as natural repellents, essential oils like peppermint, eucalyptus, and tea tree oil can be beneficial in decreasing cockroach infestations. Because these oils have potent odours, cockroaches stay away from areas where they have been used. Add a few drops of essential oil with water in a spray bottle, then mist around baseboards, beneath appliances, and in cabinets—anywhere cockroaches are likely to be. Essential oils are an excellent alternative to chemical insecticides for homes with kids and pets because they are natural and secure. Essential oils should, however, be used in conjunction with other preventative measures, such as maintaining a clean living environment and caulking cracks and openings in walls and floors, as they are not a panacea for severe infestations.
Dealing with Cockroach Bites
Cockroach bites are uncommon since they usually only occur in dire situations, such as when they are starving and have no other food sources. Cockroaches can, however, carry dangerous diseases and infections on their bodies, posing a health risk to people. Exposure to cockroach droppings, saliva, and shed skin can cause allergies and asthma in sensitive people.
A cockroach bite typically causes subtle symptoms, including redness, itching, and swelling at the bite site. Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction that can be life-threatening, can occasionally be brought on by cockroach bites.
To identify a cockroach bite, look for a tiny red mark on the skin that resembles a mosquito bite. The face, arms, and legs are common targets for cockroach bites since they are exposed while sleeping.
If you think a cockroach bit you, wash the area with soap and water and then use an antihistamine lotion or an oral antihistamine to reduce swelling and itch. Get emergency medical assistance if you suffer severe symptoms like trouble breathing or facial or throat swelling.
If a cockroach bite becomes infected, it is crucial to seek medical assistance since it may result in more significant health issues. Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes, two harmful bacteria that can lead to skin diseases, are among the hazardous bacteria cockroaches carry. These infections can progress and result in more severe illnesses, like cellulitis, a condition of the skin and underlying tissue, if they are not treated.
In addition to fever, chills, and swollen lymph nodes, symptoms of an infected cockroach bite might include increasing discomfort, redness, swelling, and warmth in the bite location. Getting medical assistance immediately is crucial if you think your cockroach bite may be contaminated. Your doctor may recommend antibiotics or other medicines to treat the illness and stop it from spreading.
Maintaining a clean living space, caulking cracks and openings in walls and floors, and applying pesticides or natural repellents are necessary to prevent cockroach bites and lower the chance of infection. If you get bitten, watch the bite site and get medical help if you spot any infection symptoms.
3. Professional Cockroach Treatment
There are more effective ways to get rid of cockroaches than simply stomping on them with your slippers or dousing them with insecticide sprays.
Find cockroach infestations in Singapore; insect monitoring stations are an effective tool. These stations can offer qualified pest management professionals (PMP) details like the following in locations with cockroach infestations:
- Level of infestation
- Type of cockroach species
- Location of the nests or breeding sites
This information will help you choose an effective treatment strategy, significantly affecting how well the control program works.
Different insecticides than those offered to the general public are utilised in professional cockroach treatments. Cockroaches are long-lastingly protected from residual pesticides, and their effects may continue months after application. In areas where cockroaches are typically located, such as cracks and crevices, trained PMPs apply residual spraying.
Insecticides and food attractants are combined in cockroach baits to kill pests. Cockroaches that consume the bait become intoxicated rather than being promptly killed. The drunk cockroaches may leave behind their own poisoned bodies, faeces, or even toxic vomit.
This behaviour makes the transfer of toxic bait effective and efficient since cockroaches return to their nesting place and die off after foraging and feeding on the appeal. This behaviour also contributes to the cannibalistic behaviour of cockroaches.
Innovation is crucial for the pest control sector to stay on top of pests’ ever-evolving challenges. Cockroaches and other problems are constantly changing and becoming resistant to insecticides and control measures employed to eliminate them.
The dry treatment method Mirakn uses a gas cylinder filled with a mixture of carbon dioxide and an active substance, one of Singapore’s most recent cockroach control techniques. There are three main types of Mirakn treatments, each with a unique active component appropriate for a particular insect.
The dry treatment has several traits. As follows:
- Stainless
- Residue-less
- Non-flammable
- Odourless
Also, compared to other treatments, the gaseous chemical offers superior penetration. In autos, dry treatment is a standard cockroach control method. In vehicles, cockroaches thrive, but because of the intricate internal automotive architecture, it takes work to manage them.
Since it can permeate all sections of the treated area and leaves no stains, Mirakn is the best solution for difficult-to-access locations. Consequently, cleaning is not a concern for owners of homes or vehicles.
The pest management experts at EminentPestControl are skilled and knowledgeable about cockroach treatment plans. We can create a workable plan to prevent cockroaches on your property thanks to our expertise and experience. Here are some of our satisfied customers that have engaged with us previously.
Final Thoughts
While DIY cockroach control techniques like sealing cracks and applying boric acid, diatomaceous earth, and essential oils can help control infestations, more is needed to resolve the issue entirely. In extreme circumstances, seeking expert assistance to diagnose and treat the infestation correctly can be crucial.
Cockroach infestations can be successfully eliminated thanks to the training, expertise, and tools professional pest control firms, like Eminent Pest Control use. To assist in keeping your house free of cockroaches in the future, they can also offer continuing preventative measures.
Cockroach infestations should be taken seriously. Professional assistance should be sought if necessary because they can be dangerous to human health and challenging to get rid of cockroaches without proper care. Working with a reputable pest control business will help you make sure your house is secure and cockroach-free. What are you waiting for? Contact Eminent Pest Control now!
