ROACHESá Roaches are very adaptable insects; they have been around long before the
dinosaurs, surviving where other insects would be extinct. áBecause of
their adaptable natures they are one of the more difficult pests to control,
especially the German cockroach. áRoaches are a health hazard, carrying
bacteria on their bodies. áThe main diseases transmitted are food
poisoning, dysentery, and diarrhea.
Cockroaches
are scavengers which often live in cracks and crevices so small that people can
easily overlook them. áThey congregate in undisturbed areas of high
humidity, usually in kitchens and bathrooms. á
They spend the daylight hours in dark, secluded sites under refrigerators,
stoves, false bottoms in kitchen cabinets, in the backs of cabinets and in
crevices between baseboards and floors or cabinets and walls. They may also be
found behind pictures or within electronic equipment. The insects leave these
sites at night to forage for food and water. The presence of cockroaches during
the day may indicate a large population.á
There
are many cockroach species; in NYC we currently have 3 species that are
prevalent in and around structures.á
German
Cockroach:Blattella
germanica The
German cockroach is 12 to 17 mm (1/2 to 5/8 inch) long, tan to light brown, and
has two dark brown stripes on the body region (pronotal shield) just behind the
head. Females will produce four to eight
egg capsules during their lifetime, with each capsule containing
approximately 40 eggs. The egg
capsule is retained by the female until the eggs are ready to hatch, usually in
28 to 30 days.
American
Cockroach:Periplaneta
americana (Water Bug)
The
American cockroach is one of the largest cockroaches in the Northeast. It is
about 40 mm (1.5 inches) long with a reddish-brown body. The center portion of
the pronotal shield is light brown, while the outer edges are yellow. Even
though both sexes are winged, their flight is more of a gliding movement from
point to point than active flight.
The female American
cockroach will not retain the egg capsule for more than a day after its formation,
instead dropping the capsule in some suitable site. Under some conditions it
may be glued to a surface. The number of capsules produced by a female will
range from 6 to 14, with each
capsule containing 14 to 16 eggs.
The eggs hatch in 50 to 55 days.
Oriental cockroach:
Blatta orientalis Linnaeus (Water Bug)
The Oriental
cockroach is one of the largest cockroaches in the Northeast. It is about 30 mm
(1.25 inches) long with a dark brown or black body. The center portion of the
pronotal shield is brown, while the outer edges are black. Even though both
sexes are winged, they do not fly.
The female Oriental
cockroach will retain the egg capsule from 12 hours to five days and
then deposit it in a warm sheltered environment where food is readily
available. The incubation period for the oriental cockroach is about 42 to 81 days.á Females produce an average of eight capsules,
each containing 16 eggs that hatch
in about 60 days under room
temperature conditions. Nymphs molt from seven to ten times; nymphal stages
usually take 24 to 130 weeks to complete. The life span of an adult female is 5
to 26 weeks with approximately 200 offspring.
á
Inspections
are done with flashlights looking for cockroaches (alive or dead), fecal
particles smears as well as shed or cast off skins and empty egg cases.á Traps are used to detect infestations and
help estimate the size of the cockroach problem. áUtilizing the most state
of the art techniques Central Pest Control will devise the best strategy to
overcome your cockroach problem.á There
are many control measures including baits and insecticide, dusts, pesticides,
traps, insect growth regulators, pheromone traps. áá
Ask us about our roach
control programs:
1.áááááá
Inspection
& Consulting
2.áááááá
Exclusion
3.áááááá
Sealing
cracks and crevices
4.áááááá
Trapping
5.áááááá
High
population cleanout
6.áááááá
Baiting
7.áááááá
Residual
treatments
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