COCKROACHES
The most common roaches found in Ontario are:
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German Cockroach
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Oriental Cockroach
ABOUT
They may be difficult to spot because they typically only come out at night. They have three developmental stages: egg, nymph and adult.
Out of the two, the worst to encounter in your home is the German Cockroach. They prefer the indoors and can grow to be as long as ¾ of an inch. They reproduce rapidly, taking only 3 months to reach adulthood verses the others that take ten to twelve months. One female can lay up to thirty eggs in a batch at a time and can produce up to five batches of eggs per cycle. With the eggs only taking a month to hatch, time and persistence is of the essence in preventing an infestation.
The Oriental Cockroach can reach up to 1 inch in length and are dark brownish black in colour, with a shiny appearance. They prefer cool, moist places and can be found in places in your home around sump pumps and water collection systems. They do have wings, but cannot fly and move slowly compared to other cockroaches. The Oriental Cockroach differs from the German Cockroach in that they take up to 216 days to mature enough to reproduce and they don’t produce as many eggs at a time. They produce approximately eight egg batches, with up to 16 eggs per case.
Wood Cockroaches (Wood Roaches) are about 1 inch long, light in colour and usually have wings. Their normal habitat is moist woodland areas, they prefer living outdoors and actively avoid humans. They produce about 29 egg batches, with each batch containing around 32 eggs, but rarely breed indoors. They are not destructive.
MOST ACTIVE
Primarily in the summer season, but if they find a place that is heated in the winter and air-conditioned in the summer, they can be found all year round as an active nuisance. They also are nocturnal and prefer to come out at night.
Wood Cockroaches fly in swarms in May and June, searching for their mates.
IMPACT
WHEN INVADING HUMAN LIVING SPACE
Finding even a single German Cockroach in your home can mean a serious infestation, so you will want to act fast by first identifying the type and then by calling us to address the concern.
Both the German Cockroach and the Oriental Cockroach can carry diseases such as E. coli, salmonella, dysentery and gastroenteritis, as well as cause a pretty serious allergic reaction from their fecal matter and decaying exoskeletons.
However, Wood Cockroaches on the other hand are not dangerous to humans, because they do not carry diseases, they don’t bite or sting. To humans they end up just being a nuisance.
BALSON
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Maintenance and control of the German or Oriental Cockroach requires ongoing, consistent service visits.
Initially, follow-up treatments should be within a week to two weeks of each other. This is imperative in gaining control and minimizing the population. German cockroach egg capsules are not susceptible to insecticides. Most insecticides do not have the ability to penetrate the egg case, even if directly applied to the case. The unaffected egg cases will hatch days after treatment. Following through with frequent treatment visits, in all the cracks and crevices, is a fortified step in ensuring that the newly-emerged nymphs are exterminated. Persistence!!
