How to keep cockroaches out of your home this summer.

Cockroaches are insects that thrive during the summer heat, they love the warm weather and quite frequently invade homes and businesses in Sydney throughout the sweltering months of summer. They find their way into your property, under your refrigerators and inside the smallest of nooks, scurrying around in the dark of night and contaminating all your belongings. They are pests of the most annoying kind but there are steps you can take to prevent a cockroach invasion in between your yearly pest control inspections.

Cockroaches come in all shapes and sizes, some differ in colour and some fly. There are five common species of cockroaches that infest Sydney businesses and homes, these include the German, Oriental, Australian, Smokey-Brown and the American Cockroach. All species of cockroaches have similar characteristics, they are:

• oval-shaped body
• six legs
• winged
• fast
• long antennae

Cockroaches will often inhabit high-density living areas, meaning apartments and townhouses are at a high risk of a cockroach infestation. All cockroaches, no matter the species, will thrive in humid and warm environments that means your kitchens and bathrooms are perfect places for a cockroach to call home. Kitchens are usually the most common place to find cockroaches, as they feast on any left over crumbs and love small spaces between cupboards and appliances. They are not usually seen in the daytime but if they are this usually means the infestation has reached a significant point. As cockroaches crawl through bacteria and decaying matter they pick up all kinds of nasty things, this results in them spreading diseases such as salmonella.  

So how do you prevent a cockroach infestation in your home or business? 

1. Keep your kitchen clean. Maintaining a clean kitchen is key when trying to prevent cockroaches. Small crumbs hidden under cupboards or appliances are sometimes enough to feed a few cockroaches for some time. 

2. Store food in sealed containers. Deny cockroaches access to your food by keeping it in sealed containers.
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3. Remove trash immediately. Take trash out and do not leave it sitting for long periods of time. Storing garbage outside the home will also help in preventing cockroaches from inhabiting your home and finding food sources. 

4. Seal cracks and block holes. Make sure every nook and cranny is filled with sealant to ensure no cockroaches can make their way into your home. Check the back of cabinets for cracks and around the bathtub too and

5. Clean behind appliances and in cupboards. This helps combat left over food in tight places, regularly clean these areas to help prevent infestations

6. Declutter your home. Cockroaches will lay eggs in all kinds of places, the fewer things laying around your home the better protected you are from cockroach eggs, which can cause allergies.

7. Do not leave pet food out. Pet food is another source of food for cockroaches, leaving pet food to sit in bowls will attract cockroaches.

As well as doing all these things, make sure you check for any water leaks. Cockroaches will inhabit anywhere with a water source as they need water to survive. Do regular checks on pipes and look over your refrigerator for any kind of condensation which may prove to be a water source for cockroaches. 

Do not push a cockroach infestation aside, once one cockroach has been seen there is a high chance there are other cockroaches living in your home or business. Cockroaches are prolific breeders and can lay up to 40 eggs at a time, meaning hundreds of cockroaches can infest your home within a short period. Due to the rate cockroaches breed the use of DIY insecticides has become more common thus resulting in cockroaches building up a resistance to some of these product. So, if you have a cockroach infestation be sure to contact a professional pest control service.