There are three common species mainly found in homes in Australia, The German cockroach, The American Cockroach & the Oriental Cockroach.

Identification

German cockroach – Brown in colour with 2 dark stripes on thorax. Adults are about 1.3 – 1.6cm long and have wings, but rarely fly. It prefers moist environments such as kitchen cabinets and bathrooms.

Oriental cockroach – Dark brown to black in colour. 2.5cm to 3cm-inch long and have non-functional wings incapable of flight. Females are about 2.5cm to 3.5 long, broad and have only little pads for wings. It prefers cool, damp environments like drains, sewers and crawl spaces.

American cockroach – Reddish brown in colour and has a pale yellow area around the perimeter of the pronotum. These cockroaches tend to be found in dark, undisturbed areas that are high in humidity.

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Signs of Infestation

• Seeing live insects – cockroaches are nocturnal and hide during the day. You will most likely see them when turning on the light in the kitchen at night
• Egg cases and cast skins – cockroaches shed their skin 5-8 times as they mature.
• Droppings – cockroaches leave a dust of black droppings less than 1 mm wide and of varying lengths.
• Odour – established cockroach infestations produce an unpleasant, musty smell.
• Damage – cockroaches will attack organic goods including leather and books.

Be Aware

German cockroaches tend to like to breed inside your electrical equipment. I have spoken to customers who have had fire alarms set off, microwaves, computers, fridges, dishwashers, jugs blow up & unfortunately one customer had the wiring around the light fixtures attacked. These type of issues cannot just lead to an unhealthy environment but should raise concern for fire hazards.

Advice

Cockroaches are one of the most common insects found in homes, restaurants, food handling areas, and they are perhaps the most despised and widespread pests known to man. Cockroaches are a high-risk pest to have in your home as they carry a range of serious illnesses such as salmonella, dysentery, and gastroenteritis.

The risk is increased in homes with children, the elderly and those fighting illnesses. Cockroach droppings have been implicated as being a contributing factor leading to childhood asthma.  Apart from the health risks, cockroaches are a disturbing pest to many homeowners and they also produce an obnoxious odour that contaminates nearby food and belongings.

Cockroaches can breed rapidly and are highly resilient. A quick response is essential to prevent cockroaches in your home or spreading to your neighbours.

It does not matter if you are a tenant, a landlord or a home owner, as soon as you realise that there is a problem with German cockroaches then get onto ASAP. Do not leave it months, trying home remedies or sprays from your local supermarket  While you are thinking these products are working, they are not. They may temporarily reduce the numbers, they will not eradicate the problem.

Sometimes people are willing to spend money on shop products which dont work before calling the professionals. Well heres a little hint, the longer you leave it, the harder it is to treat & severe infestations that have spread throughout the entire house may well require 2 treatments!

The main issue and the reason I am stressing so much onto the German cockroach is because it breeds so quickly and has the ability to infest not just your kitchen, laundry or bathroom, but your entire house!

FAQ’s

Do I need to empty the cupboards?

No, it’s not necessary to empty cupboards, as we apply a gel. No liquid sprays need to be applied to these areas.

Will the spray affect humans?

No, it will not affect you. Sydney’s Best Pest Control only use low mammalian toxicity pesticides.

Will the gel that is applied to the inside of cupboards contaminate food?

No it will not. The gel is only applied to areas where insects congregate or harbour, like cracks, crevices or hinges.

Will I still see pest activity after treatment?

Yes, it’s possible that insects may wonder in from outside. Chances are that they will have crossed treated areas and will die shortly after.

Do I need to wash everything after the treatment?

There is no need to wash utensils or surfaces once the treatment is carried out.