The German cockroach is one of the many pests that we find disgusting, unsavoury and unsightly when they are in premises in Lambeth.
Although cockroaches are thought to be a problem associated with bad hygiene, this is not always the case. As long as there is a supply of food and water, and a warm, dark moist environment to live they will populate almost anywhere. Due to the need for a constant food and water supply, kitchens are a haven for cockroaches, especially the German cockroach.
German cockroaches are light brown in colour and adults are usually between ½ – 1 inch long. Although adult cockroaches have wings, they don’t fly. The German cockroach can be identified by its light brown colour and distinctive two brown stripes running down its back. The young (nymphs) look a lot like the adult German cockroach just a lot smaller in size.
The German cockroach is one of the most resilient and fast spreading of the species and infestations do not take long to occur. The female German cockroach carries egg cases that carry up to 48 eggs. These cases look almost rectangular in shape with all corners rounded making them nearly oval. The cases are light tan to brown in colour and are usually les than ¼ inch long. The cases are carried protruding from the abdomen of the female until ready to hatch, approximately 4 weeks. When ready to hatch, the female releases the egg case in to a crack or crevice where it is warm and moist and near to food and water. Each female can produce between 4 – 8 egg cases in their lifetime, at about 6 week intervals.
The spread of German cockroaches in Lambeth is very easy due to the high volume in goods deliveries. It is also noticeable in high rise tower blocks and hostels due to its ability to travel between rooms looking for new harbourages.
Popular places for German cockroaches to live and breed are in kitchens. This is due to the constant supply of food, water, cracks and crevices in walls, tiles, cupboards and appliances and the warmth generated from ovens, fridge motors and hot water piping.
They are mainly a night time creature, foraging for food and looking to mate. If they are seen during the day time, this would indicate a heavier infestation.
As German cockroaches reproduce at such high volumes, the first female egg case that is laid and hatched, can have up to 10,000 descendants from that first female, in just one year. That’s a lot from just one female. Just imagine half of each egg case has females. That’s up to24 per case, every 6 weeks. It very soon multiplies.
As well as the alarmingly fast rate the German cockroach can populate and infest an area, there are diseases as well. Gastroenteritis – food poisoning and diarrhoea are the most common.
The two paragraphs above give good reason to eliminate any German cockroach problem as early as possible.
