the essentials in brief
- Cockroaches can be fought with bait, hormone-based agents and contact sprays
- Poison baits are the most effective remedy for cockroaches
- Infested cracks and corners can be rinsed out with 60 ° C hot water; that kills eggs and animals
- To prevent infestation, care should be taken to ensure that it is clean
Fight the German cockroach
Individual measures are usually unsuccessful if cockroaches have already spread in the apartment. The methods must be carried out continuously over a long period of time until the plague is defeated. However, chemical control methods should be left to a professional so that they do not harm your health unnecessarily. You should not step on the insects, as you could drag the egg packets on the soles of your shoes.
also read
- German Wasp - living for the welfare state
- Diseases that can affect a German oak
- Flour moths in the kitchen - what to do?
| effect | freely available | |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-scraping gel | Feeding bait | Yes |
| Hormone-based means | impair growth and fertility | No |
| Sprays and gases | Contact poison | Yes |
Recognize an infestation
You can use special traps to catch and identify the insects. This is important so that you can take the right measures and not destroy harmless species. There are special glue traps that have been provided with an attractant. The cockroaches are attracted by it and stick to the surface. This method is not suitable for combating and is only used for control. If you spot an infestation early enough, the chance of it being contained quickly is high.
First signs:
- Dung crumbs that look like fine coffee powder
- Molecules on the ground
- bad smells in the kitchen or pantry
Preparations
Before taking measures to combat it, you should carefully clean the affected hiding places. Vacuum crumbs of excrement, peeling residue and egg packets from the niches and throw away the vacuum cleaner bag as a precaution. If the material allows, you should clean the crevices with at least 60 degrees hot water. This destroys the remaining egg parcel because it cannot stand the heat. Make sure that all food bases are eliminated. Only in this way can control measures be successful.
What you should do:
- Freeze food
- clean all surfaces and spaces
- Check the appliances and furniture inside
Poison bait
An effective method of combating the pests is to set up food poisons in the form of bait boxes. When used properly, this method entails low risks for people and the environment and ensures effective pest containment. In the past, food poisons such as silicofluorine sodium or borax were used to which baiting substances such as sugar were added. Today contact poisons based on gammexan or DDT are used. These substances must not get into the environment as they are toxic to many organisms.
It has been found that many commercially available baits are completely ineffective. The cockroaches would rather starve to death than eat the poison.
Diatomaceous earth
As an additional measure, you can spread diatomaceous earth in front of the hiding places. The powder consists of fossil remains of diatoms and acts as a contact poison. If you dust trails and hiding spots with the powder, the pests will wipe it off as they migrate. It sticks to the body and ensures that the insects dry out.
Boric acid
This acid is used against cockroaches because of its insecticidal effect. There is more evidence that a mixture of boric acid, margarine and sugar can be used as a home remedy. You should stay away from this, however, because boric acid can also affect your health. The substance is considered toxic to reproduction and can cause malformations in the embryo.
Pyrethrum
This substance is obtained from the flowers of various Tanacetum species and was already known to the ancient Romans as an effective insecticide. They called it “Persian insect powder” for a reason. Pyrethrum is used as a contact poison. It affects the insects' nervous system and ensures that the sodium channels are blocked. The pests die as a result. However, pyrethrum is not selective, it also endangers beneficial insects and is toxic to fish.
Prevent
If you spot cockroaches in your home, they are often introduced pests. The insects rarely overcome routes between a neighboring restaurant and residential buildings. You can prevent the spread of pests by taking a few precautions.
Tips
You should also search your luggage thoroughly in order to quickly discover stowaways from warm vacation countries. Cockroaches are not uncommon in southern countries.
cleanliness
Since the development of cockroaches depends heavily on the food supply and moisture conditions, you should pay attention to increased cleanliness. Thoroughly clean hard-to-reach crevices and ensure that there is good ventilation to prevent water from collecting in crevices and niches. Frequent burst ventilation regulates the humidity in the room air.
- Rinse dirty dishes immediately
- Remove organic waste from the apartment every day
- Wipe up food residue immediately
- Thoroughly clean the bathroom
- Clean pet bowls daily
Make living spaces unattractive
Since the German cockroach feels particularly comfortable in cracks, you should close them tightly. If the pests do not find any spaces between them, they cannot use suitable egg-laying areas. Gaps under doors or between windows should also be sealed so that the animals cannot get into the apartment.
- Keep supplies closed in glass, ceramic or plastic containers
- Avoid bags made of cardboard or paper
- Avoid waterlogging in flower pots
Tips
Don't take used packaging like banana boxes home with you from the supermarket. Egg packages could hide here.
Characteristics
The Swedish botanist and naturalist Carl von Linné first described this species and gave it the scientific name Blattella germanica. However, the species name has nothing to do with its natural range. The German cockroach is known by many names and is also known as the domestic cockroach or Swabian beetle. It is one of the cockroaches and has been nicknamed the cockroach. In English, the terms German cockroach and Croton bug are common.
This is how the cockroaches are called in different parts of Germany:
- Southern Germany : "Prussia"
- Northern Germany : "Swabia"
- West Germany : "French"
- East Germany : "Russians"
Recognize insects
The cockroaches reach a body length between 13 and 16 millimeters. They are light to dark brown in color and have two black longitudinal stripes on the pronotum. Males and females can be identified by their appearance. The latter are darker in color than their male counterparts. You also have a wider abdomen that is rounded at the end.
particularities
The German cockroach has wings, but cannot use them to fly. Only light males can sometimes be seen gliding. The young animals do not have wings yet. Instead, the cockroach is a good runner. You can cover a distance of up to 29 centimeters per second. This property makes it difficult to catch the insects.
- insects stay in cold areas to eat
- lower temperature limit at four degrees Celsius
- endure a maximum temperature of 42 degrees Celsius
confusion
The species can easily be confused with similar looking cockroaches, which are not always considered a stash pest. The species that are counted among the cockroaches are worrying. The amber cockroach belongs to the forest cockroaches and cannot survive in buildings. The most noticeable distinguishing feature between this forest cockroach and the German cockroach is the pronotum. The amber cockroach has a monochrome pronotum without longitudinal stripes.
Cockroaches in comparison:
- German cockroach : light to dark brown in color, unable to fly
- Oriental cockroach : dark colored, unable to fly
- American cockroach : red-brown colored, capable of flight
Way of life and development
This cockroach is nocturnal and spends 75 percent of a day in inaccessible hiding spots. They only come out of their niches at night to ingest food or to mate. If an insect walks around during the day, it indicates a large insect population in the hiding places.
Digression
This is how the amber cockroach lives
These wood cockroaches live naturally in low bushes and in gardens. They are often found under flower pots or in compost in summer because they feed on decomposing plant material. Unlike the German cockroach, this species prefers dry summer months with warm temperatures. The diurnal animals only occasionally get lost in apartments.Social behavior
During the day, the cockroaches crawl into crevices that are about five millimeters high. Here they are optimally protected from enemies. They show a noticeable behavior because they form aggregations from several animals. These communities arise when the animals secrete pheromones through their feces. The substances have a regulating function and dissolve aggregates again if necessary.
development
The German cockroach produces egg containers called oothecae that are light to medium brown in color. They act as a kind of cocoon and protect the growing organisms from external environmental influences. Adult cockroaches often live together with larvae in a hiding place. Since the conditions in buildings hardly fluctuate, several generations can arise in a year.
pairing
The cockroaches mate just a few days after the last moult. Females ready to mate secrete fragrances into the intestines via glands, which are excreted with the excrement. In low concentrations, these have an attractive effect on males. If they are poured out in high doses, the mating game is triggered.
Egg packets
The first ooth is produced after about 14 days. In the course of a lifetime, a female can develop between four and eight packets of eggs, each containing between eight and 50 eggs. During embryonic development, the female carries the egg containers on her body so that she can supply her offspring with moisture and nutrients. During this time their activity is very limited.
Egg laying
When the embryonic development is complete and the larvae are about to hatch, the female seeks a source of water. By drinking, she increases the pressure of the body fluid, so that the ootheca is rejected. The hatched larvae cannot move far and are dependent on the humidity conditions in the hiding place. They stay here for the next three days to shed their skin for the first time.
Stages
The larvae go through several stages until the cockroach is fully developed. Between the individual stages, the nymphs molt and increase in size. The first two stages have a very limited radius of activity and do not move out of their hiding places. They can be recognized by their dark brown to black breast. The back is provided with a light brown stripe that brightens in the later stages of development.
Occurrence
The pests occur in the temperate latitudes, where they are strongly tied to humans. In the wild, the species can only spread under warm and humid conditions. It prefers habitats with a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius. Little is known about their natural range.
Typical outdoor living spaces:
- Red landfills
- Cattle sheds on farms
- zoological gardens
Industry
The German cockroach is the most common species found in large kitchens, restaurants and hotels. The pests mainly attack rooms in which food is processed or where the temperature and humidity are very high. As a result, laundries and hospitals are also often affected. In modern shopping centers there are innumerable hiding places and a diverse range of food, so that such facilities are particularly at risk.
House and apartment
Cockroaches are brought into apartments through packaging of food, pallets and beverage crates. You will also find good hiding places in used electrical appliances. The pests then spread around the apartment, where they colonize suitable niches near sources of food and moisture. The insects need gaps with a minimum size of five millimeters. Larvae can crawl in cracks one millimeter high.
Cockroaches hide here:
- behind sinks and refrigerators
- in door frames and behind moldings
- in cavities behind tiles and in wall joints
- between picture frames and mirrors
nutrition
The species is one of the omnivores. It has not specialized in a certain food supply, but is dependent on easily usable food. Therefore, it cannot feed itself on wood, paper or leather. When food is scarce, the insects eat injured conspecifics or egg capsules. The food supply has a decisive influence on the activity of the insects. If there is enough moisture, the cockroach can survive without food for up to three months.
This is what the cockroaches eat:
- sugary and starchy foods
- putrid food
- animal foods
digestion
The predominantly plant-based food is crushed with the biting-chewing mouthparts. They also have teeth in certain digestive organs, the so-called gizzards. There are also special bacteria here that can break down cellulose.
Is the German cockroach dangerous?
The cockroach is considered a stored product and plays a role that cannot be neglected in the transmission of pathogens. An infestation by the species can damage humans and pets.
Harmful effect
Eating damage to food supplies is just as minor as is traces of textiles, leather and paper. In contrast, the contamination of food, which is caused by faeces, secretion of salivary gland secretions and goiter contents, should not be underestimated. Contaminated food can be recognized by a foul odor. They are no longer suitable for human consumption and can also reduce the yield of meat and milk on farms.
Vectors of disease
Various diseases such as tuberculosis, anthrax and salmonellosis can be transmitted through the excretions of the cockroaches. The German cockroach is an intermediate host for roundworms. Cockroaches have allergens that get into the room air via excrement and moulting residues. These can cause asthma symptoms to a greater extent than other typical triggers.
frequently asked Questions
Can the German cockroach fly?
The species develops fully developed wings, but is unable to fly. German cockroaches mainly crawl around. They are extremely nimble and immediately dash into their protective hiding spots at night as soon as you switch on the light. Occasionally the animals can be observed gliding. However, only light and small males can slide, as females simply fall to the ground due to their weight.
Does the German cockroach have feelers?
The antennae are particularly noticeable in the German cockroach, because they can be up to 1.5 centimeters long and consist of numerous individual links. As nocturnal animals, the pests depend on it, because these antennae take over the function of sensory organs. They are used for orientation in the dark, while the eyes are rather subordinate.
How long does it take to develop from egg to cockroach?
In order for cockroaches to develop from the egg packets, the temperature and humidity must be right. Especially in the first larval stages, the organisms are unable to move. A nearby source of water and warm temperatures favor their development. Under optimal conditions, the organisms pass through all larval stages within 40 days. Usually, however, development takes two to three months, and rarely seven months.
Guide values:
- At 30 degrees Celsius, development takes two months
- At 21 degrees Celsius, the insects need six months to fully develop
How old is the German cockroach?
The lifespan of the pests depends on the food supply and environmental conditions. The cockroaches feel particularly comfortable in warm temperatures of 20 degrees Celsius and above and high humidity. If they find enough food, their average life expectancy is between 100 and 200 days.
Does the German cockroach need food?
The cockroaches are dependent on the food residues that humans leave behind. However, the insects can get by without food for a certain time. Adults and older larval stages can starve for up to 40 days if they have sufficient water sources. The animals do not survive long without moisture. You need humid and warm places near water sources.
What can be done against cockroaches in the garden?
It is quite possible that you will find clusters of cockroaches in the garden. Suitable habitats are dense bushes like ivy. The insects are also found on the compost. You don't have to worry, though, as the wild species are not stored food pests. Often it is the amber cockroach, which is very similar to the German cockroach. Take a closer look at the pronotum. Only if it has two conspicuous black stripes is it a German cockroach.
