Cockroaches are a high risk pest to have in the home. They carry a range of serious illnesses, including salmonella food poisoning, dysentery, diphtheria, gastroenteritis and typhoid. Furthermore, cockroaches have been identified as a major source of powerful allergens, often the cause of asthma, allergies and eczema, especially in urban areas. The health risk is particularly high in homes with children, the elderly or those fighting illnesses.

Beyond the health risks, cockroaches are a distasteful pest to have in the home. They are not only a disturbing sight, they cause contamination and can produce an obnoxious odour that taints food and objects which they come in contact with. If the conditions are good, and temperatures sufficient, as is the case all around the year in most parts of India, cockroaches can breed rapidly. They are highly resilient and have developed resistances to a number of insecticides. A quick response is therefore essential to ensure that cockroach infestations do not go out of control or spread to neighboring properties.

• German Cockroach (Blatella germanica) : The German cockroach is one of the most common roaches found in apartment houses, restaurants, and hotels. German cockroaches (eggs included), are brought inside or hitchhike on man's belongings, luggage, boxes or packages. A large German roach population will produce a foul odor. These roaches prefer moisture, food, and warmth. Sanitation measures are critical in controlling German roaches. German roaches can be a serious health hazard in restaurants.
• American Cockroach (Americana Periplaneta) : 20-30mm. Also known as Palmetto Bug, the American Cockroach is reddish brown in colour and has a pale yellow area around the perimeter of the pronotum. These cockroaches are more dependent on water and tend to be found in dark. Inside houses they are mostly found in kitchens, near the sink and in bathrooms.
• Oriental Cockroach (Blatta Orientalis): 25-30mm. A dark brown species, the wings are undeveloped in the females and cover 3/4 lengths of the abdomen of the male. They rather run than fly and can tolerate lower temperatures than other cockroaches.
• Seeing live insects - Cockroaches are nocturnal insects and hide during the day. You will most likely see them when turning on the light in the kitchen at night. Cockroaches seen during the day are an indicator for high infestation levels, because they were most likely crowded out of the hiding places.
• Egg cases and cast skins – Cockroach eggs come in the form of an egg case (Ootheca), which can contain up to 42 eggs. In order to grow cockroaches shed their skin 5-8 times as they mature.
• Droppings –Cockroaches leave a dust of black droppings less than 1mm wide and of varying lengths.
• Odour – Established cockroach infestations produce an unpleasant, musty smell.
• Damage - Cockroaches will attack organic goods including leather and books.

Sealing entry points can help prevent a cockroach from entering the home. Key risks are gaps under doors or around pipes to the exterior or neighboring properties. Also seal gaps where cockroaches can harbor - cockroaches are nocturnal and hide during the day in cracks and crevices in the walls, around skirting boards or behind electrical sockets.

The most effective way of controlling cockroaches is to deny them food and water:

• Store food in containers or in sealed plastic bags.
• Clean all waste food and spillages immediately.
• Clean food debris from under fridges or cookers.
• Clear used crockery and cutlery immediately.
• Remove pet food, water and litter trays overnight.
• Keep refuse or compost in sealed bins.
• Take care with soiled nappies or dirty clothing.
• Do not leave liquids in sinks or buckets overnight.
• Inspect all incoming items. LPG gas cylinders for instance often have cockroach ootheca around the rims.
• Do not accumulate clutter. German Cockroaches for example can often be found in large number in cardboard and in between newspapers.

In our view, electromagnetic or ultrasonic resellers do not work with cockroaches and are not recommended to prevent or control cockroach infestations.

Established cockroach problems very often require professional pest control solutions to ensure that it will not reoccur.

There are a range of insect killers that are effective on cockroaches. Please follow the instructions to ensure safe and effective use.However, it is difficult to reach all cockroach hiding places with amateur products. Infestations are likely to reoccur especially when surviving cockroach eggs hatch after one or two months, or when not all hiding places have been treated.

Cockroaches are very resilient and while products can deal with the immediate problem, treatment by a qualified pest control technician is often necessary to monitor cockroach problems over the long-term. Some cockroach species have developed resistance to conventional insecticides. APSPL technicians have a range of powerful and effective insecticides to exterminate cockroach infestations. Especially for households, India offers a special cockroach gel bait formulation, to deal with cockroaches fast and in a non-messy way. Depending on your situation, your local pest control surveyor might suggest bait or insecticide spray treatments to keep cockroaches out of your home.

Dealing with Crawler's Problems in your Home: Sharing your home with any one of the thousands of insect species found in this country is never fun. Not only can the spread of diseases be attributed to some 'Crawlers' and 'Casual Intruders' but they can also damage your home possessions, not to mention the real distress they can cause to the many Herpetophobics (a fear of Crawlers) in this country.

Types of Crawler's Problems: There are thousands of different species of 'Crawlers' or 'Casual Intruder' but a few of the more common ones are:

• Carpet Beetle : This species comes in a variety of shapes, sizes and colour but generally they resemble a ladybird in shape with their color ranging from black to brown and even white and yellow. Adults generally 2-3mm long. Adults are not a pest in your home as they tend to live outside and eat nectar and pollen. However, towards late summer they are extremely likely to enter your home and lay up to 40 eggs at a time in any natural fibers, such as curtains and carpets, in to your home. The eggs hatch as larvae within 2 to 3 weeks and it is these larvae – sometimes called Woolly Bears – that do so much damage because their diet consists of any natural fiber such as carpets, soft furnishings and clothes.
• Silverfish : Adults are 10-12mm long, silver grey in color and torpedo shaped with three bristles on the end of the Abdomen. Silverfish need moist, warm conditions and are often found in bathrooms and kitchens. They have evolved to be able to digest cellulose and can cause real damage if allowed to get in to your paintings or book collections.
• Food pest moths : There is a number of moths that are considered food pests. The most common species are the Indian meal moth, mill moth and tropical warehouse moth. 10 mm in size and feed on dried fruits, nuts, flour, seeds and grains. They are usually introduced to your home with groceries and will spread fast if their food sources are available.

How to keep Crawlers away: Sealing entry points can help casual intruders from entering the home. Key risks are gaps under doors or around pipes to the exterior or neighboring properties. Also seal gaps where these insects can harbor – many of these insects, such as Earwigs and Carpet Beetles, are nocturnal and hide during the day in cracks and crevices in the walls, around skirting boards or behind electrical sockets.

The most common reason, any insect enters your home is in it's search for food and water so ensure there is none available by taking the following measures:

• Store food in containers or in sealed plastic bags.
• Clean all waste food and spillages immediately.
• Clean food debris from under fridges or cookers.
• Clear used crockery and cutlery immediately.
• Remove pet food, water and litter trays overnight.
• Keep refuse or compost in sealed bins.
• Take care with soiled nappies or dirty clothing.
• Do not leave liquids in sinks or buckets overnight.

Silverfish require a moist but warm atmosphere to live in so ensure that rooms are dry and well ventilated.

If untreated, some casual intruders will quickly establish themselves in high numbers and will spread to adjoining properties. In the case of an infestation of Carpet Beetle we would recommend thorough vacuuming of all carpets and shampooing with an insecticidal carpet cleaner. Any clothes, curtains or soft furnishings showing signs of infestation or damage from the larvae of the Carpet Beetle should be dry-cleaned.

A wide range of products are available on the market that can be used effectively against a variety of insects and casual intruders. Please follow the instructions to ensure safe and effective use. However, it may be difficult for you to reach all the corners, cracks and crevices that some of these insects will use to hide, especially with amateur products. An established pest problem will often require professional pest control to ensure that it will not reoccur.

Most Crawlers or Casual Intruders are more of a pest in the garden than in the home. However, this is not always the case and some of these pests will prove extremely difficult to control. Pest Control Products can deal with the immediate problem, treatment by a qualified pest control technician is often necessary to deal with some Crawlers over the long-term. APSPL technicians have a range of powerful insecticides to deal with Crawlers and Casual Intruders. We also minimize the risk in the home by using non-toxic insecticides.