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Cockroaches
Belonging to the order Blattodea, these insects have a more or less oval shape, dorsoventrally flattened, and vary in color from various shades of brown to black.
Adults of some species reach a maximum length of 1.5-2 cm, while others can exceed 8 cm.
When at rest, the head is curved downward, under the thorax, and tends not to be visible. On the head there are a pair of long, threadlike antennae, 2 large eyes, and a mouth equipped with chewing apparatus.
The dorsal shield on the thorax covers the base of the head and wings. Some species fly to move, others, although having wings, are not well suited to flight, and still others are wingless. Both males and females are equipped with large sensory organs called "cerci," located at the end of the abdomen.
The species relevant in infestations are essentially 4: Blattella germanica, Supella longipalpa (less than 2 cm in size), Periplaneta americana and Blatta orientalis (between 3 and 4 cm).
The first two species, ochre yellow in color, mainly infest environments dedicated to food distribution and domestic settings. P. americana is characterized by a reddish leather color and the presence of wings that completely cover the abdomen in adults; B. orientalis, on the other hand, usually appears darker and in adults the wings do not completely cover the abdomen.
These two larger species generally tend to infest underground environments, sewers, and basements as well as domestic environments. More rarely, especially in the southern regions of our country, a fifth species can be found, Polyphaga aegyptiaca, black in color, about 3 cm long, and with wings longer than the abdomen in the male.
Damages caused
- Cockroaches are mechanical vectors of various pathogens for humans (viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasitic worms), whose transmission occurs indirectly through contaminated food; by means of direct contact, or through regurgitation, feces, or saliva.
The very important allergological aspect should not be underestimated, which manifests itself through the ingestion of allergens contained in contaminated food or with environmental dust in the case of cleaning infested environments.
How to act
In case of cockroach presence in kitchens and other living areas, adopt the following measures:
- Remove any food that may have been contaminated, such as fruit, cookies, and anything else in the kitchen that was not hermetically sealed
- Clean, wash, and disinfect work surfaces, shelves, and drawers where cockroaches may have passed
- Properly manage garbage in bins that must always be closed and covered, and carefully store food supplies
- Seal sewer drains and visible gaps on the floor surface
- Schedule insecticide treatments if necessary.
Environmental surveillance is the key element for controlling risk areas, and the use of sticky cards (monitoring traps) can also be useful for containing the problem in cases where the infestation is caused by only a few individuals.
The simultaneous presence of adults and nymphs of various sizes indicates the existence of a stable cockroach colony.
The stable presence of cockroaches is not always a sign of poor hygienic-sanitary conditions but may also indicate inadequacy in their control.The best method for cockroach control is prevention, which consists of making food sources inaccessible to them.
As for enclosed spaces, therefore, a series of simple precautions may be enough to prevent infestations:
Ecopiakos Ecological Solutions - VAT 05534520878