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4 types of cockroaches found in Indian homes and ways to get rid of them.
Just try to imagine this situation – you have prepared a unique dish for your guests and while serving you find a cockroach in the serving bowl. Yes, it is very insulting and I would never want anything like this to happen to you, but a simple insect like cockroach can spoil the whole hospitality and your beautiful evening.
This is just a few months back incident, our microwave oven which was working perfectly, started making an unusual sparking sound and stopped working. When we called the electrician for repairs and he opened the microwave, we were shocked to see a whole colony of cockroaches inside the microwave oven; the electronic panel was completely damaged and we had to spend a significant amount of money to get it fixed.
Pest control is never at the top of our priority unless it becomes life threatening. Initial ignorance of pests like cockroaches can make your life miserable in a matter of days. These pests enter every possible corner of the kitchen and storage area and cause damage to many important electrical appliances. You try home tricks to shoo them away or try regular DIY tricks to control the situation, but all in vain.
Now the question arises, are all types of cockroaches around us dangerous?
I have studied cockroaches around me especially in Indian urban and sub-urban areas. Although according to various studies there are more than 4500 cockroach species in the world but we Indians are surrounded by these 4 types of cockroaches:
American Cockroach Facts – This is one of the largest cockroaches (about 4 cm) in human habitation. It is native to wet and humid areas like drains and sewers and you can easily identify it by its shiny red color. From cheese to leather and human hair to dead animals, this omnivorous can eat almost anything!
Brown-Banded Cockroach: One of the smallest species of cockroach, measuring only 10-15 mm in size. It looks tan to brown in color and prefers warm and humid areas like drains and sewers. They may attack food that contains glucose or carbohydrates.
Oriental Cockroach: Known to many as ‘Black cockroaches’, they are large and dark brown to black cockroaches. They are also known as water bugs, and can be found in moist areas around human habitats, such as sewers, damp basements, coolers etc.
German Cockroach: Also known as ‘Croton bug’, it is small in size from 1 to 1.5 cm and brown in color and torpedo shaped. They attack on non-vegetarian food and fatty foods and that is why they are mainly found in homes and food joints. If food is not available, they can also damage products such as soap and toothpaste. You’ll find them in kitchens and washrooms!
How harmful and risky the pest like cockroach is?
Any of these cockroaches can cause a nuisance in your home, it’s not just another pest that’s seasonal. They enter in your home to stay long and become a headache within a few days:
Health Concerns: Cockroaches roam around in dirty areas like water logs and sewers under your home and then enter your home and spread to kitchens, bathrooms and other areas. I have no problem with cockroaches’ ugly looks, but the threat of germs and the potential for spreading viruses can worry anyone.
Image Concern: Cockroaches enter your property and find a suitable place to settle in a few days and if the numbers increase, they are found everywhere in the house. This situation can at some point be humiliating for the owner of the home or workplace. Believe me – “A Single American cockroach can spoil the image of an Indian home in a matter of seconds!”
Food Spoiler: Since the first target of cockroaches is food, your kitchen suddenly becomes the most unsafe place. Since it is not possible to keep every food and beverage in a sealed container, the cockroach continues to spoil the food by bringing in germs and other antigens to make the food unhealthy.
Bad Odor: They not only harm the visibility of the house but also spoil the ambience of the house. Yes, if you have a large number of cockroaches in your home or office, then cockroaches emit a foul odor, this smell can be unbearable at times. You can use air- freshener products like Ossom S5 to suppress such odors until the pest control team arrives.
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Should we expect a performance guarantee from a pest control agency?
According to me yes! Since you are calling an expert in pest control service, you should expect at least a 3-month warranty from the agency you are paying for the solution. The agency should also provide repetitive service in case of pest infestation during warranty period.
It is better to check the brand of the chemical they are going to spray. Some pest control agencies spray non-branded and agricultural insecticides in the house, which smells bad and then makes it very difficult to stay or sleep in the house for many hours. When you have kids and pets in your home, you can’t even afford to allow such pest control chemicals.
What is better between ‘DIY Pest Control’ and ‘Service by Pest Control Agency’?
There are many cockroach control products available in your nearest store and online platforms, such as:
Cockroach killer spray
Anti-roach gel
Cockroach trap
Cockroach killer powder or paste
Cockroach repellent chalk
Liquid roach bait
As far as the initial stage of the issue is concerned, most of these products are reliable and can work on infestations, but once they multiply and form colonies in different locations of your property it is best to seek professional help. It becomes difficult to suppress the problem without it.
How you recognize that the problem is beyond DIY level?
See, according to studies, cockroaches like to crawl and search for food at night and that is why they are known as ‘night crawling pests’, but when you find them roaming in the house in bright light during the day, you have to understand that the situation is out of control. Some people do a ‘glue trap test’ to assess the level of infestation.
In such a scenario when the infestation escalates, you should contact a reliable and expert pest control team to get a long-term solution to the problem of cockroach infestation.
So the last and most crucial question is how to identify the right pest control company and how to get rid of cockroaches?
A small bug can make your life miserable and professional attitude towards such issue is always appropriate. We must understand that if the problem of cockroaches in the home or workplace is out of control, a professional team will be needed for disinfection;
We will now see how to choose the right company for pest control:
Process: Many people have started one-person organizations that either provide pest control services through work acquired through relationships or they join an online company. You should check the cockroach control procedure they are going to use, simply spraying an unknown brand of chemical is not enough. Proper surveys and assessments are also needed to make decisions about the ratio and type of chemicals to be used.
Chemicals: There are many companies that provide chemicals for pest control, and most of them use cheap chemicals like agricultural pesticides. Some well-known companies like Hygienedunia make sure to use top brands like Bayer while providing services.
Also note that odorless pest control products are the most expensive, so many service providers are avoiding these products and will always mention that those products will not be as effective! The branded chemical should also be supported by a fipronil-based gel, which eliminates insect colonies by a ‘cascade-effect’.
Security: Most online platforms are very concerned about the safety of the client. They ensure that the visiting teams are adhering to the compliances like police verification and also following the safety and security norms while providing the service. You should also check whether the execution team will be trained and equipped with safety gloves, gloves and PPE kits etc.
Transparency: Some companies ask for abnormal charges after reaching the site, you should look for online platform which is 100% transparent about the charges along with the size of the properties.
Ratings: Normally everyone checks ratings of products and services, but keep in mind that many companies generate fake ratings and there is a parallel business of rating improvement going on in the online market.
Price: Most of the people check the prices first, but according to me the price comparison should be done only after comparing all the above mentioned features of the shortlisted companies.
Discount Schemes: Nowadays online platforms like Hygienedunia and …. are also offering special discounts for first time visitors and redeem points for regular customers, you can take advantage of such schemes and get benefited.
Lastly, don’t be convinced by just one television ad. Remember that the company that spends the most on advertising is not getting many ‘claps’. It is best to do some online research and offer the opportunity to the company that is most transparent about all the factors mentioned above.
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