Not only owners of private houses and farmsteads, but also residents of comfortable apartments face the problem of insects. A frequent guest of apartment buildings is the Russian cockroach or the red cockroach, familiar to almost everyone.
However, we cannot exclude the appearance of even more unpleasant visitors, namely black or oriental cockroaches.
These insects are large in size, their body length can be three centimeters or more, they have a specific unpleasant odor, and can cause damage to both the home and its owners.
Black sewer cockroaches can damage electrical wiring and other communications, in addition, they are carriers of infectious diseases dangerous to humans. How to get rid of uninvited guests at home, how to poison black cockroaches and how to prevent their reappearance? Let's talk about this in more detail.
Features of black cockroaches
Cockroaches are classified as household pests. They are easy to distinguish from other types of insects that can also appear in a person’s home.
Black cockroaches, compared to red ones, are more impressive in size. Adults can grow up to almost 5 cm in length, while red pests are almost 2 times smaller. The body of the black cockroach is protected from external negative influences by a shiny chitinous coating. The upper part of the insect's body seems to be shifted forward, which is why, if you look at the cockroach from above, part of its head is hidden. Males have 2 pairs of wings, although the insect cannot fly. Females do not have wings at all, or even their rudiments.
A cockroach has whiskers on its head, with the help of which the insect orients itself in space and perceives odors. Moreover, the mustaches of males are much longer than those of females. Small and rather sparse hairs grow on the limbs of the insect.
Interesting to know! Cockroaches have a rather interesting structure of their digestive organs. They also have a fairly powerful oral apparatus, with the help of which cockroaches crush even hard food objects. Food, after entering the intestines, is broken down with the help of special enzymes. At the same time, it is crushed by a special type of bacteria in the chewing ventricle. This type of operation of the insect’s digestive tract allows cockroaches to eat a wide variety of foods, sometimes quite solid.
Males can live without a source of food for about 10 days, and females - almost 2 months.
Ritual for wealth
In the pre-Petrine era in Russia, it was not customary to get rid of arthropod cohabitants. On the contrary, their presence was considered a sign of wealth and prosperity of the owners of the house. For a modern housewife, it’s even scary to imagine that cockroaches at one time were a kind of symbol of home comfort.
There was even a special conspiracy to use a cockroach for money. To do this, you had to quietly catch an insect in the house of a wealthy family, and, holding it in your left hand, whisper the following plot three times:
There was another money conspiracy. It was usually pronounced during the holy week. All the lights in the house were turned off and the head of the family said:
Then they lit candles and tried to count how many cockroaches crawled out. If a lot crawled out, it was believed that the year would be successful. And if not enough, then hard times awaited the family. At that time, a plot to get rid of cockroaches would have seemed crazy.
Reproduction process
After mating, the female places her eggs in a special cocoon, the length of which can reach about 10 mm. In this case, up to 16 eggs can develop in a cocoon at once. The capsule is distinguished by the fact that it has a fairly strong structure, so future offspring have reliable protection.
As the eggs grow and develop, the cocoon also increases in size. At a certain stage of development, the female discards this capsule in a secluded place. About a month or a month and a half later, small transparent larvae appear in the white light, similar in appearance to cockroaches. As the larvae grow and develop, they begin to acquire a dark, rich hue. Before the juveniles develop into adults, they go through 10 molting stages. During her life, the female manages to lay a maximum of 3 cocoons.
Lifestyle
Sewer cockroaches are nocturnal, making them difficult to spot. In the house they can be found near leaking water pipes, in sink drains, and sewer pipes.
Signs of cockroaches The length of the ootheca in sewer cockroaches is 10 - 12 mm. The shell contains 16 - 18 eggs. Ootheca are formed a day after mating, and disappear 1 - 2 days after formation. The female can shed her oedema even after a week. She usually lays her eggs in a protected place, but sometimes attaches them to the substrate with her saliva.
Sewer cockroaches become sexually mature a year after hatching. During this time they manage to survive 7 molts. An adult Blatta orientalis lives from 34 to 180 days. Representatives of the species mate at any time of the year. During her life, the female lays on average 8 oothecae.
In residential premises, sewer cockroaches appear if the housing is in an unsanitary condition. They are attracted to the smell of rotting organic matter. Until the middle of the twentieth century, these particular insects should not have been in the hut of a clean housewife.
How cockroaches get into an apartment
Not so long ago, our ancestors treated black cockroaches with respect and believed that their presence in the home meant wealth and prosperity. Therefore, the insects were constantly fed, and if they had to move to another place of residence, they were taken with them. As for red cockroaches, they symbolized misfortune and tears, so they tried to get rid of them everywhere.
Nowadays, black cockroaches are not symbols of wealth and prosperity, so owners begin to fight them at the first opportunity. In any case, first of all, you should decide on the ways of penetration of these insects into your home. Cockroaches may appear in an apartment:
- By moving away from neighbors, which is one of the most common ways these insects appear in an apartment and especially after they begin to fight them.
- Rising from the basement or cellar.
- Through the sewer system, since black cockroaches are able to stay in water for a long time and not drown. It is not difficult to imagine the danger they pose to apartment residents.
- Together with old or new household appliances, as well as furniture, especially purchased at the market.
- As a result of returning from vacation, when visiting warm countries, or from work, in a suitcase or simply in the folds of clothing.
Huge cockroaches in my apartment. How to get them out?
Traditional methods for pest control
Folk remedies are effective and safer. Many people use them when they are afraid to use chemical insecticides. It is better to fight cockroaches using traditional methods when you have children and pets living in your apartment. Chemicals can be harmful to their health. But it is worth remembering that they will help faster. If you have too many pests, folk remedies will not help. However, they have a number of advantages. Firstly, they are available and safe. Secondly, you can use them in combination. With a small number of insects, you will quickly get rid of them. Available means can also be used for prevention.
Since ancient times, our ancestors have used freezing to get rid of pests. Cockroaches are natives of tropical latitudes. They are used to the warmth. Low temperatures kill them. At -5°C, black cockroaches will die within half an hour. But during these 30 minutes they will run around the entire apartment in search of warmth. It is more advisable to destroy them at a temperature of -10°C. They will die in 2 minutes.
The freezing method has significant disadvantages. It can only be used in winter, when the temperature outside is -12°C. There should be a draft in the room. The windows are opened for 3-5 hours. Getting rid of mustachioed neighbors can harm your household appliances. In some cases, after this the wallpaper may come off the wall. There may also be problems with the heating system. Using freezing is very risky.
It is much safer to use borax and boric acid to control cockroaches. Boric acid is sold in pharmacies, and borax is sold on the radio market. Once in the insect’s body, these substances destroy the pest’s nervous system, blocking nerve impulses. The cockroach dies as a result of paralysis.
This method is very effective, but boric acid is not of particular interest to the insect. It is unlikely that a cockroach will eat this treat, so you need to add something tasty to the poison to make it eat it. Most often, egg yolk is added. Having made small balls, they should be placed throughout the apartment in places that pests love. It will be equally effective to prepare a mixture of borax and powdered sugar with the addition of vanillin. It is better to put such poison on a plastic roof. Dough balls and boric acid are also suitable for controlling insects.
For boric acid to work, cockroaches must have limited access to water. Also, they should not come across other food.
You can use gypsum and alabaster as bait for cockroaches. Once in the pest's stomach, they will kill it. But something should also be mixed with these substances.
Pests can also be eliminated with the help of plants that repel them. This method cannot destroy large populations of insects, but it is good for prevention.
Black cockroaches cannot tolerate pyrethrum. Grinded chamomile powder is used to treat places where insects accumulate and cracks in the apartment. Thanks to the cineole contained in the bay leaf, the pests will go away. Elderberry branches act in exactly the same way.
A fairly simple way to get rid of cockroaches is to use cotton swabs with essential oils of eucalyptus and cedar. They are used to treat places where insects have appeared. These essential oils can also be added to water intended for washing floors.
At the same time, it is important not to overdo it with oil, since the strong smell in the room can make household members dizzy
In radical cases, turpentine, kerosene, and ammonia are used. These smells repel cockroaches. But if you use them, you will have to leave the apartment for several days.
In addition, pests are eliminated using glue and oil traps. Once there, insects cannot get out and die. This also has its drawbacks. Dead cockroaches will have to be picked up by hand. This is very disgusting.
Preventive actions
If black cockroaches are found in an apartment, a question arises regarding the method of getting rid of these pests. First of all, you need to analyze the reasons for the appearance of insects, then the outcome of the fight will be positive.
Cockroaches are heat-loving insects that prefer damp places. Therefore, it is not difficult to determine that their favorite places to live are the kitchen and bathroom. At the same time, they can hide in various places, such as ventilation shafts, air ducts, behind pipes that are leaking or condensation accumulates on them. A prerequisite is that there must be a source of food nearby, in the form of a trash can or leftover food left by the owners on the dining table.
If you find black cockroaches in your apartment, you will have to:
- Repair the sewerage and water supply systems, eliminating leaks in the pipes.
- Regularly clean the ventilation and sewage system.
- Carry out regular cleaning of premises, both residential and non-residential. Do not leave leftover food on the table and wash dishes promptly after eating.
- The bathtub and sink should be wiped dry so that there is no moisture left on them, which is so necessary for cockroaches.
If you block the insects' access to food debris and water, this will provoke the insects to go in search of more comfortable living conditions. As a result, after some time, the colony itself will leave the home.
Photo
For visual reference, we bring to your attention a photo of black cockroaches:
Photo of a red and black cockroach:
How to get rid of black cockroaches
There are several ways to get rid of cockroaches in an apartment. For example:
- Using folk remedies.
- Using chemicals.
Any of the methods has both pros and cons, which must be taken into account based on the specific conditions of the struggle. It is very important to choose a remedy and develop combat tactics.
Folk remedies
Folk remedies are distinguished by the fact that they are safe both in relation to humans and in relation to pets. Chemical control agents, although much more effective, can be harmful to human health. The best option is the use of folk remedies as preventive measures.
- Natural plants such as bay leaves, elderberries, citrus zest, and pyrethrum are used as folk remedies. They all have a bright aroma that repels cockroaches and other insects.
- The most effective folk remedy is boric acid. It is added to special baits prepared on the basis of egg yolk and sugar. Balls up to one and a half centimeters in size are rolled out of this mixture and placed in places where pests accumulate.
Destruction methods
If black cockroaches appear in the apartment, how to get rid of them yourself? For this purpose, folk recipes and chemical and mechanical means of control are selected. It is recommended to use a set of measures: poisons, freezing, traps.
Traditional methods of destruction
Both black and red cockroaches react to pronounced odors: a plant (geranium, wormwood, elderberry), powder (natural-based feverfew), orange peel. If there are a lot of insects, these products will not help, since their effect is aimed at repelling. For intensive housing occupancy, other substances are used:
Ammonia
Ammonia - its strong smell is unpleasant even for humans, not to mention cockroaches, which have an extremely sensitive sense of smell. If you regularly wash your floors with the addition of 1 tsp. on a bucket of water, it’s easier to get rid of pests. Even a great black cockroach will escape from a room treated with ammonia.
Turpentine, kerosene, denatured alcohol
These substances emit a strong unpleasant odor, which means they are used for the same purpose - to repel cockroaches. If you plan to remove such insects, you should treat the likely areas of their habitat: corners, baseboards, the back of furniture.
Boric acid, borax
These substances are added to the bait (boiled chicken yolk), mixed and formed into small balls. All that remains is to place them in the corners and remote areas of the apartment.
Mix the yolks of raw eggs with a mixture of boric acid until it becomes a paste. Make balls from the pulp and then spread it out.
Mechanical, thermal effects
When deciding how to remove black cockroaches, you can use the “old-fashioned” method - destroying pests with a slipper or a fly swatter. However, this method has more disadvantages than advantages: the insects are large, which means it will take a long time to clean up after such a hunt; low efficiency; the need to exert physical effort in pursuit of cockroaches.
A more effective method is freezing. Pests die when the temperature drops below -10 degrees. However, if you open the windows in your apartment, especially in northern latitudes, there is a risk of freezing the heating system.
Chemicals
This is the most effective method. Insecticides are available in different forms: gels, sprays, powders. Each option has its own effect on cockroaches; some products kill pests immediately, while others kill them after a few weeks.
Popular brands: Kombat, Get, Raptor.
If we consider sprays, they can be called leaders in terms of efficiency and speed of action. However, this method has disadvantages: the need to leave the apartment during processing; the presence of a strong odor that remains after disinfestation; toxicity of drugs. Popular brands: Kombat, Get, Raptor.
Gels and glues go directly into the stomach of insects, since these substances are created for consumption by cockroaches. This indicates the high effectiveness of such insecticides. However, to get excellent results, gels must be used in the right places - where cockroaches live. Famous brands: Fas, Sturm, Globol.
Popular gels and traps
Chalk and powders are not so convenient to use, because they cannot be used on vertical surfaces. In addition, they are effective provided that the apartment is moderately infested. However, these substances are inexpensive and easy to use. Popular brands: Mashenka chalk.
Traps
When deciding how to get rid of large black cockroaches, you can use a set of measures, including traps. These devices come in several variations:
Containing electrodes. At the same time, the pests are affected by the current. A popular model in this category is the GH-180 from the manufacturer Shenzhen Greathouse Electronics Industry.
You can make a trap yourself; all you need is cardboard and tape or glue.
Traps containing insecticide inside. Once inside, insects become infected with poison, then spread the toxic substance throughout the nests, which leads to the destruction of other individuals. The principle of operation of such traps resembles the effect of gel, but the insecticide remains hidden from children and animals.
Traps with bait inside, characterized by a complex structure, contain a labyrinth that does not allow insects to find a way out. There are other models - with an adhesive substance inside.
Watch the video: How to get rid of cockroaches forever?
Chemicals
Chemical control agents are made on the basis of insecticides, which act much faster and more effectively. The action of such components can be both immediate and prolonged. The drugs are available in various forms such as gels, sprays, powders, etc.
Gels for cockroaches
Preparations in the form of gels are considered the most effective means of combating cockroaches. Gels do not emit toxic components, so there is no need to take special safety measures. These preparations consist of active toxic substances, as well as flavoring agents that attract mustachioed pests with their aroma. After the cockroaches try the bait, they become poisoned and die. You can use gels “Combat”, “Raptor”, “Fas”, “Global”, “Storm”, etc.
Sprays
Sprays are also very popular because using such preparations is simple and convenient. To do this, the product is simply sprayed into the home and after a certain time the insects are massively destroyed. Unfortunately, such spraying of toxic components requires that there be no people or animals in the home. To combat cockroaches, sprays such as “Combat”, “Raptor”, “Get”, “Raid”, etc. are suitable.
Powders and crayons
Powders and crayons are not used as often. This is especially true for powders, the use of which requires certain technology and attention. Crayons are used more often, but their effectiveness is low, so if there are a large number of cockroaches, chalks will not be of much help.
Special traps
A trap is a plastic or cardboard box with several entrances for insects. Inside this box there is a fragrant bait that attracts insects. The principle of operation of traps can be different. There are simple traps with bait, and there are traps with an adhesive base. Once caught in such a trap, the cockroach simply sticks to the base and cannot get back out. There are also electrical traps. Once inside the trap, insects die from electric current.
There is another option for effectively getting rid of black (red) cockroaches. To do this, you will have to use the services of exterminators. They will not only help you get rid of such an unpleasant neighborhood in your apartment, but will also tell you what needs to be done to prevent pests from appearing again. As a rule, insects appear again and again in a person’s home because the fight against them was not carried out professionally or partially. This approach entails a lot of trouble. The main trouble is that you will have to spend your entire life fighting cockroaches.
An excellent remedy for cockroaches!
Fumigators
Stores sell devices designed to treat large spaces. Fumigators are in wide demand.
- Smoke bomb. Produced by the brands Raptor, Quiet Evening, Tsitum. When activated, it emits toxic smoke that is harmful to cockroaches.
- Aquamigator. A special container that is filled with distilled water. You need to put a container with insecticide inside. Under the influence of water, steam appears that destroys cockroaches. The Raptor aquafumigator is highly efficient.
Before use, evacuate family members to a safe place, seal food, close doors and windows. During disinfestation, wear a respirator, gloves and goggles. The period of action of the smoke bomb and aquafumigator is 3 hours. Afterwards, ventilate the rooms and do a wet cleaning.
Plates impregnated with an insecticide or a poisonous liquid are inserted into the electric fumigator. When plugged into a power outlet, the device heats up and releases toxic substances, allowing you to clear an area of up to 80 square meters from insects. Fumigators are produced by Reid, Raptor, Fumitox. They are safe for people and the environment.
Description of the insect
Black cockroaches have been disturbing human peace since the times of Ancient Rus'. They are unpleasant to people just by their appearance. The insects are covered with a dark brown or black shell, their body length reaches 5 cm.
Thanks to their flat bodies, cockroaches are able to climb into places inaccessible to humans. Developed sense organs help them move in the dark and find their way to the apartment without any problems.
The breeding season of cockroaches lasts a whole year, and they live in favorable conditions - a warm room. A female insect lays up to 50 eggs over a full life cycle. The larvae of black cockroaches are light in color; after molting several times, they become black.
Nutrition and the infections they spread
Cockroaches eat everything. They are not picky. They are especially attracted to sweet foods.
The menu of the home black representative is quite varied:
- Leather products.
- cereals;
- sugar;
- confectionery;
- meat;
- fish;
- vegetables, etc.
- Indoor flowers.
- Soap.
- Paper.
- Glue.
- Books, etc.
Cockroaches are attracted to easy living conditions and excess food:
- dampness;
- filled trash can;
- dirty dishes;
- crumbs on the table, floor;
- unpackaged products.
The mouthparts of black cockroaches allow them to eat solid food. The intestines, where special bacteria live in symbiosis with insects, digest almost everything. It feeds on garbage and food waste. If there is a lack of the latter, it eats paper, fabrics, soap, electrical wiring and its relatives.
Cockroaches not only spoil food and things. They carry infections:
- typhoid fever;
- diphtheria;
- dysentery;
- worms.
They carry bacteria and worm eggs on their paws and leave them on food, dishes, and the kitchen table when they crawl out of their hiding places at night and go out for prey. The next morning people become infected due to their sloppy behavior. They are especially dangerous for children.
A male black cockroach can go without food for more than 10 days, females even longer - about two months.
Favorite Habitats
Habitat of black cockroaches Most often, cockroaches are found in warm, damp rooms, where there is always an abundance of food for them:
- kitchens and utility rooms of catering establishments;
- basements of apartment buildings;
- residential garbage chutes and public landfills;
- sewer compartments;
- grocery stores and markets;
- residential apartments and houses;
- production premises and offices.
