Cockroaches in kitchens

Where They Are Found and How They Get Inside

The German cockroach (Blatella germanica) has colonised the kitchens of countless homes and food-related businesses (like bars and restaurants) worldwide. This elusive pest only needs warmth, moisture, and food to establish itself and reproduce with ease.

Unlike other species, this cockroach does not live outdoors. They are very small and often go unnoticed, easily hiding in the folds of packaging, cardboard boxes, and so on. This is how they reach new environments, which is why even if you keep your home spotless, you might wonder, "How is it possible that I have cockroaches?"

They are not easy to eradicate. In kitchens, they find a multitude of cracks, crevices, and gaps. The warmth from underneath worktops and appliances makes these their favourite spots. This is the ideal refuge for this cockroach, and they can easily spread to neighbouring homes if not stopped.

Resistance to Household Insecticides

Have you noticed that despite your best efforts and money spent on insecticides, they still keep appearing at night? This can be incredibly frustrating. It's because the concentration of active ingredients in these commercial insecticides is not very high. Over time, cockroaches can develop a resistance, becoming stronger. Like a person who needs two beers to feel a buzz when they used to need just one, cockroaches have become resistant to the pyrethroids and other insecticides sold in well-known supermarket brands.

We had a case like this in Hispanoamérica (Cartagena). A woman called us saying she had cockroaches at home despite spending money on commercial insecticides. These cases are very common, but think about it: if she had called a pest control company from the start, she would have saved herself a lot of money.

The best thing to do is call a pest control expert to get advice and help to eradicate the problem.

Where They Hide

When they colonise a home, they most often do so in the cupboard under the sink, as it provides a good refuge close to the worktop. They try to stay very close to food sources to save energy. As a fun fact, according to experts, female German cockroaches can survive 12 days without food or water, and 42 days with only water. Additionally, large nymphs can limit their development when there isn't enough food.

The compressor motor of refrigerators is their favourite place to hide once autumn arrives, as it keeps them warm throughout the winter. The problem is that if these appliances have a lot of electronics, the cockroaches can cause short circuits.

In many restaurants, multi-layer parquet or floating laminate flooring is used. The joints often deteriorate, and the finishes can leave gaps between the planks, providing a refuge for the German cockroach. With both shelter and food, they even come out during the day, which can damage the restaurant's reputation.

We had a case like this in a restaurant on the Murcian coast. The cockroaches were coming out during the day. When I did a thorough inspection with a torch, I noticed that the sealing between the planks had deteriorated over time. There was a moderate infestation that was getting worse, and it was only controlled by the shock spray treatment we applied. In these cases, you have to use every possible method to control the cockroaches, as the structure of the parquet doesn't give you much room to work with.

Ultimately, this pest requires a lot of professionalism and patience.

Call us if you need help.