Cockroaches are scavengers. They spend their lifetime foraging for food and water and will happily set up home anywhere that gives them easy access to it. As they scurry through sewers and feed on stools, they pick up a multitude of potentially lethal bacteria on their legs and bodies.

A female cockroach can generate thousands of cockroaches within months- Mario Borg

Cockroaches also love eating food particles and liquid spillages, so household kitchens, restaurants, hotels, hospitals, residential homes, as well as food preparation and storage facilities are their favourite hunting grounds. The consequences can be very serious if people inadvertently eat food or use kitchen items that cockroaches have come in contact with.

Food poisoning, gastroenteritis, dysentery, worms, and typhoid are just some of the causes of ingesting bacteria borne by cockroaches. Their secretions also aggravate asthma.

In Malta, two species of cockroach are a danger to human well-being: the American Cockroach (Wirdiena ħamra or Periplaneta americana) and the German Cockroach (Wirdiena tal-faxx or Blattella germanica). Both species reproduce prolifically; a female cockroach can generate thousands of cockroaches within months.

While following best practices (see box) will moderate a cockroach population at a home or workplace, it will not eradicate it. Products such as cockroach dusts and sprays can be useful but they are not a complete solution since cockroaches quickly learn to avoid treated areas, especially if the treatment is not done properly.

To eradicate a cockroach problem, one needs the help of a professional pest control specialist who can undertake targeted eradication judiciously and safely. A good pest control company will also use a qualified biologist who understands the environment of the pest species that has invaded a home or business.

A pest control biologist knows exactly what signs to look for in a cockroach infestation; he understands the biology of the insect, the seasonal cycles, and what to do to solve the problem. This knowledge, combined with the specialised equipment used by pest control companies will help to gain access to areas typically favoured by cockroaches.

The use of professional-strength products and systems will help eradicate cockroaches from a home or business, and protect one’s family or employees, as well as a business reputation.

What you can do

You can limit the cockroach population in your home and workplace by making it harder for them to gain access to food and water. For example:

• Never leave food exposed – not even in your kitchen cupboards; use tight-sealing plastic containers;

• Cockroaches easily go through paper and cardboard, so transfer food from packets to plastic containers;

• Do not leave pet food and water out after dark;

• Do not leave dirty dishes in the sink, particularly overnight; if you cannot do the dishes until the next day, let them soak in a strong solution of water and detergent;

• Clean underneath, around and behind your cupboards and appliances, particularly where food grease and particles accumulate;

• Clean your kitchen thoroughly every day and vacuum food areas regularly to eliminate particles of food;

• Keep your garbage tightly sealed in plastic bags, keep your rubbish bin closed and dispose of garbage every day;

• Regularly empty the water tray underneath your fridge to eliminate another source of water;

• Repair leaky taps or plumbing that might provide fresh water sources;

• Seal up any openings around plumbing, both in kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms, which might provide entry from service shafts;

• Seal up any gaps between splashbacks and tiling in kitchens and bathrooms where cockroaches can nest; likewise, seal up cracks and crevices in your walls, particularly those at basement level;

• Windows, particularly those looking into service shafts, are a major entry point for cockroaches, so consider investing in window screens – even if you live on the top floor of an apartment block;

• Hungry cockroaches will eat the starch in bookbindings, the glue on the backs of envelopes and stamps and other similar material, so keep a lookout for signs of cockroaches and act immediately.

Mr Borg is general manager of a pest control company. E-mail: whats.bugging.u@gmail.com.