Common Cockroaches In Malaysia
There are roughly 4600 species of cockroaches in the world (we hear your "yuck"!), but thankfully only two are common in Malaysia – the German cockroach and American cockroach.
While both have wings, you’ll be glad to know that neither are a regular flying cockroach, meaning they’re more of a creepy-crawly problem than an airborne assault!
The German cockroach has two vertical stripes on the back of the neck and is yellowish in colour. Meanwhile, the American cockroach is slightly bigger, with a reddish-brown colour. Both of them require instant cockroach control if seen in your home!
Why Cockroaches Are Bad
Nobody likes cockroaches in the house, but the reasons why they’re a pest go beyond simple looks. Cockroach droppings and secretions from their mouths and glands can contaminate your food.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that these unhygienic scavengers carry infectious diseases like diarrhoea, dysentery, cholera, leprosy, plague, typhoid fever, and viral diseases.
The report also notes that roaches carry the eggs of parasitic worms, and may cause allergic reactions including dermatitis, itching, swelling of the eyelids, and serious respiratory conditions.
If cockroaches can’t find other sources of food, they will destroy your belongings by munching on paper, books, book bindings, wallpaper adhesive, and the glue on the back of stamps (remember those?).
Other things that make good food sources for roaches include dead insects, animal skin, and HUMAN HAIR. You read that right, folks!
All round, they’re very much an unwelcome house guest. That means it’s important to get rid of cockroaches as soon as you identify their presence.
How to Identify A Cockroach Infestation?
Well, apart from having one run across your line of sight or literally fly into your hair/face, here are some other signs to watch out for:
1) You see them
You spot their poop/droppings or eggs in your clothes, between furniture, or around clutter like piles of newspapers, bags, and boxes.
2) You smell them
- Regular secretions: Roaches let off secretions as part of their standard routine which can contaminate your food and drink supply. They also give off a pheromone to let other roaches know they’ve found a suitable place to nest.
- The smell of death: When roaches die, they emit an ancient warning signal, or ‘death stench’, which is produced by a blend of fatty acids. According to one study, the stench signals other roaches to stay away, which could reduce the chances of catching and transmitting diseases, or simply allow for enough exposure to activate an immune response.
- Attracting mates: Roaches communicate using pheromones and female roaches can attract swarms of male roaches by just giving off the right scent. Unfortunately, if you smell this, it is a tell-tale sign that you have an infestation problem on your hands.
3) It’s already (very!) obvious
If you see cockroaches running around in the daytime, chances are they’re already overcrowding your home, so it’s time to start planning for a deep cleaning session or two, depending on how bad the situation is!
What Attracts Cockroaches?
Some of you might remember the 1996 movie Joe’s Apartment, that featured the main character moving into an apartment with thousands of singing and dancing cockroaches.
These cockroaches were overjoyed that an unhygienic slob like Joe had rented the place and they were pretty much assured of continuous food supply.
Now, if like Joe, you are in the habit of leaving dirty dishes in the sink overnight, not cleaning up spills and food scraps immediately, not taking out the trash regularly, and generally live in an unhygienic manner – it’s just a matter of time before you discover a cockroach infestation.
We just hope it isn’t too late by then! You see, a dirty and cluttered home is a surefire way to attract cockroaches and other pests too.
However, roaches (or their eggs) might sometimes just sneakily hitch a ride into your home on boxes, or food items you’ve just picked up from the store.
What Can You Do To Manage A Cockroach Infestation?
One of the best preventative measures you can take is to keep every inch of your house clean and free of clutter. Cockroaches in the house is a pretty strong motivation to clean up!
When it comes to food, store it in airtight containers, and ensure plates and utensils are cleaned and dried thoroughly before putting them away.
Pests must have adequate food, water, and shelter to survive and thrive. Removing these via regular cleaning and sanitation will have a tremendous impact in reducing pest populations.
The success of long-term pest control is very much dependant on your ability to eliminate their food sources and shelter, or risk experiencing a rebound down the road.
If you prefer eco-friendly ways to prevent cockroaches from entering your home, get some screwpine leaves (pandan) or lemongrass (serai) and bruise them to release their oils, before placing them along suspected entry points.
Essential oils from leaves/herbs like mint, spearmint, eucalyptus, oregano, and clove are also known to repel cockroaches, but these oils can be toxic for pets.
Need to eliminate an infestation? Mix equal parts of bicarbonate of soda and sugar together in a shallow dish, and place it near the infestation site.
The roaches will be attracted to the sugar, but the bicarbonate of soda is what will kill them. This is also an effective pest control method for ants!
Another option to eliminate cockroaches is to mix three-parts fabric softener with two-parts water, and spray the concoction directly onto the cockroach.
Last Resort Measure
If the pest infestation is out of hand and nothing you do seems to be working, it might be time to call in the professionals. Scout around and speak to a few different pest control companies before making a decision.
Find out how the pest control company will address the issue, how long you can expect the treatment to last, and what measures need to be taken to keep pets and young kids safe from any chemicals used.
A handy tip to note is that the prices for pest control services vary depending on:
- Type of pest and extent of the infestation
- Type of treatment
- Number of treatments needed to eradicate the problem
- Size of your home
Find out if they provide free site inspections and remember to ask for a quote beforehand. Since our warm and humid climate is conducive for cockroaches and other pests to thrive, an unsanitary home can rapidly turn into a breeding ground for all sorts of pests.
Therefore, it is up to us to keep our homes spotless, and have a keen eye for clues that might give away the position of these stealthy creatures.
We hope these insights give you some ideas on how to nip the problem in the bud and help you avoid a pest infestation altogether!
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