Cockroach control in Breda: which species?
In Dutch homes and businesses we mainly come across two species. The German cockroach is about one and a half centimetres long, light brown, with two dark stripes on the shield behind its head. It loves warmth and moisture and lives close to food, in kitchens and restaurants for example. The oriental cockroach is larger, dark brown to black and slower; it is more often found in cellars, crawl spaces and around drains.
Both species are mainly active at night. If you see them about in daylight, it usually means their hiding places are getting crowded.
Signs and hiding places
Cockroaches hide in narrow, warm gaps. Check behind and under the fridge, dishwasher and cooker, in the hinges of kitchen cupboards, around the coffee machine and under the sink. Signs of an infestation:
- small black droppings, like ground pepper or coffee grounds
- brown, oblong egg cases in corners and cracks
- shed skins near the hiding place
- a musty, sweetish smell with a larger infestation
Cockroaches can spread bacteria onto worktops and food. In a restaurant or commercial kitchen, acting fast is therefore also a matter of food safety.
Gel bait instead of spray
At the inspection we find the hiding places and establish the species and the extent of the problem, sometimes using sticky monitoring traps that show where the insects run. We then apply small drops of gel bait where cockroaches pass, out of sight and out of reach of children and pets. They feed on it and carry it back to their hiding place, so cockroaches you never see are affected too.
On a second visit we check the traps and top up the gel where needed. That tells us whether the cockroach control is working or whether there is a hotspot we have missed.
DIY: does it help or make things worse?
A spray can seems the obvious answer, but with cockroaches it often backfires. The insects retreat deeper into cracks or move next door, and spray can make gel bait less attractive. So let us take a look before you spray anything yourself.
What does help is making life as uncomfortable as possible for them. Do not leave dishes or food scraps out, keep food in sealed containers, take the rubbish out in the evening and dry the sink. Mice are attracted by those crumbs too; read more about mouse control. Curious about what else we do? Take a look at our pest control in Breda.
Keeping cockroaches out
The German cockroach almost always hitches a ride indoors. Familiar routes are suppliers' cardboard boxes, second-hand kitchen appliances, bags and suitcases. In apartment blocks they can travel from one flat to the next through service shafts.
- Unpack deliveries outside the kitchen and do not store cardboard.
- Check second-hand appliances carefully before connecting them.
- Seal gaps around pipes under the sink and behind the fridge.
- Keep the space behind appliances clean and dry.
