Health issues with cockroaches

Cockroaches are believed to be the only creatures that would survive a nuclear explosion.

Cockroaches have been on the earth for more than 400 million years. They were alive when dinosaurs walked the earth and were probably the first flying animals.

There are around 4,000 species of cockroaches worldwide and about 450 species in Australia, but only a few species are pests.

Cockroaches do not directly cause disease but they are carriers of millions of bacteria that can lead to an array of diseases from diarrhoea to allergies, asthma and food poisoning.

Cockroaches are omnivores - they eat both plants and meat. In general, cockroaches do not eat much food but tend to infect it and spread disease.

They contaminate open food by defecating on it, leaving behind hair and dead skin and depositing empty egg shells in it.

Although not a regular habit, cockroaches can climb onto beds and crawl on you at night. If they bite, it will most likely occur while you are sleeping. They tend to bite areas that may accumulate food residue like the face, mouth, hands and fingernails.

Cockroaches are mostly nocturnal and usually hide and breed in dark, moist corners and inside food packages by day. They can be found behind refrigerators, sinks and stoves, as well as under floor drains and inside motors and major appliances.

The three main types of cockroach commonly found in homes and businesses in Australia include the German cockroach, Australian cockroach and American cockroach.

Cockroaches are ideally suited to our Gold Coast climate.

To protect against cockroaches

1 Keep your house clean.
2 Ensure that areas like the sink and the food preparation area is cleaned before you go to sleep at night.
3 Empty the bin in your kitchen regularly, and always keep it covered.
4 Try to store food in sealed containers.
5 Avoid keeping old newspapers, books and magazines stacked openly.
6 Pest control Gold Coast for heavy infestation is a must. Good sanitation should be practiced after pest control to prevent further infestation.