German Cockroach Health Hazard in Neptune, NJ
Challenge
Recently, I was sent to one of our commercial accounts, an apartment complex in Neptune City, NJ, to treat a cockroach infestation, specifically, one of the more common roach that infests both residential and commercial structures — the German cockroach. These hardy, resilient roaches are especially troublesome because of their rapid reproduction rates. In apartment buildings, roaches have the ability to quickly spread from unit to unit through shared pipes and gaps in common walls, so, whenever possible, it is important to identify and treat these problems in their early stages. It is important to educate tenants to report roach and other pest infestations to management immediately.
Upon arrival, I was directed to the unit where the tenant had reported roaches. I always try to speak to the tenant to get a better idea of the infestation — where the insects were found, how many spotting, and how long there has been a problem. For every roach you see, there are likely dozen of other roaches in deep hiding. Here, the tenant told me that he had roaches in his kitchen. Kitchens offer everything that a roach could want — food, shelter, and water — so there foraging pests often wind up in kitchens. However, it is also important to inspect bathrooms, especially in apartment complexes. Often the kitchens share walls and water pipes with the bathroom and will infest both areas. They will also follow the pipes to other units.
Solution
Here, the kitchen had a serious German roach infestation. This, of course, is a health hazard because the roaches, which live and breed in filth, can contaminate food and counters. I first applied a fumigate to form a barrier and prevent the roaches from dispersing to other areas of the apartment. Containment of the infestation is critical. I then applied a spray directly into openings and voids including under and behind the cabinets, the kitchen sink, the stove, and refrigerator. Roaches, like many pests, are attracted to the heat of motors and compressors. I also applied roach bait under and behind the cabinets in the kitchen and bathroom.
Roaches are exceptionally resilient insects. As part of our treatment protocol, I returned for a two-week follow-up visit to deal with any roaches that managed to survive the initial treatment. The level of infestation had dramatically improved. I repeated the same procedure to ensure that the infestation was completely eradicated. The tenant was visibly relieved that the roach problem was resolved, and all indications were that the infestation was localized and did not yet spray to other units. Early detection and treatment can make all the difference.
