Cockroach Infestation: How Does It Happen?

Cockroaches are insects of tropical origin that live in close association with people in parts of houses and other facilities where heat and moisture prevails. Broadly expanding in numbers, cockroaches love to huddle in large groups; that is larger favorable spaces and environmental conditions promote the growing population of cockroaches. They are public health pests associated with food borne illnesses and have been documented to be a physical carrier of food contaminants and pathogens in their bodies which are harmful to the health of people. It is believed that the cockroach may be a reservoir for a range of bacteria including salmonella, staphylococcus, gastroenteritis, and streptococcus and they also likely harbor viruses such as polio. Ingested bacteria can survive in a cockroach's digestive system sometimes for months or even years, and are passed in its droppings. In addition, they carry eggs of parasitic worms and can cause allergic reactions including asthma, dermatitis, itching, ocular swelling and chronic respiratory problems in sensitive individuals. They eat a wide range of food among which are rotting garbage, food spills on kitchen floor and fecal materials, all of which they vomit and defecate on food and as a result transmit diseases to humans when humans eat food contaminated by cockroaches.

Cockroaches are synonymous with dirt and filth swarming all over your meal, they spread filth and ruin food, fabrics and book bindings. Which is why people are generally anxious to their cockroach problem remediated. They live in accumulating fecal material, and decaying organic debris, they feed on rodent/bird droppings and animal carcasses, from which they will pick up the bacteria on their legs and bodies and spread these disease-causing agents to food and other surfaces, They disgorge portions of their partially digested food at intervals and drop feces, their bodily secretions and nauseous discharge also stain and leave an offensive odor that can permeate packaging. The cockroach species that infest a food processing facility can vary by geographic location but the three domiciliary main species of importance are the German cockroach, the Oriental cockroach (Blatta orientalis) and the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana).

The right environment is the cause of almost every occurrence of cockroach infestation. Cockroaches are primarily nocturnal insects and so prefer to be in the dark, they require warmth (about 70°F) and a dark habitat with little air movement, which is why they tend to thrive in very warm stuffy places, like attics.  Moisture can be in the form of humidity making it convenient to thrive well in hiding spots like the cracks in walls, underneath a stack of magazines or cardboard boxes, any furniture items that are generally left undisturbed, kitchen cupboards, below sinks and around water heaters, they are often harbored in spaces where normal cleaning and sanitizing methods do not reach.  Sightings  of roaches when people are present, during the day, or under light conditions may indicate the presence of a severe infestation. It is important to note that cockroaches can live for a few days up to a month without food that is; because you are not seeing cockroaches in your home does not mean they are not there,  Research has shown that 20-48% of homes with no visible sign of cockroaches have detectable cockroach allergens in dust.
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Cockroaches can be brought into buildings on products.  German cockroaches are very effective hitchhikers and may hide in incoming supplies, packing materials, cardboard boxes, pallets and so on. Unless the sewer connection is addressed, sewer and floor drains can provide a never ending route for cockroaches to penetrate as some cockroaches will travel between and enter buildings through drain/sewer pipes, underground utility lines, and steam tunnels. Once inside a building, cockroaches take up occupancy in facilities like boxes, shelves, and books and tend to live in cracks and crevices where they can feel the floor, ceiling, or walls with their antennae. Generally, any environment within the facilities that offers cockroach survival resources like food, water and shelter is susceptible to infestation.