cockroaches in melbourne

[astrid]

I hate cockroaches!!
over the last two summers i have noticed these beastly bugs turning up.

They sit in the mailbox waiting for me to smuggle them onto the kitchen bench.

They lurk under the meter cover waiting for me to take the top off and drop it on my foot.

They hide in every pole on the kids playstuff so when i take it apart they drop on me.

Will someone please tell me these are just tourists from queensland down to escape the heat.(ie poor misunderstood harmless natives)
and not illegal immigrants from new york( loud, rude and into everything)

Help
Astrid

[switt775]

I hate cockroaches!!
over the last two summers i have noticed these beastly bugs turning up.

They sit in the mailbox waiting for me to smuggle them onto the kitchen bench.

They lurk under the meter cover waiting for me to take the top off and drop it on my foot.

They hide in every pole on the kids playstuff so when i take it apart they drop on me.

Will someone please tell me these are just tourists from queensland down to escape the heat.(ie poor misunderstood harmless natives)
and not illegal immigrants from new york( loud, rude and into everything)

Help
Astrid

That depends on how big they are.

If they're big enough to wrestle with the dog, they're from Queensland....

[LGS]

Astrid,
To the best of my knowledge, the cockroaches in Victoria are all native species. Sydney and Brisbane have the Blatta americana type. The native types live happily on decaying vegetation and tend not to exist in "disease ridden hovels" Just usher them out the way and forget about them. It does seem a little harsh to say you hate them, though, when they speak so highly of you.

[astrid]

There are two sorts but seem to hang out together, plotting.
Bigger ones black about 3 and even 4 CM
Smaller ones mid gold brown 2-3 cm.
maybe Adult and juvenile
or male and female
or maybe two separate species.
We never had them here before?

Astrid

[AlexS]

Try introducing some huntsman spiders. They will love you, and will hapily sort out your cockroaches.

[Sebastiaan56]

Sorry Astrid,

The cockroaches you have are named American and German varieties. Both are imports and pests. Both came over very early in the European colonisation along with several varieties of rats, lice and mice.

There are bological control systems around. Basically one gets infected and because they are so social they infect the rest of the nest. These appear to be the best treatments (ie least toxic to humans) at the moment. Get a pest controller in

Sebastiaan

ps, I thought you meant the band when I read the title.....

[astrid]

I'm quite fond of huntsman spiders and they're welcome to hang around in my house, had one living in the car once. its name was simon.
but since the mohogany gum had to come down we dont seem to get them anymore.

May be thats why the cockroaches are taking over,
Im not the only one to have noticed this, a japanese friend rang me the other day freaking about it.
Her place is spotless and not a bit of leaf mould or old timber to be found.

Astrid

[astrid]

the wiggles?
now that is unkind to cockroaches!

If these came over with the colonials (not the wiggles) how come we're only getting them in cental melb now?.
not disagreeing just curious

Astrid

[DJ’s Timber]

Your not the only one with them Astrid, Metalhead on these forums posted a picture not all that long ago wanting to identify one. I grew up in Melbourne and for as long as I can remember, I have always seen them around. My parents had a particularly bad infection of cockroach at one stage a few years back. They ended up getting a pest guy in for them plus a few other probs as well. They are still around but no where as bad as what they were.

[astrid]

so far mine are only outside,
maybe if i clean all the old timber out from under the verandah.
theres not that many at the moment but i found one swimming in my glass of red last week.
put me off for a while

Astrid

[Christopha]

so far mine are only outside,
maybe if i clean all the old timber out from under the verandah.
theres not that many at the moment but i found one swimming in my glass of red last week.
put me off for a while

Astrid

Strewth woman! Drink FASTER!!

[Sebastiaan56]

Hi Astrid

I was doing food safety and pest control audits in Melbourne in the 80's being proudly told how Melbourne only had native cockies. Till I saw some during an audit, caught them and had them ID'd. Dont know where the natives only press came from but Melbourne like every other dense style human habitation has imported cockies. I was told that they have been found in the Antarctic stations but havent confirmed it.

If you have them now, you've had them for a while. For every one you see there will be 100 you dont. I know the weather has been warm there which speeds up the breeding cycle. They are true omnivores mainly feed on rotting vegetation and animal matter, so your wood pile would be perfect. Being cold blooded you will see more of them when the weather is warmer. Sydney has had a very mild summer, we arent seeing that many.

Google "blatella" and check the images to see what they look like. The precise species are Blatella Germanica and Blatella Americana.


Sebastiaan

[echnidna]

Spider bombs will eliminate them from inside your house.
I don't think they like surafce spray either so maybe spraying your letterbox etc will get rid of them from there.

[astrid]

OK,
I googled images,
I think they're oriental cockroaches, this fits the size colour breeding cycle description and habitat.
this i can cope with as they dont seem to come inside and seem to like mulch.

Astrid

[manoftalent]

there is a black can (I think its mortein) used as a surface spray, designed for outside as well ......dont spray the woodpile ....they will move to new feeding ground .....spray a perimeter around your home .....this will stop them coming inside ...cockroaches are egg layers .....the eggs look like a tic tac ....only dark brown or black ...you will find them around architraves , skirtings, door jams ...etc .....like mice they rarely go into open ground and usually follow the room around via the edge .....if you find any..... crush them .....each egg can contain up too 100 babies .....and are impervious to sprays ......the really dark brown roach normally resides in your fence .....but since the climate has changed .....they move .....mop your floors with bleach ...they hate it