Cockroaches also like to settle in small, dark places, and cars have quite a few such places. We rarely touch the areas under the seats, which mean pests can hide their completely undisturbed.
Finding a cockroach in your car is annoying. After all, they scare the most people out in the open. Seeing someone crawling in your car while driving can be dangerous. In Singapore, a woman reportedly lost control and crashed her car, due to the discovery of a cockroach while driving.
We often associate cockroaches with filth, however, just because you see one in your car, it doesn't mean it's dirty. During the cold winter months, a warm car makes the perfect place for the cockroach family to settle.
Not only the risk of driving
Cockroaches in your car are not only a driving hazard, but a health hazard as well. Cockroaches often come from sewers, where they pick up bacteria and parasites, with small spines on their legs. These insects can carry more than 30 types of bacteria and diseases, such as cholera and salmonella.
Cockroaches defecate a lot. Having a nest in your car, unfortunately, means that you are likely to find a large amount of feces. Cockroach droppings mostly look like ground coffee, but larger crickets produce faeces similar to rodent faeces.
Cockroach droppings have a characteristic musty smell, which can be very annoying. This smell can also trigger allergic reactions and asthma attacks. Having a large amount of stool in an enclosed space, such as a car, will make the smell more powerful.
Signs of injury in your car
Cockroaches are nocturnal, so they spend most of the day hiding in their dark nests. When the sun goes down and it gets dark, the cockroaches will come out.
However, when there is an infestation, cockroaches tend to be active at all times. This is due to the fact that there are more insects, which means that there will be fewer food sources. Many cockroaches, especially small ones, choose to forage during the day.
Spotting cockroaches in the open may indicate an infestation. This is also due to the fact that they spend more time outside the nest due to overcrowding. There is also a selection of insects that can be very similar to common cockroaches.
How do you get rid of the German Roach in the car?
When you discover a cockroach in your car, it's time to take immediate action. Killing her or carefully guiding her out the window wouldn't help if there were more. Here are some ways to get cockroaches out of your car and how to prevent them from coming back.
Clean your car
This may be obvious, but you will be surprised at how much it can help you. Unloading your car can make it difficult for cockroaches to survive. Any item that does not belong to the vehicle must be removed.
Cleaning your car regularly and thoroughly with a vacuum cleaner will get rid of food residues. Vacuuming will also get rid of eggs. Remember to clean under the seats as well as on the roof. Wiping down surfaces with a good disinfectant spray or soap afterwards will make it annoying to have any cockroaches around.
Some things should be stored in the car, and these items should always be kept in closed containers. Check any things you bring into the car, as there may be a cockroach or two hiding inside.
Bait place
Getting rid of cockroaches can be difficult, killing the adults is not enough. Cockroaches reproduce at an insane rate. Some females have to mate only once and then prepare for life - which can last up to a year or more.
The German cockroach can produce more than the 400 offspring during its short life. Eradication of the young as well as the adults is the only way to stop the infection.
Put your hands on flowing bait. These are easy to use in small spaces. Place the bait under seats, corners of the trunk, and any other places where cockroaches might hide. Gel baits are also excellent, but they can dry out soon due to air conditioning.
You can also make your own baits using boric acid and sugar rolled into small balls. Boric acid is a natural and highly effective repellent.
Be careful where you place these baits. Children or small pets should not touch or swallow chemical baits. Even insect repellents marked as natural should be applied with care. Some traps can be very successful when used correctly.
Insecticides are a quick fix for any insect problem, however, and should be used with in-vehicle precautions. Never use bombs or foggers while inside a vehicle, as they are usually toxic and highly flammable. If you choose to use any type of insecticide, the vehicle should always be ventilated once the treatment is completed.
Don't put food in the car
Once you eliminate the cockroaches, you will need to stop the recurrence of the infestation. Prevention is key.
The best thing to do is have no food in the car. However, that is the easier said than done sometimes. Families with young children often need baby snacks. This can end up in a mess of crumbs and spills, not to the mention all those sticky fingerprints.
Cleaning the car after every trip is essential. Leaving food on overnight would surely create an even bigger problem. The presence of a removable cover on the seat will help to quickly remove fallen food and crumbs.
Cockroaches love moisture, so it's important to clean up any spills right away. Cockroaches even nibble at stains, so don't leave soda or chocolate stains on the seat.
Are You Ready To Take Your Pest Control License? https://youtu.be/xLFGXuxJvo0
H.P.C. Full Course