Rats and Mice in Melbourne: The Autumn Signs Most People Miss
By the time you hear them in the ceiling, they have usually been there for weeks. These are the early indicators — and the entry points to check this weekend.
Read articleHeat plus moisture equals a breeding cycle
Cockroach development is temperature driven. Through a Melbourne summer the time from egg case to breeding adult shortens dramatically, so a couple of insects behind the dishwasher in November can be a genuine infestation by February. The kitchen is the perfect environment: warmth from appliance motors, moisture under the sink, and food residue in places nobody cleans.
Know which cockroach you have
German cockroaches are small, tan, and stay indoors — they are the species that builds up into an infestation, and the reason a professional treatment is a baiting job rather than a spraying job. Australian and American cockroaches are much larger, live outdoors in drains, garden beds and subfloors, and wander inside on warm nights. Seeing one large cockroach occasionally is very different from seeing several small ones every night.
Where they actually hide
Not in the middle of the floor. They shelter in tight, warm voids: the motor housing of the fridge and dishwasher, cupboard hinges, the gap behind the kickboard, the void around pipework, the underside of drawers and inside the cavity behind a wall oven. This is exactly why retail surface sprays disappoint — the product goes where you can reach and the cockroaches live where you cannot.
Three things that make the biggest difference
- Remove the water. A dripping tap, a damp bathmat, a pet bowl left full overnight and condensation under the sink will sustain a population on their own.
- Take away the food. Crumbs in the toaster tray, grease behind the cooktop, an open bin and dry pet food left out are the usual suspects. Store food in sealed containers and empty the bin nightly.
- Seal the routes. Silicone the gaps around pipe penetrations under the sink, fit door seals, and cover floor wastes that are rarely used — outdoor species come in through drains.
When to call a technician
If you are seeing cockroaches during the day, finding droppings in drawers or spotting egg cases, the population is already established and DIY products will scatter it rather than clear it. A professional gel baiting program targets the harbourage, gets carried back through the population and breaks the breeding cycle — usually with a follow up visit for heavier infestations.
Need this dealt with rather than done yourself? Call Pest Control Unit on 0415 589 338 for a free, no obligation quote anywhere in metropolitan Melbourne.