DIFFERENT TYPES OF ROACHES

Does the very idea of a cockroach make you shudder in horror and revulsion? Almost certainly because, along with spiders, the roach is the most hated and repulsive bug on the planet. Worse still, there are over 4,000 types of roaches. Hence it is important to get to know more about the roaches around your home.

Some of the more common species include German cockroaches, American cockroaches, brown-banded cockroaches and Oriental cockroaches. German cockroaches (Blattella germanica) are one of the most common species. These insects typically live up to 12 months and produce more eggs than other species.

GERMAN ROACHES

The German cockroach (scientific name: Blatella germanica) is a small roach that rarely grows bigger than about half an inch. This type of roach is dark in color, almost black, and has two darker stripes running down its back. It may be small, but it is found all over the world. The German cockroach is the head honcho when it comes to these kinds of pests. It used to be thought that this little critter originated and was named in Germany.
The German roach really excels when it comes to reproduction, and if you get them in your house, they can quickly become a problem. This little creature can grow from egg to mature adult in just 60 days. As they have few predators in a human home, they can reach alarming numbers in just a few months.
This roach can fly, which makes it even scarier when it thrashes around. It looks huge when flying, especially with its leathery wings open and beating hard. Flying is risky for the roach though, as it then becomes vulnerable to predators. Birds feeding on this type of cockroach help to control its numbers. It might surprise you to learn that this roach, like all its cousins, is unlikely to do you any serious harm, A dose of food poisoning is about the worst it can do to you. It’s strange how it scares us and yet it is pretty harmless.


 AMERICAN ROACHES

The American cockroach (scientific name Periplaneta americana) is the largest of the common roaches. Not only is it big, but it’s also a frequent pest in our houses. This is a reddish brown roach that moves very fast when it needs to get out of the way. In fact, this little creature is one of the fastest crawling bugs alive.American cockroaches can actually run at speeds of over 200 miles per hour. They can grow up to two inches in length, but are pretty flat, at just a quarter of an inch tall. This makes it easy for them to slide under small gaps very easily.

American cockroaches live primarily outdoors, but it’s not uncommon to find them inside a structure. They are typically found in sewers and drains, and are most common cockroach species found in city sewer systems. It’s been reported that more than 5,000 individual American cockroaches were once found in a single sewer manhole. In the Southern United States, American cockroaches are often spotted in shady, humid areas like flowerbeds and underneath mulch piles. During summer months, they can also be found outdoors in yards and alleys.

American cockroaches will move indoors when they experience a food shortage or a significant change in the climate. In general, American cockroaches prefer warm, moist and dark environments with temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. They often enter structures by being brought in on human belongings, coming up from the sewer system via drains or occasional mass migration from other structures, dumps, etc., during warm weather.

American cockroaches are especially common in larger commercial buildings such as restaurants, bakeries, grocery stores, food processing plants, hospitals, etc., where they usually infest food storage and food preparation areas, boiler rooms, steam tunnels and basements. These pests can also infest homes by easily passing underneath doors lacking weather stripping or entering through basement windows and garages. Once inside a residence, American cockroaches usually make their way into the kitchen, bathroom, basement or laundry room in search of food and water.

American cockroaches feed on many kinds of food, but they show a particular fondness for fermenting material. Outdoors, they tend to eat decaying leaves, fungi, algae and small insects. Indoors, they eat crumbs found under appliances, in drains, behind kitchen cabinets and on the floor. They will also eat pet food that is left uncovered.

American cockroaches are filthy pests, and their presence in the home can pose a severe health threat. Cockroaches have been reported to spread at least 33 kinds of bacteria, including E. coli and Salmonella, as well as six kinds of parasitic worms and at least seven other kinds of human pathogens. They pick up germs on the spines of their legs and body as they crawl through decaying matter or sewage, and then transfer the germs onto food or cooking surfaces.

The saliva, urine and fecal droppings from American cockroaches contain allergen proteins known to elicit allergic reactions and asthma attacks. As such, cockroaches are a common trigger of year-round allergy and asthma symptoms, especially in children.

 to be continued

COCKROACHES

The Cockroach is featured in the "La Cucaracha" meaning "The Cockroach" that is a traditional Spanish  folk-corrido or song that became popular in Mexico during the Mexican Revolution. The song is about the concern of a cockroach that has lost one of its six legs and is struggling to walk with the remaining five.

The cockroach, having been present on the planet amongst the first insects, currently has no proven origin. Scientist know that most roaches have come from the tropical regions all over the world and adapted to colder conditions - having over 300milion years to do so. The roach is suspected to have come onto the scene around 355 million years ago with the earliest roach-like fossil. They call this specimen a roachid, or the blattopteran. The fossil doesn’t exactly mimic todays roach with it being remarkably close to its cousin in evolution, the praying mantis, which does share features in this fossil.

The distribution of cockroaches is worldwide. They have evolved to live alongside humans and they do it well. The cockroach, like most insects, gained passports to any country through the aid of man. During the early centuries through trade routes, the Roach species became an invasive species on every continent humans inhabited. They are more prevalent in the tropical regions, but they can survive anywhere humans have established homes and food sources.

The Cockroach has been on the planet for approximately 250 to 300 million years. This dates back to as early as the Carboniferous times. Theories have speculated that the ancient ancestor of the cockroach predates the dinosaurs. During this insect order’s time on Earth, it has changed very little, keeping its features primitive or ancient like previous generations. It was said that the cockroach was amongst the first great expansion of the insect species.

The roaches appear to have achieved the optimum body form and other key features early in their evolution history. The theory is that the cockroach evolved the feature to fold their wings over their body to allow them the vital protect they needed. The traits gave the roach the ability to hide from predators and to escape various dangers to survive extinction where most insects were not successful.

Scientists also state that the development of the ootheca or egg sac carried by the female cockroach gave critical parental care and protection to sustain numerous generations allowing the species to survive countless millennia. Cockroaches have been clearly traced back to ancestral fossils that have remarkably almost the same morphology as current day roaches. Roaches have the innate ability to adapt to any situational condition that arises.

Another helpful adaptation is that cockroaches harbor a wide variety of symbionts in their gut as well as fat bodies. Scientific theories make the association that the microbes present have played a large role in the adaptation, evolution, and survival of cockroach species. The hind guts of most cockroaches, apart from one family of five species that have been examined, harbor a wide variety of microbes, including ciliates, amoebae, flagellates, and various prokaryotes. These microbial organisms all are believed to play a major role in digestion and the efficiency of the roach.

Cockroaches have simple needs; food, warmth, moisture and shelter. They are attracted to food that has been left out on the counter, dirty dishes in the sink, and crumbs laying on the floor. They are also attracted to moisture, such as from a leaky pipe underneath a bathroom sink or a wet bath mat on the floor.

TYPES OF ROACHES AND THEIR HEALTH IMPLICATIONS.

to be continued.

RAINY SEASON HAS FINALLY SET IN; HOW SAFE ARE YOUR ENVIRONMENT

Rainy Season for some part  of the world is the best season, while some dread of the season. The season is always enjoyed when we have fully prepared ourselves and environment prior to its arrival.

Having a basic  knowledge of the season and why we are prone to waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea, dysentery among others during raining season is very key. Even cases of malaria surge around this time, meaning mosquitoes are more vicious at the onset of rain as they get ample breeding grounds near homesteads.

The common illnesses that come with the rainy season are probably caused by poor hygiene, our environment if not fully prepared and properly maintained during the rainy season can cause more harm than we could imagine. These diseases which include cholera, typhoid fever, diarrhoea, colds (flu and cough) among others are frequently experienced during the season where the environment has poor hygiene or lack proper cleanliness.

Health experts urge that positive attitude is necessary to boost hygienic with the wet season, this means more attention to hygiene as too many waste matters are washed into our environments, while flies make a hive of anything unhygienic in the house.

Hence Consciousnesses and Persistence are required to maintain Hygienic in our environment during Raining Season by ensuring
* All dirts are cleared
* Water gathered during the rain fall should be swept away after rain
* Use disinfectant while mobbing the floors and washing the conveniences
* Waste properly disposed into the waste bin
* Waste bin covered at all times and washed when necessary
* Always wash all household use items when necessary
*  Maintain cleanliness in your Conveniences
* Personal hygiene should not be neglected
* Contact the services of a professional Pest provider if there is need to carry out fumigation in your environment.


#stayhealthy #safetyfirst #prevention

BEST WAYS TO KEEP THE HOME CLEAN FROM MUD AND DIRTS IN RAINY SEASON

Rainy Season is here again and it is that time most people are so excited while some are not, it favors some and don't for others. It is a season farmers has big smiles on their faces while for some who had to be on the go working morning to night it is not. In as much as we know the period rainy season is likely to arrive, preparation is very key. Some parts of the world do face flooding, muddy roads, strong breeze, heavy down pour, etc during this period, which is why preparation to welcome the season is very important.

Rains from this part of the world (Africa) do not just make everything very muddy and dirty, it also helps germs to grow rapidly. Because of these dirt and germs, people are more prone to infections and other diseases during the rainy season. Hence, it is seriously important to keep the home clean, especially in rainy season by ensuring to;

1. Place the shoe rack and foot mart near the entrance.

For many homes that don't have shoe rack and foot mart should get one now and place it at the entrance of there home. Well, most of the dirt and the mud enter your home via your dirty shoes. I mean it is obvious, when you are going out in the rain your shoes are going to be covered with mud. Hence, keeping a shoe rack and foot mart near the entrance will help you to limit the entry of mud inside your home.
Make it a priority that everyone coming inside your home must make use of the shoe rack or foot mart before entering the home. Trust me, this is the best option and following it diligently will certainly help you to keep home clean in rainy season.

2.Get rid of wet clothes

After you are done with cleaning your feet, make sure you immediately get rid of the wet and dirty clothes. This is important for me to mention because I have seen individuals coming home and then loitering around in the dirty clothes. You can understand that doing this in the rains can actually spread the outside germs all over your home. Moreover, clothes that you wore outside during the rains can contain a lot of germs and so getting rid of them as early as possible is a good thing for your health and hygiene as well.

3.Keep your home dry

Proper air circulation is very much needed to freshen up the inner atmosphere and you must follow it. This will keep your home clean and germ free during the rains.

4.Disinfect the floor

As you already know that the climate of the rain is very damp and humid and this is absolutely favorable for the germs to breed. So, it is obvious that your home will have many of them as well. Hence, one of the easiest ways to get rid of germs as well as to keep home clean in rainy season is to clean it with a proper disinfectant. This will kill the germs and make you and your family fall less sick.

5.Interior drainage system must be good

Water logging is a common problem during the rainy season. While you cannot always stop the streets from that, you can actually avoid unnecessary water logging inside your home. And, for that, you have to have a good interior drainage system as it is one of the easiest ways to keep the home clean during the rainy season.

6.Cleaning the washroom

Bathrooms generally get most dirty in comparison to other parts of the home and hence during rainy time your bathrooms need more attention. After returning home, we rush to the washroom to wash our body and keep ourselves clean so naturally your bathroom is also exposed to a lot of extra germs, mud and dirt during the rains. It is preferable that you wash the bathrooms properly after every use and keep it free from dirt.

7. Clean Your Environment

Your environs are not left out as they are the first encounter with the muds before the house. Ensure that you always sweep with or without water after rain and ensure your car tires are not left out. This helps to see that muds and dirt's don't find their way into the house after the rain has stopped.

A HOUSE OCCUPIED WITH SO MUCH HOUSE ITEMS NEED MORE ATTENTION

When you occupy a house that is almost filled up with your furniture and house items, or your kids hardly see space to have fun, then you need to consistently see that cleanliness is maintained.

Have you ever felt like all your cleaning is not making any impact in achieving your cleanliness goals in your homes? You need to strategise and try to do it differently. A house with much load can serve as a hide out for rodents, roaches or house pests because the load has taken up so much space that most cleanings could not get to. Apart from serving as a hide out for house pests, it can store up so much dust and dirts that could expose the occupants of the house to germs.

Maintaining such house could seem stressful but can be achieved with proper planning or by engaging the help of professional cleaners for a routine cleaning.

TO MAINTAIN CLEANLINESS IN THIS KIND OF HOUSE, ENSURE TO

* Draw a cleaning routine that will enable you move the loads to clean. It could be once or twice a week, or few days in a month depending on what works for you

* While cleaning those portion, ensure to always use disinfectant

* Always clear and dispose every unnecessary and unwanted items

* Arrange your items in a way that you can easily have access to clean and dust
* Once in a while use the services of professional pest control in case some unwanted guests are already occupying some space in the house.

* Should in case you are very busy and could not attend to all part of the house, engage the services of a professional cleaning company.

VALUE YOUR JANITORS

Your janitors are important staffs in your homes or offices as their work is very important for every other work to go on or make progress. Imagine how your work place or homes will be like without any cleaning done in it, every other work you attemp doing will kind of be fustrating and there will be no concentration. Hence the need to always treat your janitors well like every other staffs and encourage your senior staffs in the work place, kids at home to do same.

HOUSEHOLD CLEANING TIPS (the conclusion)

Today we will be concluding our tips on how to maintain cleanliness in your homes with less stress and less expense. Hope you find the tips very useful.

* Using washing liquid to clean your blender
Grubby blender? These little tools see some serious use in winter, from making hearty soups to blitzing cranberry sauce or even mashed potatoes. All that work can leave them looking dirty, so for an easy clean, squirt in some washing liquid and a little warm water and run your blender as normal - making sure to pop the lid on first! Then just give it a rinse.

* Polish leather with toothpaste
If you've got a leather sofa, jacket or shoes that are a bit scuffed, you can buff them up easily with toothpaste. Just make sure you use non-bleaching or non-whitening paste to prevent staining. Rub it in with a soft cloth then rinse off with a damp one.

* Clean brushed stainless steel with baby oil

Remove fingerprints, old food and smudges from your stainless steel pans and appliances with just a drop of baby oil, rubbed in on a square of kitchen roll. It's worth noting that this only works for brushed stainless steel though.

* Remove sofa stains with shaving foam   
If your sofa is looking a worse-for-wear, try dabbing a little shaving foam on any stains, leave it to settle, then blot it away to remove the shaving foam – and the stain!

* Odour-blocking balls   

Block unpleasant smells from drawers, shoes or bags by filling a coffee filter with baking soda and adding a few drops of your favourite essential oil. Secure it with an elastic band and place it anywhere that needs freshening up!

* Easy keyboard cleaning hack   
Easily clean the small nooks and crannies in your keyboard or other small electronics by placing the pointed lid of a squeezy ketchup bottle over the end of a vacuum. It will quickly get rid of any dust or crumbs.

* Use a squeegee to clean up fur   
If the vacuum isn’t getting rid of unwanted animal hair, try using a squeegee as an effective solution on the sofa, carpet, or other delicate upholstery!

created by YOURS MAGAZINE