Squash Your Roach Problem
Few pests quicken the pulse or raise an eyebrow as much as cockroaches. These crawling insects have a way of instilling a sense of fear and disgust in many people, despite the fact that the pests only measure up to an inch and a half long. Besides the unpleasant sight of a roach scampering across the floor, the discarded exoskeletons and excrement of these creatures are now known to cause allergic reactions for some people with respiratory problems. As spring ushers in warmer temperatures, these pests will become even more active and begin scurrying around food processing plants and other food-handling facilities looking for meals and shelter.
The biggest problem for food processing plants is that roaches will eat almost anything and are attracted to the smells given off by all types of food and products. Once inside a facility, roaches can begin contaminating a food processor’s products. Because roaches are great “hitchhiking” pests, they may also be carried into a building on shipments a plant receives or may or even “ride” in unintentionally on employees and customers.
Even more alarming, if your plant is currently infested, you may unknowingly send out batches of cockroaches in deliveries headed to whomever you are supplying. If distributors or wholesalers find roaches in products they receive from you, they may refuse the product or find another vendor.
The best way to treat or prevent a roach problem is to make your facility uninviting to this pest by closing off entry points and harborage areas. Orkin recommends the following actions as first steps in the fight to keep roaches out:
• Be diligent in caulking and sealing all exterior holes or cracks that lead to the inside of the facility. Roaches can squeeze through even the smallest of openings. Install doorsweeps to keep cockroaches from infiltrating through the cracks underneath doors.
• Keep your production floor free from clutter. Some species of cockroach are attracted specifically to cardboard boxes because the pests actually eat the paper and glue that hold the boxes together. Corrugated cardboard also offers harborage. Deliveries that arrive in cardboard should be removed before they enter the production area and the boxes should be discarded outside the facility.
• Instruct employees to monitor for cockroaches in delivery areas. All deliveries should be inspected before they come into the building and a log should be kept noting pest activity observed. If roaches are found in a delivery, discuss the matter with your supplier.
For more advice on protecting your facility from cockroaches, request a free, on-site consultation from a reputable pest management provider. The technician will evaluate how well your current setup is working. He or she may discover that you are already doing the right things to keep roaches out, but a free inspection could help you identify a problem before it becomes serious.
Editor’s Note: Frank Meek is technical director for Orkin Inc. He is a board-certified entomologist and an 18-year industry veteran. Contact Meek at [email protected] or call 1-800-ORKIN-NOW for a free consultation.
© 2005 Columbia Publishing
