Cockroach control in Nijmegen: the signs
Cockroaches are nocturnal. During the day they huddle together in warm, damp hiding places, and as soon as it gets dark and quiet they go looking for food. These traces give them away:
- tiny black specks, like ground pepper or coffee grounds, in drawers and cupboards
- brown, oblong egg cases behind appliances or in the corners of cupboards
- empty moulted skins around the fridge, dishwasher or microwave
- a musty, sweetish smell in a cupboard or utility room
- brown insects that dive into a crack at lightning speed when a light comes on
If you also see cockroaches during the day, their hiding places are often already full. That is a sign not to wait any longer.
German or Oriental cockroach?
In homes and commercial kitchens we usually deal with the German cockroach. It is small and light brown, with two dark stripes behind the head. It loves warmth and likes to sit in the motor compartment of a fridge, behind the dishwasher, in the coffee machine and in gaps in kitchen cupboards. The female carries her egg case with her until it is almost ready to hatch, which keeps the eggs well protected.
The Oriental cockroach is larger, dark brown to black and slower. It prefers cooler, damp places: cellars, crawl spaces, floor drains and areas near the sewer. Because the two species have different hiding places and habits, the approach differs. That is why we first establish which one you have.
Our cockroach control
During the inspection we use a torch to find the hiding places and, if needed, set monitoring traps to see where activity is highest. We also check how the insects get in: through pipe openings, gaps behind the worktop or brought in with boxes and equipment.
The control itself relies mainly on gel bait. Small drops go exactly on their routes: in joints, by hinges and behind appliances. The cockroaches feed on it, retreat to their hiding place, and others there come into contact with it too. A certified pest controller chooses the product and the placement. After a while we return to check and top up where needed. Cockroaches are just one part of our pest control in Nijmegen; we tackle other kitchen pests too.
What you can do yourself
Cockroaches need food, water and shelter, and you can influence all three. Do not leave dirty dishes, open food or pet food out overnight, and sweep up crumbs behind the cooker and under the fridge. Fix dripping taps and leaking traps under the sink and keep the worktop dry. Get rid of cardboard delivery boxes quickly, as eggs and young insects travel in them.
Do not use sprays. They drive the insects into new cracks or next door, and the residue makes the gel bait less attractive. Do not wipe away any gel we have applied either. If you also find small droppings and gnaw marks in the food cupboard, mouse control may be needed as well.
Cockroaches in restaurants and blocks of flats
In a restaurant, snack bar or staff canteen, fast and discreet action matters. We time our visit around your opening hours, adapt the approach to your kitchen equipment and give staff clear instructions on cleaning, deliveries and reporting new sightings. Monitoring traps in fixed spots show whether the control is working.
In blocks of flats, cockroaches move from home to home through service shafts, ducts and gaps. Treating one flat makes little sense if the neighbours still have them. So when there are several reports in one building, we advise involving the owners' association (VvE) or landlord and treating all affected homes at the same time.
