Squash Your Roach Problem
Fresh Cut
February 2005
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 fmeek@rollinscorp.com or call 1-800-ORKIN-NOW for a free
consultation.
© 2005 Columbia Publishing
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