Cockroach warning in Spain: This summer will be an ‘unprecedented’ challenge thanks to mutant specimens and climate change – here’s how to keep the pests out of YOUR home

CONTROLLING cockroaches in Spain this summer is going to prove an unprecedented challenge, an expert has warned.

Jorge Galvan is the general director of the National Association of Environmental Health Companies (ANECPLA).

Speaking to Andalucia Informacion, Galvan said that mutating genes and climate change are helping cockroach populations thrive.

“Climate change is causing insects such as bedbugs or cockroaches to exponentially accelerate their life cycle,” he said, explaining how the prolonged heat from spring to autumn creates an ideal environment for their proliferation.

“From 28C onwards, cockroaches multiply their reproduction speed,” he adds, hence in recent years, the increasingly higher temperatures have favoured the pest’s expansion.

Further favouring cockroaches is the fact that they have developed resistance to insecticides designed to kill them.

“Random genetic mutations are making cockroaches more resistant to biocide products,” insists Galvan, making pest control increasingly difficult.

Adding to the problem, according to Galvan, are the growing EU restrictions on the use of biocides.

The expert said that in extreme cases, the use of effective biocides is essential for adequate pest control.

But regulations from Nordic countries, where the climate is different, complicate management in warmer regions like Spain.

HOW TO WARD OFF COCKROACHES

1. Keep your home clean and do NOT leave food or crums out anywhere
2. Keep all areas as dry as possible and prevent damp or moist spots from forming
3. Seal all cracks, holes and crevices that could act as entry or exit points for cockroaches
4. Keep all your food products stored correctly and tidily
5. Make sure your bins have very tight lids and are changed regularly
6. Have pest control make regular assessments of your home