My name is Daniel, and I have a cockroach problem.
The first: a few days after I moved in, on the front doorstep. I squashed it with a boot.
The second: a couple of weeks ago, jumping out from the cupboard underneath the sink. It scurried away and escaped.
The third: last night in the pantry, in a packet of fettucini. Sigh. Chucked all the pasta out. Time to find the spaghetti jar and start packing all my food in sealed containers.
The fourth: I got on the train this morning and got the newspaper out of my bag. As if from nowhere, a cockroach appeared. Had it come from my bag? Did I have a stowaway? I couldn’t tell. A couple of people stared wide-eyed as it crawled across the carriage. I wasn’t sure if I should stomp on it. It went and hid underneath someone else’s seat. Maybe it thought the inspectors would ask for its ticket.
A thorough search of my bag when I got to work didn’t find any more. But eek, gonna have to clean the house thoroughly and take precautions against them.
6 replies on “The problem”
Hey Daniel, would you like to join a cockroach victims support group? For a moment I thought one existed when reading the health department link.
The only thing missing was pictures of cockroaches; we can be thankful that apparently they don’t exist at Vic Health, so it seems a public servant had to spend an afternoon writing a description. Or maybe their cruelty guidelines don’t permit capture and photography?
I’m lucky here so can’t help. Can the house floor be got under (breeding grounds?) or is it on a concrete slab?
In Dymochs at Westfield Chermside (Brissy) yesterday, a H-U-G-E cockaroach was strolling across the floor. A gentleman watched it, lined himself up, lifted his toes and when the roach walked under his raised shoe, quietly placed his foot firmly on said creature. Neat.
I wrote a post to you the other day co-incidentally about a giant cockroach which I had found but somehow I don’t think it ever got into your blog.
My story – went outside last week to refill the dogs food bowl. When I got to said food bowl a giant (3 cms is a giant to me) cockroach came slithering out. After my initial shock and my brain trying to convince me that it was just a beetle and not to panick I realised that the sucker was a cockroach and it went to oblivion compliments of my shoe. But now I am freaked out as to what else might be lurking around my backyard. I swear to god if I find one in my house I am getting exterminators in as I cannot stand the thought of living with the revolting things. I have a theory that living near a laneway seem to encourage them as rubbish has a tendency of building up over time and I am sure they treat this as their breeding grounds. The only other thing I can think of is that this one went on a trip along with some of the furniture which I have recently purchased and which was shipped from interstate.
I am EXTREMELY arachnophobic. We have had a few instances of white tail spiders lurching around our house recently. I shiver and cower and housemate Liz gets rid of them coolly and calmly. Last night a cockroach was trotting along the woodne boards of our long hallway. Liz was the one spooked and I calmly scooped the invader up in a couple of tissues and disposed of it into the bin outside. What a difference two legs makes!
I have never – in my entire life – experienced seeing cockroach in my house until last week. Then I saw three in one week! It has totally grossed me out. There may have even been nightmares. Others are reporting similar cockroach experiences in Melbourne. Am starting to think there may be a plague!
You should invest in some of that Mortein ‘Professional’ home spray. Get the big bottle, not the little one.
Works wonders – I’ve not seen a cockie inside since I sprayed, and dozens of dead ones outside!