Residents of Lombardijenlaan in the Reeshof district of Tilburg suffer from cockroaches. They are on cars, in the rubber of the car and even enter houses through windows. According to residents, the creatures come from hedges that need to be pruned. Naturalist Frans Kapteijns provides a glimpse of the mystery.
One of the residents believes that it could be the German cockroach, but experts disagree. “It can’t be a German cockroach,” says Frans Kapteijns. “The German cockroach does not come outside. It’s more likely to be a forest cockroach and it won’t do any harm.”
There are a number of cockroaches that are native to the Netherlands. “They live in the open air and are attracted to natural smells and what they can eat. The forest cockroach cannot survive in a house or building. If you find them, you can easily put them outside yourself.”
But there are also cockroaches that occur in the Netherlands that you really don’t want. These are the German, American and the Oriental cockroach. These do live in houses and buildings. “These cockroaches live in warm and moist places and are attracted to food. You need to make sure leftovers are properly sealed and that the kitchen is clean.”
“If you have these in your house, it is best to call the pest control service,” says Frans. “These cockroaches spread and settle in your home. In addition, they can transmit bacteria and diseases that are dangerous to humans. It can also cause asthma and various skin diseases.”
With these three species it is wise to take action to get the cockroach out of your environment:
- The German cockroach
This species is most common in the Netherlands. You can recognize the cockroach by its light orange-brown color with stripes. It is a species that occurs worldwide, but originated in the tropics. The cockroach is 12 to 15 millimeters long. - The American cockroach
At 28 to 44 millimeters, this is the largest species you can find in the Netherlands. The cockroach has a shiny and reddish brown color. This species can fly and is native to Northern Africa. - The Oriental cockroach
Another name for this species is the baker’s beetle and that is not without reason. This cockroach has a preference for flour and flour products. The dark brown to black color is recognizable. The Oriental cockroach can grow to a length of 21 to 28 millimeters.
Below you can see what the three types look like: