A Frank Talk About Cockroaches

Problems
You see something moving, in the food. What is it? How do you get rid of it? You see a trail of something tiny and black under the washbasin. It's not ants, no legs, not an insect. What is it?

If it moves and has six legs, it's an insect. Especially if you squash it and out comes something squishy. If it never moves and has no legs, and is solid, it's a dropping.

Answers
Tiny and black, solid, no legs. Really small. Like a tiny ant. What is it? Looks like cockroach droppings. No need to call the exterminators - yet. Check it yourself. Cockroaches. Probably. Look up anything you've got and compare it with pictures on line.

What to do? This is a memo to myself. You can do what you like but if I have grandchildren asking (I don't, not yet), or young neighbours, expats just arrived and puzzled, this is what I would tell them I do.

Apparently eating insects will be the next big thing, probably next century. However, meanwhile, eating insects is not for me.

Prevention
Don't leave any food out on work surfaces or even in cupboards overnight. Nor while you are away (if you have a second home somewhere hot like Florida, or New York in summer, or Singapore any time of year.

Put everything into sealed containers. Those expensive sealing containers, sometimes on special offer in the cheaper shops and supermarkets. Stock up.

Get a big fridge. Store everything in the fridge. It's sealed and cold.

I'll add more stories later. Come back for more good and bad news. While I'm gone, check your cupboards.

Stories
Cockroaches
You might see cockroaches, as I did, on the floor of the toilet cubicle in New York (between me and the door). I saw one on the floor of a Hawker Centre in Singapore. I called one of the cleaners, an Indian about six foot tall and broad. Would he dare to chase it about, pick it up and scoop it into the pan on a long handle, with the long-handled brush?

He just shrugged and trod on it. He walked off.

Not what I was expecting.

He came back and continued sweeping. I finished my meal. I no longer felt hungry.

I trod carefully on my way out. I couldn't see it. Where was it? Swept up? Of stuck, squished, on the bottom of his shoe?

Tip
If in doubt, or terror, don't be afraid - to ask somebody else for help.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockroach
http://www.pestworld.org/news-hub/pest-articles/fascinating-cockroach-facts/

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer, author, speaker.