Cyprus is currently plagued by a cockroach infestation. A huge surge in cockroaches has kept exterminators on the Mediterranean island busy for weeks.
Although cockroaches have been present for some time, the combination of a relatively harsh winter followed by a sudden, extremely dry, hot summer created the perfect conditions for the current massive increase and birth wave.
Several pest control companies in Cyprus confirmed they are seeing an increase in calls from desperate customers seeking to solve the problem. Unlike many other countries in Europe, which have only one or two species, Cyprus has three different types of cockroaches: the American type, the largest species; the German type, the most common in homes; and the Oriental type, which often enters buildings through sewer pipes and tends to live close to the ground.
‘They are literally everywhere,’ says Nicolas Nicolaou, a resident of the capital Larnaca, to the Cyprus Mail. ‘I can’t remember any other summer when there were so many. The problem is that they don’t concentrate in one place. I find them everywhere in my house, in the kitchen, in the living room, and in my bedroom.’ Another resident, Anna Theodorou, who has lived in the same house in Kaimakli for the past 17 years, confirmed the trend.
‘I have never seen so many. I killed 45 in one night with my broom. Then I sprayed the area where they were hiding and the next morning I found another 100 dead cockroaches under my cabinet!’
Contrary to popular belief, cockroaches are not so much looking for food, but seeking warmth, shelter, and darkness, as they are nocturnal creatures. Therefore, regular cleaning is of utmost importance to keep the pest somewhat under control.
“As temperatures in Cyprus rose by several degrees in just a few days, cockroaches began searching for cool places to hide inside houses, where they can easily find dark and moist shelters.
“There are definitely products you could use to limit the situation, but unfortunately cockroaches tend to find ways to avoid traps and recognize poisons. I think it is always better to call an exterminator for serious situations.” He confirmed that he has never seen a situation as severe as this year.
‘The problem is that the same type of poison has been used to exterminate cockroaches for the past ten years,’ said an exterminator from Atom, one of the largest pest control companies in the country, to the Sunday Mail. ‘We are talking about relatively cheap and fairly ineffective chemicals. These chemicals may have worked in the beginning, but over the years cockroaches gradually become immune to them.’ The exterminator added that, unlike most other EU countries, Cyprus still has no official regulations for pest control in common areas of buildings.
The municipality of Nicosia confirmed that spraying takes place regularly throughout the year in common open spaces in the city, but a spokesperson said they had not recorded an increase in cockroaches.