Cockroaches are becoming more and more numerous, 'mutating' and not afraid of drugs

Rising temperatures are believed to be the cause of a sudden increase in cockroach numbers. Insecticides are no longer effective against them, making people tired of finding ways to cope.

According to Euro News , climate change is not only causing a worrying increase in cockroach numbers, but is also changing their genetic structure.

Rising temperatures cause cockroaches to "mutate"

In Spain, up to this point, authorities reported an increase of about 33% in the number of cockroaches compared to 2023. Experts believe that record hot temperatures are the cause of the appearance of "mutant" cockroaches. This.

Spain recorded a "mutant" increase in cockroaches - (Photo: Shutterstock).

Increased temperature means the cockroach's metabolic cycle speeds up. This is especially evident in the German cockroach , which causes quite a bit of concern because the species is so common in homes and food businesses.

Hotter-than-average temperatures also lengthen the cockroaches' breeding season and increase their resistance to insecticides.

All of these factors relate to broader and more serious public health problems. Many people have seen cockroaches appearing more frequently in both residential and commercial properties.

Jorge Galván, director of the National Association of Environmental Health Businesses (ANECPLA), said experts fear this genetic change is challenging effective control of cockroach populations. The warming climate is also "ideal conditions for egg incubation".

Carlos Pradera, technical director at Anticimex, a pest control company, commented that " the more people fight cockroaches, the more their endurance and adaptation increase ," according to Murcia Today .

Not only cockroaches, other insects such as midges also begin to become immune to human insecticide methods.

Need more sustainable methods of insect control

However, pest control practitioners are trying to tackle the problem, aiming to use less invasive and more sustainable methods, from improving hygiene practices to using pesticides. mechanical trap. 

Pradera believes these are "the best solutions". Experts also consider this method as "prevention is better than cure".

German cockroaches were first discovered in Europe in the 18th century and were controlled using a variety of methods, over many decades. In the 1990s, insecticide spraying was replaced by the use of "sweet baits" containing insecticides. This releases fewer chemicals that are harmful to the environment.

However, today's cockroach species are increasingly insensitive to this insecticide, meaning that many of them can survive, and live longer.

Cockroaches tend to come out of hibernation as spring approaches. According to WebMD, cockroaches not only smell bad but also cause illness because they move everywhere, while their bodies contain a lot of bacteria.

Cockroaches are most active at night. Therefore, many people increasingly see cockroaches running around villas or hotels in Spain when the sun goes down. This not only makes people tired, but also makes tourists planning to come to Spain in the summer worried.