Hotelupwell.com – If you’re planning a summer holiday in Spain, beware of cockroach outbreaks causing climate change. Experts at Spanish environmental organization Anecpla have warned of the risk that cockroaches will spread this summer. Anecpla also appealed to hotel, restaurant and bar managers to take action if they see the first signs of a cockroach outbreak.
According to experts, increasing temperatures during the summer compared to the previous year can trigger cockroaches to breed. “The increase in temperature due to climate change causes insects such as bedbugs or cockroaches, in this case, to accelerate their life cycle exponentially,” said uumu Anecpla director Jorge Galván.
Jorge added that the reproduction speed of cockroaches becomes faster at temperatures above 28 degrees Celsius. “The heat comes in mid-spring and doesn’t end until fall, so the cockroach population increases,” he said.
Not to mention, European Union regulations prohibit the use of several inhibitory pest control chemicals to eradicate cockroaches. In fact, genetic mutations in cockroaches that have emerged in recent years have made them resistant to bisodia products used to exterminate cockroaches.
“When there are no other possible solutions to control pests such as, in this case, cockroaches, [the use of stronger chemical products] is critical,” Galvan said.
One of the biggest risks regarding this spread is that cockroaches carry dangerous bacteria and viruses that can transmit disease to humans. Therefore, tourists are advised to maintain cleanliness by not leaving food waste and ensuring that rubbish is cleaned or stored with a tight lid.
If tourists see a cockroach outbreak, they should immediately inform the authorities about this. Likewise hotel and eating place managers. Apart from that, hotel and eating place managers must also ensure that food and waste are kept clean. This includes closing gaps or holes in the walls and carrying out routine maintenance by an environmental health expert
Last year, a bedbug outbreak also hit Paris. Local residents reported the blood-sucking creatures appearing in cinemas, subway cars and Charles-de-Gaulle airport. The Paris government also sent sniffer dogs to hunt for vermin on Paris’ trains and subways.
