If you try to look for “blitte” on Google in these days you will find yourself in front of a waterfall of articles published on all the major newspapers, whose titles are all variations on this issue: “Rome is invaded by flying cockroaches”.
That it is correct information, but also a somewhat alarmistic way to present a phenomenon that has nothing new, only this year is making itself felt more than usual. Let’s try below to answer all the questions that may have occurred to you on the matter.
What is a flying cockroach? Actually notes as American blindness or red cockroach, its Latin name is American periplaneta. A little deceptive name since this insect of the Order of Blattoids is actually Originally from Africa northern, from where it has spread a bit all over the world: it is one of the most common in its order, and the largest among those who live in anthropized environments. The “flying” nickname comes from the fact that adult females, but above all males, they are able to carry out controlled flights by several meterschanging direction in the air. It is what many inhabitants of Rome have witnessed these days.
Is there really an ongoing invasion? Yes and no. The reports, especially in the Prati neighborhoods, Monte Mario and Torpignattara, are increasingly frequent: residents speak of cockroaches everywhere, from the facades of the buildings to the sheets lying to dry, and on social networks the videos of infested handy or cockroaches that paste in the garbage.
The point is that to talk about “invasion” it should be a new phenomenon. Actually The red cockroach has been present in Italy for centuriesparticularly in the southern regions, and has always done what he is doing in these days. The noveltyif anything, it is in numbers: said in a simple way, this year Rome is really full of cockroaches.
How come there are so many cockroaches? There are several reasons behind this annoying (and a little disgusting, as well as dangerous, as we will see below) “invasion”. First of all heat: American cockroaches prefer high temperatures, and this year the first large heat arrived very early.
Then there is a matter of hygiene: a few traces of organic material are enough (for example a abandoned garbage bag on the roadside) to attract the American cockroaches.
Add us they prefer hot and humid closed environmentsand you will understand why very little is enough to see the pantry (or the cellar, or the sewers under the house) invaded by cockroaches.
Several experts have pointed out that tourism in Rome is at its peak in this season, and many visitors abandon The remains of their meals around the street: This also contributes to the explosion of cockroaches.
So are they dangerous? Yes, and it shouldn’t surprise: they live in wasteare often found in large quantities in the sewers, and therefore bring aenormous quantities of vectors of possible infections: they can cause for example Distentation and salmonellosisas well as being potentially allergenic (their feces, for example, can cause asthma crises in those who are prepared). In short: they are frighteningly not very hygienic, and can create even serious health problems.
How do you defend ourselves from American cockroaches? With hygiene. We must avoid leaving food around, and ideally also close the containers of the pantry in a airtight way: the “flying cockroaches” they are able to squeeze tiny openings insideand it takes little because they manage to enter a pack of pasta or rice.
And more generally, you have to keep The cleanest house as possiblepassing the vacuum cleaner even in the narrower cracks, paying attention to cracks outwards or hydraulic losses (which generate humidity, which likes very well), and taking further precautions if you live in a condominium – one of the tips for those who live on the upper floors is that of not scrolling sheets and tablecloths from the balcony, because crumbs and food residues could fall on the balconies of the lower floors and attract the blitte.
Obviously, all this also presupposes attention to the hygiene of the citybecause a single citizen manages to protect only his home: the garbage must always be withdrawn, the roads kept clean and so on. But all this is to the authorities: the best you can do is complain if the Municipality does not act promptly.
