It’s that time of year again… the weather is heating up, the doors and windows are open and that lovely creature the cockroach is sitting around thinking up new and devious ways to get into your home! In the last few years living in the campo, we hardly saw any of my least favourite bugs, but this summer, having moved closer to the coast, we find that Mr Cockroach too “loves to be beside the seaside”. Well, you can’t blame him really, can you? There is a lot more going on!
Cockroaches can apparently enter through grilles, pipes, drains, overflows and any gap over 1/16th of an inch wide. Gulp. Apart from leaving the house sealed up like a UPS parcel, and stifling in the heat, which is not really an option in August, we have gone into battle instead. Determined to enjoy open windows, terrace doors and the sea breeze, we have sprayed the terraces and grilles, although my husband found it hysterically funny that I also sprayed a “perimeter” around the bed, clearly stating the boundary that cockroaches are not permitted to pass! Wonder if they make the same spray for husbands?
I’m happy to report that my plan seems to have worked and our creepy nocturnal visitors hardly bother to turn up these days. Just in case the odd one DOES manage to cross enemy lines, I have developed a system to tackle all intruders. Well, with a husband that commutes to work in the UK, any Sunday to Thursday cockroaches have ME to deal with!
Spotting one on the stairs, I reach for the spray and a large plastic cup. Stalk the victim, quick spray, drop the cup and retreat. Make quick cup of tea whilst spray does its job and then dispose of latest victim. Have you seen how fast those little guys can run??
Let’s just hope that they can read this too, then at least they’ll know what’s waiting for them should they dare to enter!
Liz Edmiston runs OwnersAway Property Rentals & Management offering a full range of services to property owners on the Costa Calída. Contact Liz on 691977107 or info@ownersaway.com for more information or visit the website www.ownersaway.com to view the full range of properties and services.