Cockroaches are every New Yorker’s nightmare, and don’t even get us started on the fact that some can FLY. Sure, they may not seem too scary when you’re naming them after your ex–on second thought, maybe that makes them even scarier–or walking the red carpet at the Met Gala, but the second we find out they’ve been living rent-free in our apartment is the second we pack our bags and say sayonara.
Back in December, Pest Control company Pest Gnome set out to find the most cockroach-infested city in America, using data from the U.S. Census and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and they ranked NYC as the 11th most cockroach-infested city in America. And, just like any New Yorker, they prefer certain neighborhoods over others.
According to data from the NYC Health Department, almost half of residents in the South Bronx report they have cockroaches, compared to less than a quarter of homes citywide. Even more: The Bronx is also the only borough where these numbers are rising.
And while roaches are certainly a nuisance, they also pose serious health risks. “The saliva, feces, and shedding body parts of cockroaches are an allergen and can trigger asthma,” reads the NYC Environment & HealthData Portal. This issue is believed to contribute to the fact that the Bronx has more than double the rate of pediatric asthma-related emergency visits compared to all other boroughs combined.
And unfortunately cockroaches aren’t the only pest problem–nearly a third of households in the Bronx report mice or rats, as well. In NYC’s ongoing war against rats, officials were recently given the green light for a rat birth control program.
While there are thousands of cockroach species worldwide, only 70 species are found in the United States. In New York City, the four species that are most commonly found in households are as follows:
- American cockroaches
- German cockroaches
- Oriental cockroaches
- Brown-banded cockroaches
The NYC Health Department writes, “to get rid of pests and keep them from coming back, you need to deprive them of everything they need to survive: food, water, shelter, and ways to get around.” The department suggests doing the following to control these pests safely:
- Report pests and conditions that attract pests–such as water leaks, cracks and holes in walls or floors, and clutter in common areas–to your property manager right away and request they be fixed
- If your landlord or property manager does not fix these conditions in a timely manner, call 311 or visit NYC 311 to file a landlord maintenance complaint
- Keep garbage in sealed bags or containers and remove from your home every day
- Store food in sealed containers