Holidaymakers jetting off to Spain are being alerted about a potential influx of cockroaches fuelled by climate change. Spanish environmentalists have raised the alarm over an expected surge and say bars, restaurants and hotels should act swiftly if they come across an infestation. Anecpla, Spain's National Association of Environmental Health Companies says the increase in cockroach numbers is linked to higher temperatures and longer summers.
"A summer of significant cockroach infestations is approaching," said Jorge Galvan, Anecpla's general director. He explained that the warming climate is causing pests such as bedbugs and cockroaches to speed up their life cycles dramatically. Anecpla has also pointed to research showing that cockroaches breed more quickly at temperatures above 28C.
Furthermore, stricter EU regulations on certain pesticides are making it increasingly difficult for pest control services to effectively manage these populations, reports Chronicle Live . "The heat arrives in the middle of spring and does not end until well into autumn, so cockroach populations have only expanded," added Jorge. He warned that recent years have seen the emergence of random genetic mutations in cockroaches, making them resistant to the biocide products previously used for their control.
"Of course, environmental health professionals evaluate the cost-benefit that exists depending on the situation and we give preference whenever possible to physical and biological measures over c.