Buses In The North Of Malta At Higher Risk Of Being Infected By Cockroaches, Exterminator Says
A Maltese exterminator has weighed in on numerous reports of cockroaches being found on Maltese buses around the island, saying that specific bus routes are at higher risk of infestations.
“I’ve been aware of the cockroach issue on public transport and certain public areas such as bus stages for about a year now. I’ve studied the issue and collected data from several personal communications and online sources as well as from gathered specimens by public transport users,” said Arnold Sciberras, a professional exterminator, to Lovin Malta.
“Two patterns have formed: the majority of the infected buses are those that work in the north, and the culprit is usually the German cockroach (Blatta germanica),” he said.
“The German cockroach is a prolific breeder, and can survive on a minimal amount of crumbs if a heat source is present”
When it came to buses in the south of Malta, the situation was a bit different.
“In a number of cases involving buses that operate in the south, the Brown-banded cockroach (Sulpella longipalpa) was noticed. These are less productive but much more difficult to eradicate,” Arnold said.
However, it wasn’t just these two species that were spotted.
“In individual cases, large American cockroaches (Periplaneta americana) were found, as well as two species of ants. The latter species do not last a full cycle on buses but usually enjoy a free ride if the buses are parked in contaminated areas and left exposed,” he points out.
It’s likely the bugs are brought aboard the buses by the passengers themselves
“For the first two species, their introduction can be from several sources,” he says, “with the most common being that they are introduced from passengers after shopping within a grocer or a supermarket – carton boxes are a major source of transportation.”
He called for enhanced cleansing methods to make sure Malta’s public transport system is not taken over by cockroaches
“As for fumigation protocols, I am doubtful that the vehicles are inspected on a daily basis, and a yearly fumigation just does not cut it,” he said.
“These species require host specific gel baits placed in particular locations to ensure extermination, and in a much more frequent manner. Normal fumigation is futile against such species, and fumigating a vehicle cannot be conducted in the same manner as treating a house” he points out.
Malta Public Transport issued a statement on the matter last week
“Malta Public Transport buses are inspected everyday as part of the cleaning programme implemented by the company, followed by fumigation in cases where cockroaches or insects are detected.”
“Furthermore the full fleet is fumigated once a year, as part of a preventive programme. The last fumigation was carried out in August 2018 by an independent and reputable company.”
“Notwithstanding the above, another complete fumigation exercise on all of the fleet is currently underway as a preventative measure, given that a couple of isolated incidents were reported.”
“The company regrets any inconvenience this may have caused its passengers and assures them that immediate action is being taken.”
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