Cockroach home infestations on the rise, pest controllers warn

Pest controllers have reported a rise in callouts to cockroach infestations in Cardiff, with one company regularly getting five or six reports a week. Cardiff council reported a 9% increase in cockroach claims at domestic properties between 2024 and 2025. Experts say warmer temperatures and higher density living in flats and apartments are behind the increased reports. Sumesh Geevarghese, who lives in Cardiff, described having a cockroach infestation at his rented apartment as "very stressful", adding: "They started coming from everywhere." Cockroach expert entomologist Dr George Beccaloni said "milder winters" mean the pests living in ducts and drains aren't killed off in the cold. The German cockroach is the most common of five main cockroach pests in the UK. Contrary to the name, German cockroaches originate from South East Asia and are completely dependent on humans for survival in the UK. They are known to carry organisms which cause food poisoning to humans and other bacteria, including salmonella, staphylococcus and streptococcus, according to the British Pest Control Association (BPCA). Cardiff council had 86 reports to domestic properties in 2025, while Newport council had