Way to Russia Talk Lounge

Anathema · Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2005 9:33 pm Post subject: Stupid question

Right now, I'm at war, at war with cockroaches. I'm battling a small infestation of these nasty creatures, and with luck, I'll win, or at least dwindle their numbers.

My question is, are roaches a problem in Russia? I'd imagine they are, especially in cities.

5_Zvehzda · Moderator Joined: 08 Oct 2004 Posts: 347 Location: Arizona

I sympathize with you. A couple of weeks ago I dusted up the kitchen area with some Boric acid powder. Haven't seen any of the little buggers since then. Twisted Evil

I have wondered what the pest problem (specifically roaches) is like in Russia, though . . . would be interested to know, also.

Intourist · Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2005 10:36 pm Post subject:

I think they used to be more of a problem than they are now. Obviously, with largely apartment based housing (some of it communal) cockroaches were problematic. Even if you kept your flat clean, your neighbors might not have.

But I think that with the appearance in the last ten-fifteen years of a wide array of insect repelling substances like Raid and the like, they've become much less of a problem. I haven't seen an apartment here in Moscow with a roach problem for quite some time.

init6 · Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2005 11:15 pm Post subject:

Does the roach elimination hold true for Moscow State University as well? I'll be living in the main building, and I absolutely hate roaches, so I'm quite curious about this. If insect repellents and poisons are widely available, great, but I'd rather not deal with them much at all. Confused

Anathema · Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2005 11:43 pm Post subject: Re: crawlies

maxca · Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 12:09 am Post subject:

Boric acid, huh. Looks like you guys are going all out.

overseas_expat · VIP Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 620 Location: Moscow

Roach Pruf is largely boric acid in a more expensive form and fancier container. Buy a big sack of boric acid at the farm store or the feed store or the garden center. Sprinkle it around the perimeter baseboards inside your house and around the perimeter outside, paying special attention to the kitchen. It shouldn't hurt any pets who come in contact with it. It kills roaches by clogging up their airways when they walk through it. They don't eat it.

I lived many years in the southern US. I know. It works better than anything and doesn't carry the dangers of pesticides (which don't work anyway). If you ever get fire ants let me know cause I know how to get them too. And they're mean nasty little buggers.

Wondering why you would post a roach question from Arizona in here.....

e · VIP Joined: 23 Apr 2005 Posts: 654

I've read and been told that mosquitos are probably the biggest pest problem in Russia. Especially in the summer. Especially in the apartments.

Camrade · Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 12:41 am Post subject:

2e

if you use special device which is called 'fumigator', mosquitos is not a problem Smile

btw, roaches in Russia smaller and less disgusting than in the U.S.

Anathema · Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 12:52 am Post subject:

mister_wizzz · VIP Joined: 27 May 2004 Posts: 570

Roaches is a world wide problem, would have liked Noe squashed them as well as mosquito but unfortunatly for us he didn't Smile

Anathema, I guess you are living in a flat, if the entire building is not treated, well I am afraid you lose the war.

Grizzly · Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 10:36 am Post subject:

I have never had a problem with roaches in Russia although if you lived in an appartment with very dirty neighbours I am sure it could be a problem. They are certainly far less common than in the Southern US (where I have also lived and constantly had problems with them in appartment buildings) although I imagine they would also be more common in southern Russia than in the north. Mosquitos are indeed bad and I have never understood why the screen window has never caught on in Russia nor the rest of Europe for that matter. I find from personal experience that Russian mosquitos are smaller and faster than North American ones but just as irritating. The only way I could get a decent sleep on hot nights on which I had to open my windows was to plug in a device near my bed that burns some sort of scent repellent to mosquitos.

greg222 · VIP Joined: 15 Feb 2005 Posts: 534

There's a lot of mosquitoes here at the moment but they generally lack gumption. Before I went to bed the other night I managed to kill the 10 or so that were in my room in about three minutes. They're much craftier in Australia. It could have taken me hours to do the same there.

As for fly screens, maybe they haven't caught on in Europe because they make it a lot harder to throw your rubbish out your windows.

traceymill · Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 10:42 pm Post subject:

well, I am from texas and we have FLYING roaches here(they actually live in the trees and are supposedly only a distant relation, personally I think they are actually aliens) anyway, not only do they fly but they are the biggest MOTHER****** you have ever seen.(try as long as your index finger) So not only do you have the inside ones here, but if you want to sit outside in the summer at night(which is the ONLY time to be outside because it is SO freakin hot) you risk the chance of one dropping from the trees or flying onto you!
Welcome to Texas!!!! (can you tell I am a bit TIRED of them!!!!) Sad

Jutrzenkapolska · VIP Joined: 16 Sep 2004 Posts: 534

Does anyone have any good advice on treating roaches? Our new apartment is infested and they are big and simply won't die.As you might have guessed, it's in a building. Sad