Cockroach infestation on street causes Halloween cancellation on street in Wyandotte
WYANDOTTE, Mich. (FOX 2) - Like the script of a Halloween movie, imagine German cockroaches taking over your home. A cockroach infestation has caused the city of Wyandotte to cancel Halloween for three blocks on 20th Street.
The move was made out of an abundance of caution, with the sidewalks closed as of 4 p.m. The concern is that the cockroaches would get on the children's costumes or inside their pillowcases or candy baskets - and hitch a ride.
"Roaches were just walking house to house," said resident Becky Wallace. "It just gives you that dirty feeling makes you want to itch and clean everything. And that's what we all have been doing."
The infestation started in a now, temporarily condemned house in Wyandotte. Neighbors say, a trash build-up inside caused the problem and spread down the block, as they were looking for more food.
The city says it is doing everything it can to mitigate the situation to get the problem under control.
"These cockroaches are considered to be hitchhikers," said Mark VanderWerp, an entomologist of Rose Pest Solutions.
VanderWerp is a bug expert who just happened to have a colony of German Cockroaches at home - in his own kitchen, contained, of course.
He says the cockroaches love hot temperatures, and literally only live inside people's homes.
"There have been plenty of cases where I've slid out someone's refrigerator and hundreds of cockroaches go scurrying out," he said.
It is a nightmare turned reality - for these residents.
"At first I didn't believe it, I thought there must have been a mistake of some kind," said resident Linda Souve. "I thought how could they possibly do this."
Soave is taking her Halloween - to her son's home on Grosse Ile, after being saddened, and grossed out.
VanderWerp says once these roaches have multiplied - it's not an easy pest to get rid of. Rose Pest Solutions typically uses bait with intoxicants.
Some folks on 20th Street are using glue boards surrounding their homes. Another option is to use Vaseline - the little pests can't trek through it.
"I don't know if you want to go smearing Vaseline all over the foundation of your house, but if you're desperate," he said. "But yeah, it would help."
VanderWerp says that cockroaches like garbage, rotting things, and if those sources are not available, they like a protein in human hair.
