Australian homes being invaded by millions of cockroaches

Millions of cockroaches have been finding their way into Australian homes, with incidents being particularly bad in Sydney, known as the "cockroach capital of Australia".

It comes after months of rain and hot weather generated by the La Niña climate system created ideal breeding conditions for cockroaches.

People are worried that it could be months before they start seeing less of the unwelcome visitors.

One pest control expert says he doesn't expect to see the roaches leave until the weather cools, probably in April or May.

As well as not being the cutest house guests, there are many reasons why most people aren't a fan of cockroaches.

They can trigger allergies, spread disease, and create an unsanitary living environment.

But there are some things you can do to decrease the likelihood of the roaches hanging around - by making your home as unappealing to them as possible.

Food is often something that can encourage cockroaches to come to your home as they'll eat almost anything.

Easy sources of food - like dirty dishes in the sink, pet food on the floor, or crumbs on the counter will draw them in.

Cockroaches also come into homes to seek wamth and shelter.

As the temperature dips outside, roaches will venture indoors and they love quiet, forgotten areas for example underneath large appliances, in the corners of basements, and the attic.

They can simply enter through a gap in a window seal or a door left open.

Like all animals, they need water to survive so leaky pipes and taps are common places to find cockroaches lurking.

Have you ever spotted a cockroach before? What do you think of the bugs? Let us know in the comments.