Although cockroaches are the most common household pest, nobody likes spotting them in their home or business. By the time you actually see a cockroach, though, it may be too late and there may already be an active infestation.
Why Are Cockroaches So Gross?
Aside from being completely unappealing, the presence of cockroaches in your home or business can create a health risk. They can spread bacteria and transmit it to food causing illness, and even cause allergic and asthmatic reactions.
Cockroaches are social insects that live together in colonies, so there will never be just one roach hanging around your house — where there’s one, there’s many. They scavenge daily for food and moisture (water) and like to hide in the dark sheltered areas of your home.
The most common cockroach in St. Louis is the German cockroach, but the American and Oriental types are also frequently seen. German cockroaches grow to about an inch long and are light brown or tan with two black stripes on its back. They have six legs, a pair of antennae, and wings that are rarely ever used to fly.
German cockroaches have short life cycles (egg to adult in less than 90 days) and an impressive reproductive cycle that allows females to produce 400 eggs in the span of a lifetime. That creates high volumes of tiny pests in a short amount of time.
How Can I Spot an Infestation?
As we mentioned above, if you see one single cockroach then you obviously already have a problem. You’ll likely spot it scurrying around food or water sources, like under the kitchen sink or around the unfinished bowl of pet food.
Cockroaches also leave evidence by way of droppings in the areas where they eat and live; their feces is small and brownish. Also, look for egg casings; female roaches carry them around for a few days after their offspring hatches.
You can also smell German cockroach infestations; it’s a foul, musty odor that happens when groups of roaches congregate. This will likely happen in pantries, garages, storage and attic spaces, and crawl spaces underneath the house. These areas are dark and damp, and perfect for a roach home.
How Do I Get Rid of Cockroaches?
The best approach to avoiding an infestation is a hybrid strategy that involves preventive measures and the help of pest control professionals, Whether it’s commercial or residential, experts will be able to access the situation and your needs, and offer actionable tips on how to stay pest-free.
Literally keeping cockroaches out of your home lays the groundwork for prevention. Gaps in windows and doors, any vents that allow access to outside, and even chimneys are access points for roaches to walk right in and set up shop.
If you do spot signs of a roach infestation, inspect your entire home and especially the roach hotspots of kitchens and bathrooms. You can use chemical-free roach tape to tram any pests and get an idea of where they’re traveling to and from. Once you have a better idea of where the cockroaches are spending their time, you can do further repairs to pest-proof your home.
How Do I Keep Cockroaches From Coming Back?
This is the point when you should call in the pest control experts. They’ll provide the most effective and efficient approach to dealing with the infestation safely and quickly. Pest control professionals will also lay out a maintenance plan that involves keeping roaches out for good.
Before your visit from your pest control partner, get your home into top shape. While it’s a common misconception that roaches only visit “dirty” homes, it’s more accurate to say that roaches love all homes that offer food and water. Seal up food, clean your kitchen and bathrooms thoroughly, and take care of any sources of excess moisture — like leaky plumbing.
When you clean up and cut off the food source for roaches, you’ll force them to eat the gel bait that professionals put out to exterminate the infestation. Keeping that source cut off and maintaining your home cleaning and roach-proofing efforts up will help keep the pests away. Have your pest professionals come back regularly to inspect for any problems.
Think you may have a cockroach infestation that needs attention from the professionals? We can give you a free quote for cockroach control services in your home or business that will keep pests away so get in touch with our team today.