Cockroach Treatment
How Do I Identify A Cockroach Infestation?
Cockroaches are the most frequently present household pest. In North America, both American and German cockroaches are present. American cockroaches are sometimes referred to as “palmetto bugs.” Cockroaches are sometimes mistakenly referred to as “water bugs,” which is a distinct species from roaches.
Appearance - American cockroaches are the larger cockroach, growing up to 3 inches long, with a yellow stripe behind the head. German cockroaches tend to be about a half an inch long (as small as the tip of your thumb) with a tan, shiny-rounded back. German cockroaches have two black stripes on their body just behind their heads.
Behavior - Before seeing a cockroach first hand, you may notice what looks like coffee grounds or sprinkled pepper in areas prone to cockroaches. If you haven't made coffee or seasoned some food, these may be cockroach droppings, which normally a sure sign of a cockroach infestation. Roaches in large groups let off a chemical that encourages them to stay together. This smell is often described as a musty, stale, or moldy scent. Cockroaches tend to move and feed in the dark. Once you see a cockroach during the day, it is likely that the cockroach problem is severe.
Why Could I Have Cockroaches?
Cockroaches come into your home seeking food and water. They tend to hide behind appliances, in damp basements, or far corners of your cabinets. Cockroaches are notorious for breaking into the walls of apartments and homes because they stay relatively undisturbed there. They will often come into a house through the garage or ground level windows.
Why Should I Treat My Cockroach Problem Immediately?
Cockroach control is important. Aside from the fact that cockroaches reproduce at an extremely fast rate, they also can trigger allergies and spread bacteria and diseases such as E.coli and dysentery, often which result in diarrhea. Being near them puts you, your family, and your pets at risk. Early detection and intervention will eliminate the chance for cockroaches to reproduce and move to new locations within your residence. You need a company that can kill cockroaches and get rid of them. Call us today.
How to Get Rid of Cockroaches
No matter where you live, you can have a cockroach problem. These are some of the most resilient pests on the planet. Not only are cockroaches annoying, but there are other reasons you don't want them in your home. Cockroaches can spread disease, contaminate food, and cause other damage.
The best way to deal with a cockroach problem is to spot it early. Follow the tips outlined below to get rid of your cockroach infestation fast.
How Do I Spot a Cockroach Problem?
Spotting a cockroach problem is the first step in their timely removal. The following signs indicate a cockroach infestation. If you notice any of them, make sure to contact a good pest control company like GoLocal Pest Control right away.
- Seeing a cockroach.
Cockroaches are not solitary insects. If you see one in your home, you can bet there are more you don't see. Viewing a cockroach is a sure sign that you have a problem. - Spotting cockroach skins or droppings.
Even if you do not see an actual cockroach, you may still have a cockroach infestation. Cockroach droppings and shed skins are often seen even if the actual insects are not./ These signs can usually be found in corners, around baseboards, and in cabinets. - Seeing smear marks.
As cockroaches run along your walls, they leave smear marks. These dark streaks tend to occur only in areas where the cockroaches are most active. If you notice uneven smear marks on your walls, you likely have a cockroach problem. - Smelling a rotten odor.
Lots of cockroaches together put off a nasty odor. It typically smells musty and unpleasant. Other pests cause a stench as well. But a stench coupled with the other signs on this list almost always indicates a cockroach infestation. - Noticing damage.
Cockroaches are eating machines. They will chew through paper and cardboard packaging. They have also been known to chew furniture and other upholstery. Cockroach damage can be found all around your home but is especially common near food sources.
How Do I Get Rid of Cockroaches?
Once you know you have a cockroach problem, it is time to get rid of them. Cockroaches can be hard to remove once the colony gets established. So the sooner you solve the problem, the better. The following tips indicate the best ways to get rid of cockroaches.
- Over-the-counter pesticides.
Over-the-counter pesticides, such as bait stations, are extremely common cockroach control solutions. They are often used by homeowners and can be found in most stores. These products vary in efficacy. Bait stations can work extremely quickly because the cockroaches take the poison back to their nest. But they are not always the best long-term solution. - Glue strips.
Glue strips are an old-fashioned cockroach remedy. You can still find them in stores. They are safe to use around children and pets. However, they will not kill the whole cockroach colony. They only work as a trap for individual cockroaches. - A professional pest control company.
The best way to ensure your cockroach problem is gotten rid of is to contact a good pest control company. They have tools and resources not available to the average homeowner.
At GoLocal Pest Control, we can connect you with the best exterminators in your area. Contact us today to learn more.
How to Prevent Cockroaches
Cockroaches are one of the most resilient animals on the planet. They have been around 280 million years. That means they were one of the few animals that survived the extinction of the dinosaurs. In fact, cockroaches are about 55 million years older than dinosaurs.
That they are such robust insects explains why you don't want cockroaches. Once established in your home, they are extremely hard to remove. Your best bet is to prevent them from invading in the first place.
Why Do I Have Cockroaches?
It just to be that people believed you would only get cockroaches if your home was dirty. We know that that is not the case. You can have a cockroach infestation even if you have an immaculate house. There are some reasons you may have a cockroach problem, though.
- Lots of ways to get into your home.
Cockroaches are Houdini's when it comes to getting in your home. They can enter through pipes, cracks, and even hitch a ride in a grocery bag. There are so many ways for cockroaches to get into your house that is nearly impossible to protect all of them. - Excess moisture.
Like many other pests, cockroaches are attracted to excess moisture. They need water to live. So, if you have leaky pipes or even wet areas around pet bowls, you may have cockroaches. - Easily accessible food.
Cockroaches are scavengers. They are not picky about their food. They will happily eat human food or pet food if it is available. If you have easily accessible food on counters or in sinks, you may attract cockroaches.
How Do I Prevent Cockroaches?
Cockroaches can spread disease and contaminate food. They can infest your home in large numbers, which is a sanitation nightmare. To keep your home and family safe from cockroaches, you should try to prevent them.
Here are a few ways you can prevent cockroaches from getting into your home.
- Throw away all cardboard and paper products.
Roaches like to hide and lay their eggs in cardboard and paper. Throwing these items away can help keep roaches out of your home. - Keep your home clean.
You can get cockroaches even if your home is clean. But, you have a greater chance of preventing them if you clean regularly. A dirty and cluttered home is very appealing to cockroaches. You don't want them to have easy access to food, water, or shelter. Keep your home clean, pick up, and fix any leaks and cockroaches will not want to live there. - Store food in plastic containers.
Cockroaches can easily get into cardboard food containers. Plastic is much better to keep cockroaches out. - Focus your attention on your kitchen.
Cockroaches are most likely to be living in or near your kitchen. You should give that location special attention. - Contact cockroach removal specialists.
Cockroaches can be hard to prevent. A good exterminator will tell you exactly what you need to do to keep them out. At GoLocal Pest Control, we can connect you with the best companies in your area. Check out our website to learn more.
What Do Cockroaches Look Like
Cockroaches have been around for 280 million years. They first appeared in the Carboniferous era. That era spanned the period of 258.9 million years ago to 298.9 million years ago. So, suffice it to say the cockroach has been around for a long time. In fact, they survived many extinction events, including the one that killed the dinosaurs.
Cockroaches in prehistoric times were much different than today. They could grow up to eight inches in length. That is far larger than the largest cockroach today, Megaloblatta longipennis, which can measure up to three inches in length. We are all happy not to have eight-inch, or even three-inch, long cockroaches running around our homes. Yet, you still need to be able to identify cockroaches to tell when you have an infestation on your hands.
How Many Species of Cockroaches Are There?
Cockroaches have lived for millions of years. It makes sense then that there would be a lot of variation in them. The around 4,000 species of cockroach throughout the world do not disappoint. Fifty-five of these 4,000 species are found in the United States. But only four of those 55 are considered pests.
The four United States cockroaches are the Oriental cockroach, the German cockroach, the American cockroach, and the Brown-banded cockroach. We will focus on them in the rest of this post. All have similar characteristics, which we will discuss in the next section.
What Do Cockroaches Look Like?
All cockroach species share physical characteristics. They usually have flat and oval-shaped bodies. Their legs will be spiny and long. They all have two antennae. Cockroaches will also all have six legs. All cockroaches have wings, but not all species fly.
The size and coloring of the cockroach depend on the species.
- American cockroach:
The American cockroach is the largest of the four pest cockroach species. It ranges from 1.25-2 inches in length. This type of cockroach, in contrast to the name, is not native to the United States. It was brought on ships from Africa in the 1600s. American cockroaches are red-brown and have a yellow figure eight on the back of their head. - German cockroach:
German cockroaches are a small species. They are typically 1/5 -5/8 inch long. They are light brown or tan. They have two dark stripes on their backs. German cockroaches do not normally fly. - Oriental cockroach:
Oriental cockroaches are known as the "black beetle cockroach." They have smooth, dark black bodies. They are typically around an inch in length. No Oriental cockroaches cannot fly. The females don't even have wings. - Brown-banded cockroach:
Brown-banded cockroaches are brown with bands across their wings. They are small, about ½ inch in length. Their coloring makes them very hard to spot because they blend in well with the furniture.
Cockroaches can live anywhere. It is best to contact a good exterminator the minute you spot one in your home. You don't want the infestation to get out of hand. At GoLocal Pest Control we can help you find the top cockroach removal company near you.
How to Find an Exterminator to Help with Cockroaches
Cockroaches are some of the most resilient pests on earth. It takes a lot to kill them. It also takes a lot to stop an infestation once it has begun. You don't want cockroaches in your home. They can spread a lot of diseases like salmonella, leprosy, listeriosis, giardia, dysentery, and cholera. And that is not even a complete list.
The bad news is that cockroaches can infest no matter where you live. The good news is that this is such a common pest that most exterminators can help with it. For the best results, you still have to find the right company. That means following the advice in this article.
What Should I Look for in a Cockroach Exterminator?
It is important to be sure that the exterminator you hire can handle your cockroach problem. These pests are too hard to let sit. You don't want to pay for multiple technicians because the first one couldn't get the job done.
The best way to sift through the many cockroach removal companies is to ask the following questions. Have an idea of the answers you'd like to hear as well. This way you will know if the exterminator matches your expectations.
- How do you determine your cockroach treatment?
- Do I have to leave my home while you are spraying the cockroaches?
- How bad is my infestation?
- Does the type of cockroach matter?
- How long will it take for me to see the results?
What Should I Expect from Cockroach Exterminators?
Exterminators have a lot of tools to use in their fight against cockroaches. They will first perform an inspection. This is a great moment to ask the questions listed above. Many pest control companies will provide the inspection for free.
After you agree to the treatment plan and quote, treatment will begin. The technician will likely use insecticides to kill the cockroaches. They may also use bait and traps that the workers take back to the nest. This option ensures the entire colony is killed. They will then use a wet/dry vacuum to suck up any cockroaches and debris.
The final step for the technician is to seal every hole, crack, and crevice that may let in more cockroaches. They may talk with you about lifestyle changes as well. The best companies may also provide follow-up visits to ensure your cockroach infestation has not returned.
How Do I Find an Exterminator to Help with Cockroaches?
Thinking about finding a cockroach exterminator may be overwhelming. It doesn't have to be. Let the experts at GoLocal Pest Control help you find the top cockroach removal company in your location. We have a database of hundreds of fully-vetted exterminators to choose from. Just put in your zip code, and you will receive a list of the top companies in your area.
No matter where you live, we have pest control options for you. You can visit this page to learn more about our process. Let us help you get those pesky cockroaches out of your home.