Cockroaches are the filthiest and dirtiest pest alive. When you have them, it means that your home is attractive and has the needs they are looking for – food, moisture, and shelter.
Cockroach Identification & Prevention In Triangle, NC
Men and women alike fear cockroaches. If the thought of seeing a cockroach in your peripheral vision while getting a midnight snack makes you scream at the top of your lungs, then this article is for you. Just the appearance of the cockroach alone can make you feel scared, disgusted, and annoyed. They are the filthiest and dirtiest pests alive. Unfortunately, they are scattered and found in every household around the world. So, the cockroach can be considered as the most popular pest among other pests out there. Yet, there are interesting facts about cockroaches that most people do not know of.
Kinds Of Cockroaches
Although there are 4,000 species of cockroaches around the world, only 3 of such species are commonly found in our households. Unlike the other species of cockroach that stay away from human dwellings, the 3 species are found in every nook and cranny of people’s homes. You can even find all the 3 species at the same time in your home.
Read on to know what kind of cockroach you find in your household:
- American Cockroach - Cockroaches that are oval-shaped with a reddish-brown color are called American cockroaches. No, their name does not mean that they are only found in America. They are found everywhere, especially in wet environments like barns, sewers, and garbage. They carry such harmful bacteria onto surfaces in your home when they are in search of food.
- German Cockroach - These cockroaches are tan to light brown. They typically have 2 dark brown parallel lines on their back that distinguish them from other species of cockroaches. Opposite to the American cockroaches, German cockroaches live in warm and dry places. These include walls, kitchen cabinets, refrigerator, and stove. They like eating food crumbs left on the floor, counter, or kitchen sink.
- Brown-banded Cockroach - The species of cockroach that are dark brown and has a light tan band around the outside and on the wings are the Brown-banded cockroach. They can be found in electrical outlets, heaters, furnaces, television sets, and anywhere warm. During the day, they like resting in high places like the top of door frames or on top of cabinets.
All About Cockroaches
For some, just seeing a cockroach can make you squirm, and your hair stand up on the back of your neck. They are sneaky little creatures that invade your food at night. The worst part is that they carry with them harmful bacteria that contaminate things and make people sick. Yet, the cockroach is an interesting pest unknown to many. Learning some fun facts about the cockroach can help us in our battle with this pesky pest.
As known to many, cockroaches are nocturnal insects that party at night and run away when daylight comes.
When you see one cockroach in your home, there are more of them somewhere because they come in swarms:
- Cockroaches are old. Surely, our forefathers were also annoyed by cockroaches since these pests have been in existence for millions of years. Some archives even say that they existed way before the dinosaur era. Can you imagine how much they have survived over the years? According to research, they are resilient. During nuclear attacks, they can feed on debris just to survive.
- Cockroaches are tenacious. These cold-blooded creatures can survive without food for three months and a month without water. They are also able to survive even without ahead because they breathe through holes in their body. And, if you think you can drown a cockroach, think again. The cockroach can hold its breath for 40 minutes.
- Cockroaches are fast runners. These pests including their babies can run as fast as 3 miles in an hour. Running fast is a defense mechanism for the cockroach from predators. Run cockroach run! If you're fast enough, you might catch one.
- Cockroaches cannot fly. Contrary to what we believe, cockroaches have wings, but they are not for flying. Rather, their wings are there to help them glide from one place to another. This is one of their activities that makes us scream our lungs out! All the more reason to look for ways to eliminate them.
How To Eliminate Cockroaches
- Investigate - Before eliminating cockroaches, investigate the areas of your home where it can live like the kitchen and dining area. It is usually behind the refrigerator, cabinets, under the sink, and corners of your home. After investigating, mark the areas infested the most. It will be your guide when you start eliminating the cockroaches.
- Cover holes - If you find holes in walls, floorboards, windows, and doors, seal these using a filling, caulk, and repair tape. Through this, you can trap the cockroaches that are inside, reducing their number. Seeing that dealing with a full-on cockroach infestation is difficult, grab every opportunity to trap them.
- Gel Bait - You can also place gel bait in infested areas. It is effective in attracting cockroaches. When it eats the poison and brings it to its home, other cockroaches will eat the cockroach when it dies because it passes the poison. If this works, you might see a lot of dead cockroaches in those infested areas.
- Boric Acid - The boric acid found in your toothpaste and detergent is effective in killing cockroaches. If you have kids at home, this is a safe way of getting rid of cockroaches. Just combine it with water and apply it to the areas of your home visited by cockroaches like the kitchen sink, tiles, and dining table.
- Clean Your Home - An unorganized home is prone to cockroach infestations. Therefore, if you want your home to be cockroach free, you should keep it clean. Wash dishes immediately after use, wipe the table after cleaning, seal food containers, and keep the garbage can empty, and more. Through these simple steps, cockroaches won't visit your house.
- Traps - There are many traps sold in supermarkets for cockroaches. If you do not want to use chemicals in getting rid of cockroaches, using a trap is also effective. However, if you will use traps, keep them away from areas that are accessible to your pets and small kids. Also, remember to assess the severity of the infestation to understand what kinds of traps you will be using. You can purchase traps in the nearest department store. If not, you can browse for products online so they can deliver it straight to your doors.
- Poison - Since cockroaches love to invade your leftovers. You can use it to lure cockroaches by placing poison in it. You can also do it in your garbage can. Poisoning cockroaches is effective. Even if they see their dead companions, they will still fall for your trap since they cannot smell poison.
- Clear All Papers - Unused papers like magazines, newspapers, and boxes should all be removed from your home. It is where cockroaches breed. Most are unaware of it because after we use those things, we no longer check them unless we need to. Therefore, to lessen the places where it breeds, you should get rid of papers that you no longer need.
- Use Salt - This is one of the most cost-effective ways to eliminate roaches. Seeing how fast they are, use salt to dry them out. Simply sprinkle salt on areas where roach activity is at its finest. Let the roaches pass over it so the salt can dehydrate them. Aside from salt, you can use baking soda and diatomaceous earth. All these three work to destroy their exoskeletons and kill those pesky creatures.
- Essential Oils Essential oils have various benefits to humans but they are dangerous to insects. These work as barriers and irritants to them. So, if you have oils at home, mix them with water and spray on areas where roaches nest. This helps hamper their reproductive activities. It forces them to move out and look for other areas to infest. This makes it easier to catch and kill them.
- Pest Control Professional While cleaning and securing our food can help us with a cockroach infestation, these are all to prevent cockroaches from infesting our houses. But, what if they are already with us? What can we do with these pests that are difficult to handle? The answer to those questions is pest control professionals. Asking for help from such experts is the only solution to a cockroach infestation.
Contact The Pros At Go-Forth Home Services
If you do not want to deal with all the hassle of eliminating cockroaches, you can contact a cockroach exterminator near you. It is the most practical and easiest way of getting rid of cockroaches in an instant. It is also the safest way for your family because it will keep you away from accidents and health hazards. If you are looking for a pest control expert in North Carolina, contact Go-Forth Home Services. This company offers the best strategies for pest management at an affordable price. The professionals pride themselves in using safe but effective methods. They ensure the safety of your family and your pets. It's one of the reasons why establishments have them on speed dial. If you are aiming for that pest-free house, they are your best weapons.