Myths About Cockroaches

Cockroaches

How to spot cockroaches

There are two main types of cockroach in Britain, Oriental Cockroaches and German Cockroaches. Cockroaches do not normally survive outdoors in our cool climate, but thrive around the heating and boiler rooms of buildings. They group around pipes, stoves, and sinks and will often stay hidden during the day.

Treat cockroaches yourself

It can be very difficult to get rid of cockroaches yourself, so it’s wise to get professional help.

To treat cockroaches yourself, you could:

buy insecticide spray from your local hardware store

clean the area you’re treating and remove any food or water nearby

following the instructions on the label

pay attention to cracks where eggs may be found

avoid sticky traps as they should only be used for monitoring

Prevention tips

To help prevent cockroaches, you should:

clean all surfaces thoroughly to remove any food residue

avoid leaving dirty dishes and utensils in the sink

keep bins covered, clean and emptied regularly

clean beneath your refrigerator regularly as warm areas attract cockroaches

seal gaps around doors, windows and wires to prevent entry

repair any leaks beneath the sink and on the sink top to remove a potential water source

 

Ultimate Guide To Cockroach Prevention

Most people see cockroaches and while they get grossed out, they don’t think much of it five minutes later after they’ve killed it. This is an issue, as cockroaches can be harmful to humans. If left unchecked, a cockroach infestation can ruin not only your home’s health but your own physical health as well. Knowing how to get rid of cockroaches is an important step in keeping your home safe.

Preventing Roaches – Eliminate Food Sources

The best thing you can do to prevent cockroaches from invading your home is by making it less attractive to them. Fortunately, the measures you take to deter cockroaches will also eliminate other pests such as ants and rodents.

The first defensive measure against these pests is to keep your home as clean as possible:

Clean up leftover or unfinished food messes.

Store you trash in a sealed container and empty it from your living space regularly.

Keep food in your pantry in sealed containers.

Vacuum your home regularly to reduce their food supply.

Eliminate possible entry points from the outdoors such as cracks around window casings, spaces around pipes, and gaps under doors.

Preventing Roaches – Eliminate Water Sources

In spite of your best efforts to keep your home clean, cockroaches still may become a problem. Cockroaches can survive for about a month without food and thus will wait it out until a food source becomes available. However, they can only survive for about a week without water.

It’s important to eliminate cockroach water sources by:

Cleaning up pet water regularly. If you have a problem with cockroaches, consider removing water overnight as this is when roaches are most active.

Checking for leaky pipes under the sink, around your washing machine, and in your utility room.

Cockroaches like damp, dark areas. Check crawlspaces and basements for potential leaks.

 

How to get rid of cockroaches

Cockroaches are an unfortunate reality of urban life, scurrying out when you least expect it. If their dull, brown bodies have you running for cover and gross you out, you’re not alone. Want to have a cockroach-free home? Read on for some practical tips that really work to get rid of roaches for good.

Sweeten the deal

Boric acid and diatomaceous earth are the unsung heroes to killing cockroaches at home. Boric acid acts like a stomach poison while diatomaceous earth pierces the cockroach’s outer skeleton. To make the cockroach poison, take three parts boric acid powder with one part sugar and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle this concoction in the areas roaches live, like under the sink and in the pantry – use a thin layer to avoid them walking around it.

Clean and then clean some more

Household pests – and roaches in particular – love greasy, grimy areas like kids love lollies. Survey your kitchen and if you find the following, you need to take immediate action

Stove or cooker spills

Greasy kettles or other kitchen appliances

Crumbs around the toaster

Open boxes of snacks and cereals

Dirty dishes in the sink or dishwasher

Pet food left opened and uncovered

Open garbage bags

Food scraps on the kitchen floor and benchtops

Don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink and plug in drains when you’re not using them to avoid roaches crawling up through the pipes. Encourage your family to eat their meals and snacks in the kitchen and dining room instead of curling up on the couch to limit where roaches can crawl to in search of food

 

Cockroaches

What are cockroaches?

Cockroaches are scavenger insects that resemble beetles. There are many species of cockroaches, but one of the most common in our area is the German cockroach. German cockroaches are about 1/2 an inch long, oval-shaped, and have six legs. They are light brown in color and have two parallel stripes on their back near their head. Although they have wings, German cockroaches rarely fly, preferring instead to run. Cockroaches are scavengers, which means they feed on dead organisms. They’ll eat almost anything, such as animal carcasses, feces, garbage, book bindings, and toothpaste.

Are cockroaches dangerous?

Cockroaches are dangerous for a couple of reasons. First, their traveling and eating habits take them to many unsanitary places where they pick up bacteria, parasites, and other pathogens. If they then enter your home and walk around on your countertops, bathroom fixtures, and food, they will contaminate them with these germs, leaving you susceptible to serious illness. Cockroaches have been linked to the spread of thirty-three types of bacteria, six different parasitic worms, and at least seven other pathogens. Another reason to be concerned about a cockroach infestation is that they can trigger asthma symptoms, and even asthma attacks, in certain individuals.

Why do I have a cockroach problem?

Cockroaches sometimes enter homes when carried inside in boxes or bags, or by crawling in through any small opening they can find. If your home is humid or you have a moisture problem somewhere, and if you have a readily available food supply, roaches will be interested in staying in your home. They will also begin to reproduce, making your initially small problem quickly grow larger.

Where will I find cockroaches?

Cockroaches prefer warm, humid areas, and are most often found in kitchens, often hidden under sinks. However, they can also be found in bathrooms since moisture levels tend to be high in those rooms. Even a room with lower humidity may be at risk if it offers a food supply. Pantries, dining rooms, living rooms, or any room where you eat or leave food is at risk.

How do I get rid of cockroaches?

Cockroaches are some of the most difficult pests to get rid of. They have many defenses to protect themselves, including the ability to hold their breath for up to forty minutes. They can even live without a head for a week! Even if you figure out a way to kill them, cockroaches are excellent at hiding, so it’s unlikely that you’ll eliminate the entire problem through a DIY approach.

 

Turkestan cockroaches

What do Turkestan cockroaches look like?

Turkestan cockroaches are often called “rusty red cockroaches” or “red runner cockroaches.” They are closely related to the Oriental cockroach. What a Turkestan cockroach looks like greatly depends on whether it is a female or male. Females grow to about 1 inch in length and are dark brown to black in color. They have cream-colored markings along the edges of their body and behind their head. Females have short round wings with light-colored stripes along the wing edges. The males of this species are smaller than the females. They are brownish-orange in color and have yellowish-colored wings that extend past their slim abdomen. Males have the same cream-colored markings along the edges of their body as the females.

Are Turkestan cockroaches dangerous?

Like other species of cockroaches, Turkestan cockroaches are found inside homes and businesses and can cause significant health problems for people. Their saliva and excrement can trigger allergies and asthma and they introduce bacteria, parasites, and human pathogens that can make people quite ill. They will also contaminate food sources and food-prep areas. Keeping Turkestan cockroaches out of your home and away from your family is important for everyone’s health and safety.

Where do Turkestan cockroaches nest?

Turkestan cockroaches prefer to live outside in dark moist areas. They are often found nesting in compost piles, potted plants, leaf litter, in the cracks of concrete, in sewers, inside electrical boxes, or in or around the perimeter of homes and other structures.

Why do I have a Turkestan cockroach problem?

Turkestan cockroaches are commonly sold as food for pet reptiles because they are easy to care for and reproduce very quickly. However, regularly transporting these roaches across the country allows them to continually invade and infest new structures. While these roaches do prefer to live outside, when their population reaches its peak in the summer, they are more likely to find their way inside while out and about foraging for food sources. Male Turkestan cockroaches are attracted to light and are active at night. This makes it easy for them to find their way into a home through spaces around windows and doors.

How do I get rid of Turkestan cockroaches?

When dealing with a Turkestan cockroach infestation, the best thing to do is contact your local pest control company as soon as possible. At Pest Control, experts will come to your aid, perform a thorough inspection, and create a pest control program to help eliminate Turkestan cockroaches as well as prevent future invasions.