The Most Successful Cockroach Control For Vero Beach Homeowners

How to Identify A Cockroach

There are many insects that can get into your home, so you may find it difficult to properly identify a cockroach when you see it. In general, cockroaches have a few common characteristics. Roaches are oval-shaped. Most roaches have wings that are shiny and hang past the end of the abdomen. All roaches in Vero Beach have six spiny legs and two small appendages at the end of the abdomen. Those two little appendages are called cerci.

Cockroaches also share some common traits. They prefer nocturnal behavior and gravitate to dark spaces, so you can expect to find them hiding in your home. Most roaches stay hidden, even at night. There are only a few roaches in a collective that scout for food. These bold roaches are the roaches you'll occasionally find in your bathroom when you turn the light on at night.

All cockroaches are dirty pests. They leave their droppings in the places they explore. They also get into trash receptacles and feed on decaying organic matter. Since they do these things, cockroaches have an odor of decay. If you have an infestation, you may detect a smell that is a mixture of the sickly sweet smelling pheromone of roaches and rotting organic matter.    

There are several species of cockroaches. The most common in our area are the German cockroach, American cockroach, oriental cockroach, and brown-banded cockroach. They vary in size, color, and behavior. 

German cockroaches are the most common species found in homes and are usually tan in color with two dark stripes running down the body. They are about 1/2 to 5/8 inches long. They're preferred habitat is indoors. 

American cockroaches are the largest of the common species and are reddish-brown in color with a yellowish figure 8 pattern on the head. They can grow up to 2 inches long and are typically found in basements, sewers, and other damp areas.

Oriental cockroaches are shiny black or dark brown and are about 1 inch long. They prefer cool, damp areas and are commonly found in basements and crawl spaces.

Brown-banded cockroaches are smaller than the other species, only about 1/2 inch long, and are light brown with two light bands across the wings. They prefer warm, dry areas and are often found in bedrooms, closets, and furniture.

Knowing how to identify the species of cockroach in your home can help you determine the best course of action to eliminate them. If you need assistance with identification, send us a picture of your pest, or request a service visit to have a technician take a look. We offer advanced solutions for pest control in Vero Beach.

Cockroaches Trigger Allergies And Spread Disease

Cockroaches can cause a range of health problems for homeowners. The reason they make you sick is that they're unhygienic insects. They get into all sorts of unsanitary environments. When they do, they become a vector for invisible organisms and certain allergens. Here are some of the most common health risks associated with cockroaches:

Disease transmission: Cockroaches are known to spread harmful diseases caused by bacteria such as salmonella, E. coli, and many more. They can contaminate food and surfaces, cutting boards, dishes, silverware, toothbrushes, etc.

Allergies: Cockroaches are a common trigger for allergies, especially in young children. The allergens they produce can cause sneezing, a runny nose, itchy eyes, and respiratory problems.

Asthma: Cockroaches can trigger asthma attacks, especially in people with a history of respiratory problems, because their droppings and body parts contain allergens that can cause inflammation in the airways.

Gastrointestinal problems: If cockroaches contaminate food, they can cause gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea and vomiting because they carry harmful bacteria on their bodies, which can then be transferred to food.

Skin problems: Cockroaches can cause skin problems, such as dermatitis, in some people because their saliva and feces contain proteins that can irritate the skin.

It's important to take cockroach infestations seriously, as they can have serious health consequences. Let's look at how to identify and remove factors that attract cockroaches so that you can prevent infestations from occurring in the first place.

How To Identify And Remove Factors That Attract Cockroaches

Identifying and removing factors that attract cockroaches is a crucial step in preventing and controlling  cockroach infestations. Here are some of our best tips to help you identify and eliminate these factors.

• Clean your kitchen. Roaches can find many food sources in your kitchen. They eat the food you eat, and they'll eat it long after you would eat it. Roaches prefer decaying food. They'll eat debris on the floor, grim on the side of your oven, and food stuck to dirty dishes.
• Clean your bathroom. Roaches can find food in your bathroom. It is gross to think about but these insects feed on skin, hair, and waste materials. They also eat toothpaste.
• Clean your pantry, shelves, and cabinets. Tiny particles of food, grains of sugar, or honey stuck to the side of a bottle are all food sources for cockroaches.
• Guard your food to keep roaches out. Certain foods are best protected. Store them in sealed plastic containers to hold the scent of food inside and to prevent roaches from entering. Be sure to also keep food covered when it is sitting on the counter in your kitchen.
• Moisture control is essential. Cockroaches can grow a population faster in a home that is humid, or one that has damp spaces. Fixing leaking pipes and faucets, and installing a dehumidifier can have an impact.
• Use a caulking gun or expanding foam to fill in cracks and crevices. Doing so will deter roaches from easily moving about inside your home. While this is certainly not going to stop roaches, it will make it harder for them to thrive. As you fill in the cracks, keep in mind that no gap is too small. Roaches can slip through a gap the width of a debit card.
• Pick up clutter. Cockroaches prefer to stay hidden and like to squeeze into tight spaces. Rooms that are cluttered are easy for roaches to navigate. Picking up clutter is one more way to deter them.
• Manage your trash. Garbage is a food source for roaches, and the scent coming from your trash can attract roaches from a distance. Proper trash management includes keeping your trash covered, routinely removing trash from your home, and cleaning the receptacle if it starts to have an odor.
• Set a mealtime for your pets. Roaches eat dog and cat food. If you only place pet food down for a short time during the day, roaches will not have this food source to help them grow a population.
• Clean juice spills immediately. The scent of decaying juices sends a signal to roaches and increases roach activity.      

By identifying and removing factors that attract cockroaches, you can significantly reduce their population in your home and deter outdoor cockroaches from invading. But, if you have a severe infestation, it's best to call a licensed pest control company to handle the problem.