Some pest infestations are tough to spot. Many creepy critters are good at hiding and sticking to the shadows, all while benefiting from human activity and waste. Few pests exemplify this quite like cockroaches, which invade properties and survive off of scraps. Only by preparing for and spotting the signs of a cockroach infestation can you hope to avoid the worse dangers that they cause.
What Are American Cockroaches?
The largest invasive cockroach species in the United States is the American cockroach. These reddish-brown bugs can grow up to 2 inches in length and survive on the merest of traces of food or fibers. Contrary to their name, American cockroaches originated from Africa and the Middle East and were introduced to the American colonies hundreds of years ago on cargo ships. You can tell them from other cockroaches by a telltale figure-8 shape found directly behind their heads. Like other cockroach varieties, American cockroaches have wings, though they only use them to flutter short distances.
Why Are Cockroaches Bad?
Cockroaches aren’t just nasty to look at, they are damaging and dangerous to your health and property. In addition to being difficult to get rid of, cockroaches pose all of the following problems if they make a home out of your property:
- Disease: Cockroaches are known carriers of plague, salmonella, and other dangerous illnesses. Their mere presence on a property can expose people to the transmission of these diseases and cockroaches can also carry parasites that pose health risks, too.
- Damage: Cockroaches can chew through wall insulation, food packaging, and a bunch of other things that they call food. They can also leave streaky stains on surfaces as they drag their greasy bodies around.
- Odor: Cockroaches leave droppings and shed skins in their wake, all of which contribute to foul odors that can permeate a property.
How To Prevent Cockroach Infestations
The best way to address a cockroach infestation is to take steps to avoid one in the first place. Here are some simple but important steps you can take to defend against American cockroaches on your property:
- Food storage: Cockroaches will chew through packaging and scrounge for crumbs in hard-to-reach areas. Store food in sturdy containers and deep clean regularly to eliminate food traces. Don’t forget about pet food.
- Trash storage: You also need to consider how you store your garbage, as cockroaches can chew through bags and squeeze in under the lips of a lid.
- Crack sealing: No hole or crack in a wall is too small for a cockroach which can flatten its body and squeeze into impossibly tight spaces. Routinely check for and fix any holes or cracks you find in your exterior.
- Professional treatments: General housekeeping and maintenance can give you a fighting chance, but there are no guarantees outside of professional prevention. Safe and effective treatments to your exterior can ward off cockroaches and many other pests.
The Best Way To Protect Against Cockroaches
With so many problems they pose and areas where they can attack, cockroaches are a pest better left to the experts to handle. Unproven prevention methods and treatments can end up wasting time and money, with a cockroach infestation surviving and coming back in full force. At The Original Bugman Pest Elimination, Inc., our track record speaks for itself: decades of experience spotting and removing American cockroaches.
Our friendly staff can provide you with even more prevention tips and things to watch out for. Get started by calling and setting up an inspection of your property. At the very least, you can rest easy knowing a trained pair of eyes has checked your property. Don’t wait on cockroach prevention; act now before a problem becomes a hazard. Learn more about our home pest control and commercial pest control services.
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