COCKROACH CONTROL: THREATS AND SOLUTIONS

All about cockroaches

Cockroaches can be found infesting everything from homes to restaurants to ships and planes. They may follow water pipes and electrical lines through walls from one room to another and even from one apartment to another.

TYPES OF COCKROACHES 

American Cockroach 

asian cockroach 

australian cockroach 

brown-banded cockroach 

cuban cockroach 

florida-woods cockroach 

german cockroach 

oriental cockroach 

smoky-brown cockroach 

surinam cockroach 

wood cockroach 

Cockroach infestation

Cockroaches are accomplished hitchhikers. In fact, German cockroaches usually first get into buildings by riding in boxes, in furniture and in other items brought into the building. Most other cockroach species invade from the outside or from sewers or drains.

Most cockroaches prefer to rest on wood rather than on metal and other surfaces. That’s why you’ll often find them living in wood cabinets or in cardboard boxes. German cockroach fecal material contains a pheromone that tells other cockroaches that the area is a good place to harbor. Large numbers of cockroaches may congregate in areas where fecal material has accumulated. These areas are called aggregation points.

All dishes and food items should be removed from shelving before treating for cockroaches. Good sanitation helps put stress on a cockroach population by making them more susceptible to treatments and baits.

Signs of a Cockroach Infestation

There are a few telltale signs of a roach infestation in your home. Keep an eye out for the following:

• Seeing a roach – If you actually see a cockroach in your home, there may be others nearby.
• Roach droppings – Depending on the species of the cockroach, roach feces can look like coffee grounds or ground pepper, and they will be found anywhere roaches are present, including cabinets and pantries.
• Discarded egg cases – Also called oothecae, roach egg cases are oblong and brown. These may be a sign of a roach infestation. Even more concerning, finding a combination of egg cases as well as nymphs and adult roaches means the roaches in your home are reproducing. They are commonly found stuck to surfaces like cabinet doors or furniture.

Prevention

Now that you know how to spot a roach infestation, it’s time to find out how to help keep them out of your kitchen. Keep these tips and tricks in mind:

• Clean Up – A clean kitchen is your first line of defense against roaches, specifically German cockroaches. Wipe down your counters and sink daily to remove any crumbs that may serve as sources of food. Additionally, clean small kitchen appliances, like toasters, microwaves and toaster ovens, which may collect crumbs. Don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink or on the counters overnight, when roaches are most active. Keep your garbage can tightly sealed and take the trash out regularly.
• Use Proper Storage – Roaches can crawl through small spaces, and once they get into kitchen cabinets or the pantry, they can easily find their way into boxes or cartons of food. Keep food stored in airtight containers so the roaches can’t access it. If you have pets, be sure to keep their food tightly sealed as well, and always put any leftovers away. If you leave dog or cat food out on the floor overnight, you risk attracting roaches.
• Manage Moisture – Moisture attracts roaches, and these insects have been known to live in kitchen and bathroom drains .Keep an eye out for leaky faucets, and check for excess moisture in the cabinets beneath your sink. Fix any holes in or around the pipes using caulk or another sealant. You can also clean out your drains with a drain cleaner (sold at grocery stores) and use a drain cover to help keep roaches out. These tips are especially helpful if you have a garbage disposal. Food particles can build up in your drain, and it will be important to keep it clean.
• Seal Up Cracks – Many types of roaches enter homes from the outside, and their flat bodies allow them to crawl through extremely small spaces. Check the area around your kitchen for gaps, cracks and holes that may serve as entry points. You can add weather stripping around your doors and seal areas around windows that roaches may be able to crawl through.

Get Expert Help

Despite your best efforts to keep them out, you may still find cockroaches in your kitchen. After all, they’re resilient and resourceful – they’ve been around since before the dinosaurs. If you notice any of the common signs of a roach infestation in your home, contact a pest control company immediately. Unfortunately, some roach infestations may go undetected until the populations are well established, so time is of the essence.

MCT pest Control professionals begin by inspecting and treating available hiding places in which cockroaches might live. This includes electric motors, electronic equipment, false ceilings, wall voids and accessible cracks and voids.A variety of application techniques and methods may then be used to provide a comprehensive cockroach treatment, including crack and crevice treatments, void treatments and baits.