Cockroach Problems

The cockroach is a high risk pest to have in your home as cockroaches carry a range of serious illnesses including salmonella, dysentery, and gastroenteritis. Cockroach droppings may also lead to some cases of childhood asthma.

Cockroaches in Your Home

Need help with a cockroach problem? Cockroaches can breed rapidly and are highly resilient. For this reason, it is very important to know how to get rid of cockroaches in your home and to act quickly to prevent them in your home or spreading to your neighbors.

Identifying a Cockroach

There are three common species of cockroaches found in the home:

• German Cockroach - 5/8” - Also known as the “croton bug” the German roach is brown in color with 2 dark stripes on thorax. The wings are as long as the body or slightly overlapping in both sexes, despite this they prefer to run or climb. Prefers moist environments such as kitchen cabinets and bathrooms.
  

• Oriental Cockroach - 1 ½” - Dark brown to black in color. The wings are undeveloped in female but cover ¾ length of the abdomen in the male; both sexes prefer to run or climb. Prefers cool, damp environments like drains, sewers and crawl spaces.
  

• American Cockroach - 1 ½” - Also known as the palmetto bug, the American Cockroach is reddish brown in color and has a pale yellow area around the perimeter of the pronotum. These cockroaches tend to be found in dark, undisturbed areas that are high in humidity.
  

Signs of a Cockroach Problem in Your Home

Are you worried about cockroaches in your home? If you notice any of the signs below, your home may be at risk from cockroaches:

• Seeing live insects – cockroaches are nocturnal and hide during the day. You will most likely see them when turning on the light in the kitchen at night
• Egg cases and cast skins – cockroaches shed their skin 5-8 times as they mature
• Droppings – cockroaches leave a dust of black droppings less than 1mm wide and of varying lengths
• Odor – established cockroach infestations produce an unpleasant, musty smell
• Damage - cockroaches will attack organic goods including leather and books

If you are worried, contact a pest control professional for more help with cockroach problems in your home or advice on how to get rid of roaches.