How did cockroaches get inside your home?

How did cockroaches get inside your home?

It's a nightmare for any homeowner. You take pride in your nice, clean house and then one day, you head down into the kitchen in the middle of the night, turn on the lights, and see tiny brown-colored bugs scurry away from the light. You realize you have cockroaches and the revulsion sets in. But how did they get in?

The fact is, cockroaches are common and can get inside very easily. The roaches inside your home might have already been there before you even moved in. They are very sneaky, and quite good at hiding. Finding them in your kitchen, basement, bathroom or under your sink is not a reflection of your house-cleaning abilities at all. Cockroaches are very hearty insects – surprisingly resourceful and opportunistic. They may find their way in no matter how hard you try. Roaches are also nocturnal, so unless you spend a lot of time up and about during late night hours, it is entirely possible you may not notice them until you just happen to catch one or two scurrying around on the floor one night.

How do cockroaches get into the house? Where do they hide? Ehrlich Pest Control specialists know the answer to these questions and can help you get rid of cockroaches already inside and prevent them from returning.

How do cockroaches get inside?

Cockroaches have wings, but are terrible fliers. That means the cockroaches inside your home probably got there through means other than flying through an open window. In fact, it's possible you carried them in yourself.

Some species are known to hide in cardboard boxes as they are active in warehouses. Occasionally, they’ll sneak inside boxes shipped out to homes like yours and can end up inside, so make sure to inspect boxes when they arrive on your doorstep.

Cockroaches can get in through the pipes, too. In apartment buildings, a cockroach infestation in one apartment can quickly spread to others. The plumbing system connects the apartments, allowing roaches to scurry from one to the next. Roaches are also known to get inside from sewer drains in basements or other areas.

Cockroaches can also get inside a home through small openings. Is there a space under the door in the garage? The front or back door? Are there cracks in your foundation or siding? Is there a space where utilities like pipes or electrical wires come through the wall and leave areas exposed to the outside? Any of those spaces are enough for a roach to get inside the home, inside the walls, and then to start breeding.

Where do cockroaches hide?

Once roaches get inside, they are hard to find. This is how they survive and reproduce so fast. Remember, these are relatively small, flat insects, so cockroaches can hide just about anywhere. They want easy access to food and a place that's hidden so they don't get caught or removed.

Once inside, roaches can hide in the walls. They will hide beneath sinks and in spaces out of sight and out of reach. They lurk in basements, attics, pantries and kitchen cabinets, specifically in dark or damp spaces.

Keep cockroaches away with Ehrlich

You don't have to worry about where cockroaches came from when you have the cockroach control team at Ehrlich Pest Control on your side. Our trained specialists know how to spot what type of cockroach is in your home, how they got in, where they are hiding and how to get rid of them. Plus, they offer advice and solution to stop cockroaches from coming back.

For your free property inspection and to discuss cockroach removal and prevention options, contact your local Ehrlich office today.