Local Cockroach Control in Your Home
Cockroaches can be a pest to your home and business. They are very difficult to control and can cause health problems. Cockroach prevention is easier than cockroach control, but it does not necessarily eliminate the problem entirely. Cockroaches usually enter through small openings around windows and doors, or in cracks in walls or floors.
Identify the type of cockroach
The German cockroach, one of the most common household pests, is also one of the smallest. The adult is about 1/2 inch long, tan to light brown in color, and looks like a small brown beetle.
The American cockroach is another very common household pest and can grow up to 2 inches in length. They are reddish-brown in color with a light colored band behind each set of legs.
Brown-banded cockroaches are light brown with two dark bands across their wings and thorax. They do not require food or water and live off of organic material such as glue on book bindings or paper products.
The oriental cockroach, Blatta orientalis, is a species of cockroach. It is one of the most common species of cockroach in the world, and is found on all continents except Antarctica. In North America, it is often referred to as the waterbug or black beetle.
The Turkestan cockroach is dark brown in color with a yellowish tinge on the abdomen. It has two black spots on its pronotum (the area behind its head). Its wings are transparent, but they do not have wing pads like other cockroaches do.
Determine how they are getting in
The first step in controlling cockroaches is to find out where they’re getting in. This can be done by checking for cracks, gaps, and holes. Be sure to check around windows, doors, pipes, sinks and appliances. Cockroaches are small enough that you may be able to see them crawling through the openings.
If there are no obvious cracks or holes around your home then it’s time to look for signs of water damage. Moisture will attract cockroaches into your home. Especially if their nests aren’t too far away from an area where there’s moisture present such as under the sink or near pipes in a basement.
Once you’ve determined where they’re coming from it’s time to seal up those areas so new cockroaches don’t get inside again later on down the road!
Determine what is attracting the cockroaches
Cockroaches are attracted to food, water, and warmth. They can live for weeks without food but need water to survive. Cockroaches can live in temperatures as low as 50 degrees Fahrenheit and as high as 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
When you know what is attracting the cockroaches, it’s time to eliminate their food source.
Eliminate potential attractants
If you have roaches in your home, there are some ways to cut their food sources and hiding places. The first step is to remove clutter from the area, including any old newspapers or cardboard boxes. Next, you should remove all food sources in your home by cleaning up spills right away. You should also clean out pet dishes regularly and keep them clean at all times. Finally, be sure not to leave dirty dishes lying around on the countertop or kitchen table.
Remove trash from underneath couches or countertops. These spaces could provide shelter for these pests if left out exposed for too long without being cleaned. If there’s any grease buildup from cooking it needs to be cleaned regularly.
Find out where they are going so you know how to keep them out
Determine where they are going so you can determine how to keep them out:
- Use a flashlight to see where they are going. Cockroaches need food and water, so look for signs of both.
- If there are holes in walls, vents or anywhere else that cockroaches could fit through, seal them off with steel wool or some other material.
- If the roaches appear to be going into your kitchen at night time, set up traps there. You can purchase traps online or at your local hardware store.
- Put traps under cabinets where you think cockroaches may be coming from and hiding out during the day time hours.
