There’s not a lot more disconcerting than flipping on the lights in your home and seeing a bunch of cockroaches scurry about. After all, cockroaches are gross, dirty pests that nobody wants to see inside their home. However, did you know that cockroaches aren’t just dirty, but dangerous, too? That’s because they can contaminate the surfaces in your home and spread all sorts of disease-causing bacteria and pathogens. As such, you need to know the steps you can take to help keep cockroaches out of your Auburn home.
Identifying Common Area Cockroaches
While there are nearly 4,600 species of cockroach worldwide, here in Auburn, you will most likely only ever encounter a few. These include German cockroaches, American cockroaches, and brown-banded cockroaches.
German cockroaches grow to be about 5/8th of an inch long and are light-brown or tan in color. Additionally, they have two dark parallel lines on their backs, just behind their heads. Both male and female German cockroaches can fly, however, as they prefer to run, they rarely do so. German cockroaches like to live in warm, humid areas nearby food or water sources.
American cockroaches grow to be about 2 1/8th inches long and are reddish-brown in color. Additionally, they have a pale-yellow figure-eight pattern on the backs of their heads. Male and female American cockroaches have wings and can fly for short distances. American cockroaches prefer to live in warm, moist, and dark environments.
Brown-banded cockroaches grow to be ½ an inch long and are brown in color. They also have a lighter brown banding across their wings which is how they get their name. Males have long wings that allow them to fly. However, the wings of the females are underdeveloped which prohibits them from flying.
What Attracts Cockroaches Into Homes
Cockroaches will enter homes in search of food, water, or shelter. Therefore, if your home has leaky pipes, food or crumbs on the floors and countertops, or overflowing trash cans, you could be attracting cockroaches inside. Additionally, cockroaches love clutter. As such, a deep clean is a great place to start when it comes to keeping cockroaches out. Don’t forget to get hard to access places like under heavy appliances and the backs of cupboards.
Cockroach Prevention Techniques
In addition to keeping your home clean and free of clutter, there are some other steps that you can take to better protect yourself from a cockroach infestation. These include:
- Store all food in air-tight containers or the refrigerator.
- Wipe up any spills or crumbs from floors and countertops immediately.
- Refrain from keeping dirty dishes stacked in your sink for long periods of time.
- Pick up any uneaten pet food.
- Take out the trash regularly.
- Store trash in bins with tight-sealing lids.
- Fix any leaky pipes or fixtures in your home.
- Use dehumidifiers to keep the moisture levels low in your home.
- Seal any cracks in the foundation of your home.
- Install door sweeps under exterior doors.
- Install weatherstripping around windows and exterior doors.
What To Do If Cockroaches Invade Your Home
In the unfortunate circumstance that your home is infested with cockroaches, don’t panic. Rather, call the trained pest professionals here at Prewett Pest Control for assistance. Our expert pest technicians have both the experience and the expertise needed to effectively eliminate any cockroach infestation with which you are dealing. In addition to this, we will work with you to take the necessary steps to better protect your home from any future infestations. Don’t put your family at risk by letting cockroaches roam free in your home. Give us a call today.