Are you noticing signs of a cockroach infestation? If so, there are a few things you should know about roaches before you consider what you're going to do about them. Why? Because roaches are hard to exterminate.
Opelika Cockroaches
In our area, we have many cockroach species. Only a small number of those species will enter your home and become pests. Of the few species that will, an even smaller number are likely to stay indoors permanently. That's the good news. The bad news is that the pest species in our area, such as the German cockroach and the American cockroach, are incredibly difficult to get rid of.
Why You Can't Get Rid Of Roaches
Cockroaches are tough and adaptable insects. There are many ways they are designed to avoid extermination.
Chemicals — Over the last century, we've thrown a lot of chemicals at cockroaches and have had some success in controlling them with chemicals. Unfortunately, the roaches that have survived exposure have become stronger. What's worse is they have passed their genes down to their offspring. Modern roaches are born with a tolerance for certain roach control products. If you attempt to exterminate the roaches in your home with chemicals, you'll be disappointed with the results. You're more likely to make yourself sick than to have any impact on the roach population in your home.
Baits — Roaches have not only altered themselves to become more tolerant to chemicals, some have altered their taste receptors to protect themselves from dangerous foods. Researchers have discovered populations of German cockroaches that are born with bait aversion. This is because the sweet substance used in roach bait now tastes bitter to them. If you use bait to get control of cockroaches, there is a high probability that they will fail, particularly if roach bait is the only tool you use.
Reproduction — Cockroaches reproduce incredibly fast. One female cockroach has the potential to create thousands of baby roaches in one year. What typically happens when Opelika residents attempt cockroach extermination is that roaches reproduce faster than the roach control products can get rid of them.
Mobility — Cockroaches can move quickly and they are able to compact themselves to squeeze through tiny gaps and cracks. It doesn't take long for a roach on the outside of your home to get to the inside. If you don't take steps to seal potential entry points, your chances of successfully arresting a cockroach infestation is almost reduced to zero.
How To Get Rid Of Roaches
A licensed professional uses a multi-pronged approach to arrest a cockroach infestation. Your technician will use a mixture of products and a field-tested strategy to ensure success.
Chemicals. If a cockroach infestation is serious, it may be necessary to use a strong product to deal with the infestation, this is particularly needed when German cockroaches are the cockroaches being treated. A cockroach flush-out treatment works to flush roaches out of their hiding places and then eliminates them. Once this is complete, another product is used to address any roaches that survive. This second product uses insect growth regulators to prevent cockroach development. Together, these can do what no over-the-counter spray could ever do.
Baits. If a roach infestation is small, bait can be used to get control of them. A licensed professional is able to determine the species of cockroach in your home and to deploy the correct bait to achieve success. Sometimes, more than one bait is needed.
Reproduction. A licensed professional may perform follow-ups to monitor the success of your treatments. If more treatments are needed, they are applied quickly to outpace cockroach reproduction.
Mobility. When you hire a licensed professional, you'll be educated on what conditions are attracting roaches to your yard and what entry points they may be using to get into your home. This equips you with the knowledge to address their impressive mobility. The unfortunate truth about cockroach infestations in Opelika is that one treatment won't make your home roach-free. You need to make lifestyle changes to get long-lasting roach control.
Cockroach-Related Illness
Another reason to hire a professional for a cockroach infestation is that roaches can make you sick and/or damage your belongings. They're known to spread bacteria, parasitic worms, and pathogens. They aggravate asthma allergies and increase hospital visits for asthma-related symptoms. They chew on cardboard, paper, and fabrics. This can have many undesirable consequences. It is not good to have roaches living in your home.
How Prewett Pest Control Can Help
We can fully address the cockroaches in your Opelika home and provide you with what you need to keep your home free of roaches. At the first sign of a cockroach infestation (or long before) reach out to us. Our team uses industry-leading strategies and products to get complete control of cockroaches. For more information, or to schedule service, drop us a line.