Information about Cockroaches
Some homeowners believe that a cockroach sighting in their home is nothing to worry about and that a single bug cannot be a threat to their home and their health, yet if you have sighted a cockroach then that is often an indication that that cockroach has been driven out of its nest by overcrowding. Cockroaches are unsanitary insects that can cause health problems and worsen others therefore it is important that you contact EKA Pest Control immediately.
Types of Cockroaches and How They Live
The main types of cockroaches are the American, Brown Banded, Oriental, and German cockroaches. All roaches are flat, and oval in shape, oily in texture, have wings, and six legs that allow them to scurry quickly across surfaces. Also all roaches have a mouth that is bent downward and backwards for better chewing and that can mentally process smell and taste simultaneously. Despite constantly being on the lookout for more food sources, roaches can store body fat and live off that fat. The most common– the American cockroach stands as the largest roach at slightly bigger than 2 inches, and are a reddish brown, or mahogany color while their young are a greyish white color. Another common roach that infests homes, the Brown Banded cockroach, are considerably smaller in size around 5/8th of an inch and vary from light to dark brown with two dark lines running down its back.
Due to their nocturnal lifestyle it is hard find clear evidence that you may have an infestation. Cockroaches tend to look for nesting areas that are dark, warm and moist. Therefore they can be found behind refrigerators, freezers, stoves, under sinks and floor drains and due to their ability to flatten themselves down they can live underneath mats, behind wallpaper and inside cracks in the wall. Another indication that you may have a problem is the evidence of their feces. Depending on the size of the cockroach, their feces can vary from the size of coffee grounds to resembling rodent feces which is cylindrical. Further evidence that you have an infestation will be the shed exoskeletons or molting cockroaches and cockroach carcasses. Cockroaches are adaptable creatures and can live off of practically anything that is decaying in their surrounding environment such as hair, books, rotting food, feces, and even wallpaper glue. Cockroaches that inhabit a home tend to go to the most abundant food source which will be any human food that is easily accessible.
Cockroaches and the Health Risk They Pose
The common belief that cockroaches are unsanitary, disgusting creatures is not unfounded, and because they can live off unsanitary things and then get to any surface in your home they can carry large amounts of bacteria that can be harmful to you. After you come into contact with something that a cockroach has touched you can contract dysentery, typhoid, poliomyelitis, and gastroenteritis. Other health problems can include worsening allergies or asthma due to the dust created by shed exoskeletons.
If a homeowner does decide to treat a cockroach infestation by themselves they often encounter the problem of getting rid of the cockroaches but not the nest. When female cockroaches lay eggs those eggs are incased in a protective shell called oothecae. These dark brown eggs go unaffected by pesticides and a homeowner’s cockroach problem will continue to spread. Therefore it is best to contact a EKA professional exterminator to handle an infestation.
Call EKA Pest Control at 09799982286 and schedule an appointment today if you suspect that cockroaches have invaded your home
