Cockroaches can be bothersome and gross. In this article, we will talk about the different types of cockroaches you will see and how to get rid of cockroaches or help us before we can come in and exterminate them for you.
There are two types of cockroaches you are most likely to see here in the United States; the American Cockroach and the German Cockroach.
American Cockroach
American cockroaches love the dark and thrive in darker areas in your home. They are a reddish brown or mahogany color. These cockroaches can be recognized by the are behind their heads that is outlined with a yellow band. American cockroaches are fast and may fly if startled. Some usual places for an American cockroach to hide would be in basements, in pantries or behind appliances. A simple way to detect if you have American cockroaches would be to check for their droppings in places where they could frequent. Their droppings are small and are often mistaken with mouse droppings. However, instead of the pointed ends on the mouse droppings, American cockroach droppings have ridges of the sides and are blunt on the ends.
German Cockroach
German cockroaches are known for their love of warm, humid places close to food and moisture. They are a light brown to tan color and have two dark almost parallel stripes located on their backs just behind their heads. The German cockroach’s droppings are usually found in areas they frequent most. The droppings look like small, dark “pepper-like” material left on counter tops or in drawers.
How to Get Rid of Cockroaches
1. Seek professional help
The first step you should take when you notice you could have a cockroach infestation is to call Insight to schedule a time for one of our technicians to come out to your home and completely eliminate them for you. However, sometimes those appointments are not same day, so here are some other ways to deter them until professionals can come.
2. Cut their food supply off
Roaches need food to survive just like any living creature. They can live off almost anything that is left out like crumbs or food debris. In order to rid them of their food supply, it is important to clean spilled or leftover food, but to also check behind cabinets and appliances for leftover crumbs as well.
3. Find hiding places and eliminate them
Cockroaches find special hiding places to make their home, and to get rid of them, those hiding places must become unlivable. They love making stacks of paper or cardboard boxes their homes, so clean up clutter in order to keep the roaches from hanging out there.
4. Close gaps
Baits can be effective, but they are not fully effective when cockroaches still have a place to break in from the outside. One way to get rid of those entry points for the roaches is to use caulk to fill possible holes in walls, tiles, crevices, doors and windows. This will help to keep them out.
If you are seeing signs of a possible cockroach infestation, call Insight Pest Solutions today to receive the correct treatment for your problem.
