Cockroaches are flat, quick insects that have long antennae. They have three life stages: egg, nymph, and adult. Although they don’t live in nests like ants or termites, they do tend to hide in the same areas. Roaches are nocturnal and remain hidden during the day in dark, secluded areas. At night, they search for food and will eat nearly anything. Not only will they eat all types of human or pet food, but they will eat other items like glue, hair, and soap.

There are over 60 species of cockroaches in North America, but only a few infest homes and other structures. These include German cockroaches, American cockroaches, oriental cockroaches, brown-banded cockroaches, and smokybrown cockroaches. We offer cockroach control services for all species.

Roaches can enter your home through cracks, windows, and many other entry points. Often times, they are actually carried indoors with boxes and bags! They thrive in environments that give them easy access to food and water, which is why bad infestations typically occur in dirtier homes. However, roaches can live in clean areas too. They only need access to shelter, food, and water to survive.

Roaches in your clean home can also be a sign of infestations around your neighborhood. In some cases, cockroaches can even travel between apartments through drains or vents.

Infestations can grow quickly, which is why cockroach control should be initiated as soon as you notice signs of infestation. A single female cockroach will produce hundreds of eggs in their lifetime. Depending on the species, they can lay anywhere from 15–50 eggs per egg sac. German roaches lay the most eggs, which is why these infestations often get out of hand quickly.

While cockroaches won’t bite or sting you, they are a danger to the health of humans and pets. For one, roaches can transfer diseases. They can carry salmonella, poliomyelitis, dysentery, cholera, gastroenteritis, leprosy, giardia, listeriosis, E.coli, and even more dangerous diseases. These can be unknowingly transferred into your food sources that roaches have access to.

Similar to dust mites, they leave behind sheddings that can cause allergies or even trigger asthma. Cockroach allergens are one of the strongest risk factors for the development of asthma in low-income communities.

How do you know if you have an infestation and need cockroach control? There are a few signs to watch out for.

Eggs

Cockroaches can lay hundreds of eggs in a shell that looks like a capsule. If you notice these egg casings in your home, you likely have an infestation. They like to lay their eggs in dark areas such as corners, drawers, cracks, garbage cans, or under furniture. Each casing typically contains 15–50 eggs! Egg sacs are naturally hard to exterminate with pesticides, which is why cockroach control can be difficult for non-professionals.

Cockroach Droppings

Cockroaches often leave poop trails as they run around your home searching for food and water. These will look similar to ground coffee or pepper specks. If you notice roach droppings, be sure to clean the counters and other areas extremely well to avoid diseases being transferred. Also, make sure to throw out any food sources they could have accessed.