The Trick To Tackling A Cockroach Infestation In Baltimore
Have you had an experience where you knew you had to fix a problem but didn’t know where to start? When you don’t know where to begin, sometimes you want to delay solving the issue, but some things, like cockroaches in your house, require immediate attention. The problem is, where do you begin? How do you stop an infestation of these filthy pests?
You probably found our article because you have cockroaches in your house and are looking for answers. The first step to tackling a cockroach problem is securing pest control in Baltimore from Advanced Termite Control. We have removed cockroaches from homes for years. Take it from one of the best pest control providers in our region: we know how to stop a cockroach infestation, and we’ll use industry-leading tools and tactics in order to do so.
If you struggle with stopping cockroaches in your home, we are here to help. We give you the knowledge you need to begin ending the infestation in your home, so please keep reading.
Common Species Of Cockroaches Found In Baltimore
Before we get into the cockroach species in our area, let’s first define the characteristics of these disgusting pests. Cockroaches are insects with six jointed legs, two long, thin antennae, wings or wing pads, and a three-segmented body consisting of a head, thorax, and abdomen. Like all insects, cockroaches are cold-blooded, lay eggs, and have to shed their outer shell (exoskeleton) to grow using a process known as molting.
Cockroaches are omnivores who eat anything from plants to dead insects and animal skin. They also digest glue, paper, alcohol, book bindings, feces, fingernails, hair, toothpaste, and anything with protein, carbohydrates, or fats. While you sleep, cockroaches actively forage for food throughout your home and yard because they are nocturnal. If you wake up in the middle of the night and stumble into the bathroom and flip on the lights, you may see several cockroaches as they scatter across the floor. Although they vary in body size, coloration, and somewhat in their habits, the three types of cockroaches invading Maryland homes prefer moist environments in the lower levels of a home.
The three cockroach species problematic for Baltimore homeowners are:
- German cockroaches
- American cockroaches
- Oriental cockroaches
Let’s look individually at the ones that invade many homes in our area now that we have a general understanding of cockroaches. If you have a cockroach infestation, the following information should help you as you tackle this pest problem in your house.
German cockroaches are the most common cockroach species in homes throughout America. Unlike the other two cockroach groups on our list, this group cannot survive outdoors; instead, they depend on humans. These cockroaches do not enter a house from the outside property but use boxes, bags, clothing, used furniture, and appliances for transportation from one location to another.
German cockroaches have a 1/2 to 5/8-inch tannish body with two distinctive dark streaks running parallel on their back. Although they have wings, they do not fly but use their six legs to move quickly throughout the house. Although they are called German cockroaches, these pests originated in Southeast Asia, which may explain why they prefer humid, moist areas in bathrooms, basements, kitchens, laundry rooms, closets, etc. You often find these creatures near food or water sources.
American cockroaches are the giants in the American cockroach kingdom. These reddish-brown insects have bodies ranging from 1 1/4 to 2 1/8 inches long with a yellowish figure-eight mark on the top of their head. Unlike German cockroaches, American cockroaches prefer to live outside homes, in sewers and drains, especially when those locations have temperatures between 70? and 80?. When they enter a house to escape falling temperatures or a long period of dry weather, they’ll migrate to the kitchen, bathroom, basement, or laundry room. Although they eat anything, they are fond of fermenting food under appliances, in the kitchen garbage disposal, or inside drains.
Although the German and American cockroaches are similar in color, you can distinguish between them by their body size. However, the shiny black body of the last cockroach on our list, the oriental roach, sets it apart. Don’t let the name fool you because this inch-long roach is probably a product of Africa, not Asia. Sometimes called “water bugs” or “black beetle cockroaches,” if these pests enter a home, they prefer damp, cool basements and crawl spaces. Like American cockroaches, oriental cockroaches would rather live under leaves, woodpiles, or inside sewers but enter homes during hot, dry summers by running underneath doors and squeezing through siding gaps.
Whatever cockroach invades your house, you need roach pest control from Advanced Termite Control. Using their extensive knowledge about cockroaches, our licensed and insured technicians will identify the species infesting your Baltimore home and take action targeting that cockroach group.
Why A Cockroach Infestation Is Considered Dangerous
There are thousands of insect species worldwide, so what makes cockroaches dangerous? The problem begins with their foraging habits. Cockroaches enjoy foraging for food in warm, moist areas, which are large-scale Petri dishes for bacteria, viruses, and parasitic worms. The other issue is the horizontal spines protruding from their cockroach legs.
As the insects travel through these areas with fermenting, rotting plant and insect material, their spines pick up the disease-causing pathogens lying on the surface. When the roaches enter and travel through homes, the infectious organisms transfer to cooking and eating areas, food packaging, and contents inside cabinets where they move.
Because cockroaches eat rotting and decaying organic material in these disease-ridden locations, they ingest the pathogens. Cockroaches then produce waste infected with the pathogens. As they travel through a house, depositing droppings, they taint surfaces, utensils, exposed food, etc. Cockroaches also spread infectious organisms from their saliva as they chew on paper packaging, book bindings, etc.
Salmonellosis, typhoid fever, cholera, gastroenteritis, and E. coli infection are bacterial diseases cockroaches carry. Parasitic worms from cockroaches cause dysentery and giardia. Reportedly, cockroaches spread over 33 bacterial diseases, 7 human pathogens, and 6 parasitic worms.
The other danger from cockroaches is more subtle. Their pepper-like droppings dry out, and the particles break off and become airborne. When inhaled, they may trigger a runny nose, watery eyes, and other allergic reactions. In some individuals, these particles cause breathing issues and other asthmatic symptoms. In addition to the airborne particles, cockroaches produce a protein that causes rashes and similar problems in some people when they come into contact with the insect or use towels and other items that cockroaches touch.
Advanced Termite Control knows how to get rid of cockroaches for good. We will help protect your family from the dangerous diseases these pests spread.
Five Naturally Effective Cockroach Prevention Tips
Aside from the dangers of cockroaches in your house, there is the embarrassment factor. No one wants to entertain guests and have a massive cockroach dart out from underneath the couch or scurry out from the cabinet as you prepare dinner for your friends. Once Advanced Termite Control eradicates cockroaches from your Baltimore home, here are five house cockroach prevention tips that will help keep them from returning.
- Seal exterior cracks and gaps.
- Install door sweeps.
- Repair leaky faucets, pipes, and drains.
- Keep garbage containers closed.
- Vacuum the house frequently.
Cockroaches enter houses through openings 3/16 of an inch or larger in foundations, between siding and frames, and incoming pipes and wires. Seal these cracks with silicone-based caulk. Oriental cockroaches often enter beneath exterior doors, but door sweeps will also keep the American cockroaches from entering from the yard. All three cockroach types like moist areas, so maintaining a dry home deters them. The last two items on our list will remove food sources for many cockroaches when they enter a home. Suction corners and along baseboards and flooring as you sweep the house.
While these tips will deter a future infestation, secure the best home pest control in Maryland, Advanced Termite Control. Our highly-trained technicians will alert you regarding attractants and entry points when they conduct a thorough investigation.
The Trick To Total Cockroach Control For Baltimore Homes
Due to their rapid reproductive rate and ability to hide inside walls and other difficult-to-reach locations, eliminating cockroaches is not as easy as purchasing a store-bought product. You need to know the cockroach species invading your house, where they store eggs, and nesting locations to eradicate them successfully.
The best way to get rid of cockroaches is to use Advanced Termite Control. We will send a fully vetted, trained, and certified technician to your Baltimore home when you call for help. Our technicians know the signs cockroaches leave and can determine the attractants, entry points, and hot spots. Once we collect data and talk to you about your experiences, we develop a custom strategic plan targeting the offending species.
When you call, you get help from a company with eight decades of experience, knowledge, and quality, award-winning pest control service. Tackle your cockroach problem and contact us today to learn about our pest control program.
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