Cockroach Extermination: When to Call in Professionals

Cockroaches Have Adapted to Thrive

Roaches have been around for millions of years, which shows these creatures can adapt to any environment. One way they’ve survived is by their nocturnal behavior. These insects are small compared to the animals that use them as food, so going out at night becomes a survival skill for them. They can conduct their business with minimal disturbances, and it’s easier for them to find a place with food and shelter.

An interesting thing about roaches is they don’t feel emotional stress like humans. Cockroaches are calm, relaxed, and collected critters. It doesn’t matter if the temperature takes a 30-degree hike as they go from hot to cold in the blink of an eye. They can adapt and live in a wide variety of climates without issues.

Over time, roaches have become immune to certain pesticides used for eradication. While this is great for them to maintain life and grow, it inhibits the ability of professionals to control them. Roaches have survived through the centuries because of their resilient nature, and they aren’t going to let things like temperature, pesticides, or anything else stand in their way.

What Attracts Cockroaches to Your Home?

Just like humans, roaches need water and food to survive. Water is readily available in your home, and it will attract them. If there are any locations with standing water, it’s sure to create the ideal home for these insects.

A leaking pipe is like putting out a welcome mat for any critter that loves decay. To prevent these issues, you must take care of any leaks in your home no matter how small. Any excessive moisture coming from the sinks, the roof, or your faucets can cause trouble.

Hiding Places

Roaches are naturally nocturnal, so they prefer a dark space to dwell in. During the day, they hide in your walls, cabinets, and other appliances, so they won’t be disturbed. Any clutter within your house is the perfect refuge for them when the sun’s up. There are a few things you can do to help minimize hiding spots.

• Never keep piles of cardboard boxes, stacks of magazines, and paper products around the home.
• Seal cracks or crevices around doors, windows, and foundations to ensure they can’t gain entry or hide in them.
• Make sure to fill in any voids around baseboards or cabinets that allow them to access these areas.
• Get rid of any clutter that gives any insect, bug, or vermin a secure place to nest.

Food

Cockroaches are very resourceful regarding food, and they will eat just about anything. These insects love bacon grease, crumbs, and spilled cereal in the pantry, but they will chew on old books if nothing else is available. To prevent an infestation or get rid of one, you must do the following:

• Clean up all spills and crumbs immediately.
• Ensure you store all dry goods in an airtight container.
• Never leave your pet’s food out all day and night, as it’s an open invitation for vermin, ants, roaches, and tons of other pests. Also, be sure to wash the bowls after feeding time as residue and crumbs can be enticing.

Smells

Some scents attract roaches, and others repel them. Trash is exciting to an insect, as they know there’s food nearby. Some essential oils are repugnant to them, so using them around your home can help repel them. Here are some things you can do to avoid attracting them with scents:

• Keep all garbage in enclosed receptacles outside the home.
• Empty your trash inside frequently.
• Clean up food preparation areas or anywhere where the smell of your cooking might linger, such as oven hood covers.

Warmth

While roaches are resilient critters, they prefer a warmer climate. Have you ever wondered why they’re attracted to electronic devices or your wall outlets? Electricity produces heat, and it makes them feel most comfortable.

Since your home has an HVAC system, it makes it an attractive habitat for them. While you can only control so much about the home’s overall temperatures, you can ensure it’s well-ventilated to keep humidity at bay. This can help to regulate the temperature and maintain proper airflow, which can reduce humidity levels.

When Should You Call the Pros for a Cockroach Problem?

Did you know that the earliest human habitats had problems keeping cockroaches at bay. They reproduce quickly and can adapt to any environment, so to say that cockroaches are resilient would be an understatement.

You’re not alone if you feel squeamish when you spot a cockroach in your house. When you see that first invader, it’s time for you to act immediately to avoid risking your family’s health. Here are some tell-tale warnings signs for when it’s time to contact a professional pest exterminator.

Sightings Become More Frequent

If you see a lone roach scurrying on your floors or under your sink, especially in warmer months, you shouldn’t panic just yet. However, it’s a different story when you see them more often and several at a time. Since these revolting insects are creatures of the night, you’re most likely to see them during the darkness.

When you see roaches running around during the day, you likely have an infestation. Too many in the nest and displaced cockroaches crawl out to discover new hiding places.

You See Baby Roaches

If you think rabbits and mice multiply quickly, they have nothing on cockroaches. Depending on the species, one female can lay 30-50 eggs at a time, and she can lay up to eight times in her life. Now, consider that a single nest can house over 100 cockroaches. What if 50% of that nest was females? It’s easy to see how they can easily take over a home or business.

Seeing babies crawling around your home is a definite sign of trouble. These nauseating nymphs are smaller versions of adults, except their colors may be slightly lighter. Baby cockroaches signify that adults are building nests within your home, and they’re multiplying quickly.

There’s Fecal Droppings Around Your Home

Cockroaches may be small, but they have a ravenous appetite and can eat up to half their weight in food every day. For comparison, it would be like a 150-pound person eating 75 pounds of food each day. After these insects digest their food, they eliminate fecal waste, which is tiny black specks that look like pepper or coffee grounds.

The droppings are always located close to the places where roaches eat, sleep, and hide. A nest of cockroaches can leave a large pile of droppings that accumulate quickly. After these insects walk through their fecal matter, they carry it all over your house and into food storage.

Their fecal matter is loaded with dangerous germs, bacteria, and viruses that can spread to you, your family, and your pets. Your well-being depends on prompt action from a professional exterminator.

There’s a Strange Smell You Can’t Identify

If you’ve dealt with cockroach issues in the past, you know that they harbor a greasy, musty odor that’s instantly recognizable. Not only are they covered with smelly germs from digging in the trash and other disgusting stuff, but cockroaches release a pheromone to attract mates. The scent may be heavenly to them, but it’s sickening to humans.

You See Egg Capsules

Like many other insects, cockroaches produce a protective container for their eggs. Females use chemicals to make a capsule called the ootheca, in which they deposit their eggs for safekeeping. Some roaches will discard the capsule, while others will carry it with them until they hatch.

You Discover Personal Property Damage

Roaches eat a lot, and while they have specific preferences, they eat anything they can find. If they’re hungry enough, they will eat things made of paper, thin plastic, or even cloth. They can cause damage throughout your home in search of their next snack. An infestation is just an enormous party for cockroaches, and the destruction they leave behind is evident.

Family Members Are Having Allergic Reactions

Cockroaches present significant health risks to everyone in the home, especially those who have allergies or asthma. The insect’s molting, dead bodies, body oils, scent, or droppings can cause mild to significant allergic reactions that are often worse for children, seniors, or those with compromised immune systems. If you notice that your family or pets are having unusual allergy issues combined with cockroach sightings, you may have a severe infestation.

The Role of the Exterminator in a Pest-Free Home

Your home is your sanctuary and a place to shut the cares of life away and rest. When insects move into your space, it shakes that perfect balance you need to thrive. A once peaceful home can become stressful, and you may even feel unsafe cooking in your kitchen when roaches are present. Here are some things a professional exterminator can do for you when it’s man vs. pest.

1. Conduct an Assessment and Identify the Species

Once you call for professional help, we will assess the issue. We will look behind cabinets and in the places they like to hide. We need to identify if there’s any activity, past or present, that shows you have a roach issue.

Once we determine there’s a problem, we need to identify what species has invaded. See, there are numerous species of cockroaches, and knowing the roach we are dealing with helps us to ensure we use the proper methods of treatment.

Typically, it’s the American, Oriental, or German roaches that move into the New Jersey homes. To take the right approach, identification is necessary.

2. Draft Personalized Pest Control Plans

Once our technicians have identified what cockroach species has invaded your place, they can formulate an extermination plan based on your needs. Some recommended pest control methods may include baits, traps, and pesticides. Our goal is to eradicate these nasty insects with the safety of your family, pets, and the environment in mind.

3. Only Use Safe and Effective Solutions

You can have peace of mind by knowing that our professional exterminator technicians have the experience and training to use treatments that are both safe and effective. After thoroughly inspecting your home, they can target the roaches and their hideouts. Our technicians use the most up-to-date equipment, and chemicals to eliminate these insects. The only ones who are in danger are the invading cockroaches.

4. Educate You on Prevention

Our technicians will not only help destroy a cockroach infestation but will educate you on how to prevent such an occurrence. After years of doing this job and studying the habits of roaches, our team knows how to get rid of them and keep them at bay. Little things that you do can make such a huge difference, such as covering your trash, cleaning up messes, and sealing cracks around windows and doors.

Say Goodbye to Roaches and Call the Experts Today

Don’t wait until your New Jersey home or business has become a virtual cockroach motel. Call our friendly and knowledgeable pest control technicians Today. Cockroach infestations are a viable threat to your family’s health, and we know how to get rid of them and keep them away. The only guests you should have in your home are the ones you invite.

As a full-service exterminator, we handle all sorts of bugs, insects, vermin, and other common issues. Whether you’re dealing with termites, roaches, or a family of squirrels that have moved into the attic, we’re here to help. Our team is just a phone call away!

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