With their rapid multiplication, disgusting lifestyles, small size, and destructive tendency, German cockroaches can turn your beautiful house into a nightmare within a few months. This guide discusses the health risks posed by roaches, why you can't easily get rid of them, and why you need the help of professional pest control. Call pest control experts immediately if you find a cockroach in your home.
Spotting One German Cockroach Almost Certainly Means More
Seriously? Can you believe that if you found one cockroach in your apartment, there would be no other roaches roaming around? If you have no proof, it is risky to make assumptions. Nocturnal roaches aren't easy to see during the day unless the infestation is severe.
Seeing one cockroach is a sign that your home has been infested because these creatures seldom live solo. To confirm their presence, or otherwise, dig deeper by looking for signs of a cockroach infestation, which include:
- Cockroach droppings in your home: Cockroaches leave small feces in areas they live in or frequent. The droppings are small and black. The more droppings you see, the more severe the infestation.
- Their Body Parts: As a baby house cockroach grows, it will slough its outgrown, old exoskeleton, which you may find entirely intact or in pieces and bits. You may also see dead roaches or their body parts, such as antennae, wings, and legs.
- Cockroach eggs in your home: Cockroach eggs are contained in reddish-brown or brown cases, about a quarter inch long. The egg cases are usually stuck in hidden places like cardboard boxes, crevices, cracks, behind doors, under the tables, behind picture frames, or inside cupboards.
The above clues can help you confirm the presence of roaches in your home.
Why German Cockroach Infestations Are A Major Health Risk
German roaches prefer filthy places like dumpsters, gutters, and sewer systems. They move to your house from these nasty places where they can contaminate food and cooking surfaces. These same places are breeding sites for bacteria. For this reason, they can cause diseases such as listeriosis, dysentery, salmonellosis, cholera, staphylococcus, typhoid fever, campylobacteriosis, streptococcus, E. coli, giardia, gastroenteritis, and leprosy.
Then there is also the problem of German cockroach allergy. The eggs they produce, their smell, secretions, body parts, dead bodies, and cast skins can cause severe allergic reactions in asthmatic patients. Their saliva and feces contain problematic allergens and proteins that can trigger allergic reactions. These health risks are the main reasons you must seek a professional cockroach remedy.
Why You Can't Get Rid Of German Cockroaches On Your Own
There is a comment or a joke you have heard about roaches that they can survive the apocalypse. This may not be true, but it indicates how difficult it is to eliminate roaches. Killing them physically or using chemicals will never get the job done. Roaches are naturally built to be almost indestructible.
Their exoskeletons comprise overlapping plates bonded by tough but flexible membranes. The membrane can shift their energy to their legs. This allows them to easily fit into tiny crevices and cracks you can't notice.
They also have a dense and thick outer layer that protects them and allows them to change their shapes when needed. They are also excellent at hiding, thanks to their bendable but strong bodies.
Though they are this stubborn, there are steps you can take to keep them at bay, including:
- Sealing all holes, gaps, crevices, and cracks around your home
- Repairing old doors, windows, and insulation.
- Removing all debris piles from your home
- Repairing all leaky pipes
- Keeping your home clean
- Keeping food in sealable containers
The above steps may deter but will not eliminate them. The best way to deal with German roaches is to hire a professional pest control company.
Contact The Pros At The First Sign Of German Cockroaches
You don't have to waste your time fighting German roaches. When it comes to your health and that of your loved ones, you wouldn't want to leave anything to chance. You can hire a reputable pest control company like Big D Pest & Termite Service to exterminate the insects and conduct regular inspections to ensure they don't come back. If you notice any cockroach infestation in your home, contact us today.