Of all the cringe-worthy insects to invade your Rhode Island home, cockroaches surely hold the title of disgusting royalty. They're creepy and crawly, and their presence signals a substantial risk to your health and well-being.
If you found cockroaches in your house or spotted other signs of a cockroach infestation, it pays to learn about cockroach prevention techniques or, if that fails, how to get connected with quality pest control in Providence.
Habits And Behaviors Of Common Cockroaches
Cockroaches are ancient insects and have stayed virtually unchanged for eons.
They have flat, oval bodies ranging from 3/4 to 2 1/8 inches in length, and most species are winged.
Cockroaches are one of nature's fastest runners( exceeding speeds of 12 feet per second) and are able to flatten themselves to slip through the tiniest of crevices.
They prefer dark and moist areas and, because they're nocturnal, stay out of sight during the day.
In Provicdence, you're likely to encounter one of the following four cockroach species in your Providence home:
- American cockroaches are a larger species that grow to around two inches in length. They have a brown body and a yellow figure eight in the head.
- Brown-banded cockroaches are easy to identify by a yellow stripe across their wings.
- German cockroaches have brown bodies with two darker stripes along the back.
- Oriental cockroaches are one of the larger species, growing up to two inches in length with a dark brown colored body.
Cockroaches multiply rapidly, with each female capable of laying more than a thousand eggs in its short lifetime. Within a week, those eggs will hatch, with young roaches ready to go forth and contaminate the food and other areas in your house, spread diseases, and produce thousands of new roaches.
Cockroaches In Your Home Is A Major Risk To Your Health
Besides contaminating your house, a cockroach infestation poses multiple other health issues due to the numerous contagious diseases they carry and spread.
Some of the diseases to watch out for if you've had exposure to roach-infested areas are:
- Salmonellosis
- Typhoid fever
- Cholera
- Gastroenteritis
- Dysentery
- Listeriosis
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so it pays to deter cockroach infestations before they create a nightmarish situation in your home.
Five Simple Yet Powerful Cockroach Prevention Tips For Your Home
Cockroaches are masters at home infiltration and once a colony establishes itself, ridding the house of them is not a task for the faint-hearted.
Thankfully following these proven tactics will give you a good chance to keep these little invaders out of your house:
- Organize your home and rid it of the hiding places cockroaches prefer.
- Keep food stored in sealed containers and out of their reach.
- Make sure to seal up cracks in the outside walls and foundation.
- Remove their access to water by fixing dripping plumbing pipes.
- Regularly clean and disinfect places roaches prefer to congregate, such as under sinks, basements, and so on.
If you're looking at cockroaches in your house despite following these tips, it is time to pass the fight over to a professional Providence cockroach control company.
The Best Way To Completely Get Rid Of Roaches In Your Home
A well-trained pest control professional can spot the infestation in its early stages, making it easier to rid your home of cockroaches. They will get rid of live bugs and ensure no eggs are left to prevent the reinfestation of the problem.
If you're facing down a cockroach infestation-give us at Encon a call, and we'll make sure your house is roach free and stays that way!