Cockroach Pest Control

COCKROACHES

 

Cockroach Removal And Extermination – How Can I Get Rid of Cockroaches?

Despite the stories about them surviving a nuclear war, cockroaches are not indestructible. They are, however, tenacious, fast-breeding, and challenging to remove without professional help.

Once you’ve discovered a cockroach infestation, the best thing to do is contact experienced pest control professionals to help remove the roaches from your home.

Here at Midwest Pest & Wildlife Control, we provide a service that is specifically tailored to match your home and your unique situation. We offer a one-time service that will help to eliminate cockroach infestations quickly and, because we stand by our service, we also offer a 30-day guarantee.

Once the initial infestation is removed, we offer treatment options that include monthly, every-other-month, and seasonal options, for both interior and exterior, to prevent reinfestation.

How to Identify a Cockroach?

Cockroaches are a frustratingly common household pest, with 4000 species found worldwide and 70 found here in the US. Two of the most common varieties found in the home are the American and German cockroach.

The American cockroach, also referred to as the “palmetto bug,” can be up to three inches in length. They have a reddish brown coloring and an easily recognizable figure-8 pattern on the back of the head. These cockroaches are often mistakenly identified as “water bugs” which are actually a seperate species of insect.

The German cockroach, the most common species in the US, is light brown in coloration with two darker parallel stripes running down their backs from just behind their heads.

As a general rule, all cockroach species in the US have the following identifiable features:

• Long antennae
• A shield-shaped structure, extending from the top of the thorax to the head, known as the “Pronotum”
• Visible mouthparts
• Six legs
• Wings – Although it should be noted that most species of cockroaches either rarely fly, or cannot fly at all.

What Are the Signs of a Cockroach Infestation?

One of the most common signs of a cockroach infestation is the appearance of small clusters of dark material resembling coffee grounds or pepper. These are cockroach droppings. In areas with higher humidity, you may also find irregular shaped brown smear marks on surfaces and wall-floor junctions.

Cockroach sightings are most common at night. Different species of cockroaches prefer different environments, but most favor dark, secluded, and humid conditions. This means you are most likely to find them in kitchens, bathrooms, wall and crawl spaces, or in cupboards where the non-tinned foot is stored.

Large numbers of cockroaches tend to give off a pungent, unpleasant smell, often described as musty or oily. This smell can seep into bedding, soft furnishings, and even affect the taste of food.

You may also find shed skins, called “exuviae”, that are left behind by molting cockroach nymphs and roach egg cases, called “oothecae”, in secluded areas such as behind furniture or appliances, in pantries, and in cracks in your walls.

How Did I Get Them?

A common misconception about cockroaches is that they are the result of a dirty house. The reality is that cockroaches are voracious scavengers that will happily infest the cleanest of homes.

Cockroaches are capable of eating nearly anything, from spoiled food to toothpaste, and the presence of these items in your home is what draws the roaches in, rather than its relative cleanliness.

German cockroaches, the most common cockroach species in the US, tend to hitch a ride into your property in grocery bags, second-hand furniture, and cardboard boxes. Roaches might have been transported on to your property by a delivery company, with your fast-food order or even in children’s school backpacks.

Some species, such as the Oriental cockroach, enter you home through moving along, but not inside, plumbing and entering through crawl spaces or under doors or window jams. Wall spaces are a favored home of Oriental cockroaches, as they prefer dark, moist, and undisturbed environments.

The larger American cockroach tends to enter through sewers or drains, and flooding or repair work on nearby sewer systems might displace these cockroaches into your home.

Reasons to Treat Your Cockroach Problem Immediately

Unfortunately, a cockroach infestation in your home can cause significant health problems if it is not treated promptly.

Allergies

As cockroaches move around your home, they leave traces of themselves behind, such as feces, saliva, and body parts that they might shed. In a similar manner to dust mites, these cockroach leavings can cause allergic reactions and even trigger asthma attacks.

Food Poisoning

In addition to the allergy and asthma threat caused by their presence, cockroaches can often be the source of food poisoning, diarrhea, and even Staphylococcus infections. Cockroaches scavenge in garbage bins and sewers and consume feces. They then transfer the bacteria on their legs and mouthparts to your food and kitchen surfaces.

Disease

Even more worrying than food poisoning, tests done on cockroaches have revealed the presence of Salmonella Typhi, which causes Typhoid; Poliomyelitis, which causes Polio; and bacteria that can cause Dysentery.

What to Do V.s. What Not to Do

If you think you have a cockroach infestation in your home, the first thing you should do is contact a professional pest control service to help you deal with the problem. In the meantime, here are a few do’s and don’ts to help you manage the situation:

Do

• Make sure that you are regularly emptying your garbage and storing it in a sealed container that the cockroaches can’t access
• Move any external garbage storage as far away from your home as possible
• Make sure to clean all food preparation surfaces both before and after use
• Try to keep the food and water bowls for your pets clean at all times

Don’t

• Leave food refuse, leftovers, defrosting food, or open food containers around, especially at night
• Leave dirty dishes unwashed, particularly overnight
• Allow old newspapers or cardboard to accumulate in the corners or storage spaces of your home, as this is a frequent hiding place for cockroaches
• Forget to regularly clean in hard to reach areas, such as behind books on bookcases and behind large appliances, such as cookers and fridge freezers

How to Contact Us

We are always happy to answer any questions you might have. Whether you have a question about the pests we treat or would like to schedule a consultation or treatment service, we invite you to contact us at (937) 570-7216.

Give us a call to learn more about our pest control services or ask about our guaranteed results. Remember: Your satisfaction is our top priority.