In our San Antonio service area, there are three cockroach species we deal with most. The most common is the German cockroach because of its ability to reproduce quickly and survive well inside man-made structures. The next is the American cockroach. These large brownish cockroaches can inhabit a home but they need moisture to thrive. The last on our list is the Oriental cockroach. These roaches are more commonly found, outside, around homes but they are no less of a threat. If they get inside, even for a short time, they can present a serious health threat. These and other cockroaches have slightly different characteristics. They may vary in size, color, and humidity requirements but they all share one trait that makes them a danger to our health. Cockroaches are attracted to rot.
Where Cockroaches Breed
Have you ever opened a dumpster and found several cockroaches running to hide from the light? Have you ever lifted a trash can lid and watched dozens of roaches scatter? This is because cockroaches breed in locations that have rotting organic matter. They breed in sewers, compost heaps, trash heaps, and on rotting vegetables in your garden. If something is decaying, cockroaches are drawn to it. This brings them into contact with harmful bacteria, parasitic worms, and human pathogens.
What Cockroaches Eat
The term omnivore doesn't quite describe a cockroach. Roaches don't just eat sweets and meats. They eat toothpaste, glue, and other strange things as well. One thing they eat that can create a serious threat for you is the feces of animals. They'll feed on dog droppings in your yard and cat droppings in your cat box. If you have a pet, you have a higher risk of cockroach-borne diseases.
Point A to Point B
Once a cockroach is exposed to something filthy, it is able to carry it straight into your home because roaches are highly mobile insects. They can climb walls, walk across ceilings, and compress themselves to squeeze through tight gaps. Some cockroaches are small enough to pass through the eye of an outlet when they are nymphs. This makes it difficult to keep cockroaches out of our homes and out of our kitchens and pantries.
The Bottom Line
Studies have shown that cockroaches are able to spread at least 33 kinds of harmful bacteria, 6 specific parasitic worms, and more than 7 human pathogens, including polio. They are also linked to an increase in asthma symptoms, especially in children and the elderly. If all of this isn't enough to make you want to keep these dirty insects out of your San Antonio home, there is one more thing. Cockroaches can bite. Granted, they don't prefer to bite. But it happens when populations increase. These bites usually happen on the eyelids as cockroaches attempt to eat dead skin in eyelashes, or near the mouth as cockroaches attempt to get a drink of saliva from sleeping people. They're particularly drawn to sleeping babies that smell of slightly spoiled milk.
It is not surprising that U.S. Health Agencies consider cockroaches to be public enemy number one. Nothing can shut a restaurant down faster than evidence of an active cockroach infestation. If you're seeing roaches in or around your home, it is vital to have an educated pest control professional take a look at the issue. That's where we can help.
The team here at Family Pest Control uses pest control products and methods that are only toxic to simple organisms like cockroaches. When applied by our licensed professionals, these products provide a barrier of protection around your home and help to prevent cockroaches from getting into your home and into sensitive areas such as food storage, dish cabinets, and silverware drawers. With the pest control we provide, you won't be trading the threat of cockroach-related illness with the threat of chemical exposure. We treat your home in the same way we treat our own homes, protecting your family the same way we protect our family. This focus on family service and experienced pest control has helped us to earn the Angie's List Super Service Award.
If you're dealing with cockroaches, don't trust your cockroach control to just anyone. Let our family help your family. Reach out to Family Pest Control for immediate assistance.