Aug 25, 2023 | Pest Control
Roaches are common household pests that are highly resilient and difficult to eliminate. They reproduce quickly, making them hard to keep under control once an infestation has been established. Cockroaches will infest anywhere they can find an available supply of food, water, and shelter. They are commonly found in areas near food and moisture (kitchens and bathrooms). They are also prevalent in multiunit housing (apartments, condos, etc.). Once established in your home, roaches can cause serious health risks for you and your family. Here are some of the reasons roaches are dangerous to your health.
Carriers of Diseases
Roaches are known to carry at least 30 different types of bacteria including typhoid fever, cholera, dysentery, and poliomyelitis. They spread these diseases to humans by contaminating food and surfaces in our home. We can also inhale bacteria from the air near a cockroach infestation.
Allergy and Asthma Triggers
The allergens roaches carry can trigger asthma in those who are already afflicted with it. They are also known to cause asthma in those who didn’t previously have it. The incidence of allergic reactions can increase when roaches are present in the home. They are triggered by cockroach debris, including discarded shells, saliva, body parts, and feces. Their saliva is also known to cause skin rashes and sneezing.
Surface Contamination
Roaches can be found scavenging through the trash, dumpsters, on spoiled food, and even feces. They pick up contaminants from these surfaces as they crawl through them which stick to their legs and bodies and are then left behind as they crawl across our food and clean surfaces. When we eat food or touch surfaces that have been contaminated by roaches, it can cause sickness for us, as well.
Cockroach Prevention
Making your home less inviting to roaches is the first step in preventing them. Here are some cockroach prevention tips you can utilize in your home.
- Don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink.
- Take the trash out when the can is full.
- Clean toilets, tubs, and sinks regularly.
- Clean countertops with a cleaning solution.
- Keep floors swept, mopped, and vacuumed.
- Clean up pet feces from your yard.
- Keep food sealed tight.
- Throw out old or rotted food into an outdoor trashcan.
- Wipe off stovetops, tables, and counters after meals and food prep.
- Clean up spills immediately.
- Fix leaky pipes, faucets, toilets, and roofs.
- Use bathroom fans when bathing or showering to help reduce humidity.
- Remove any cardboard, newspapers, boxes, or other clutter.
- Caulk cracks and crevices throughout your home.
If you have a problem with roaches or other household pests, contact your local pest control company for an inspection.
May 7, 2021 | Pest Control
While cockroaches are active year-round, the humidity and warm weather of spring make this a prime time of year for these pests to invade your home. Roaches prefer environments that are warm and contain moisture which is why they are most often seen in kitchens and bathrooms inside your house. They can also multiply quickly and can adapt to just about any environment, making them extremely difficult to get rid of. Cockroaches are dangerous to humans in that they are known to carry and transmit serious diseases, can contaminate food and other surfaces in your home, and trigger allergies and asthma.
The most common types of roaches in our area are the German cockroach, the American cockroach, the brown-banded cockroach, and the Oriental cockroach. What attracts roaches are food, water, and warm shelter, all of which can be found in your home. Roaches are commonly drawn to crumbs, spills, dirty dishes, garbage, pet food, open food containers, cardboard, paper, glue, and excess moisture. In order to keep cockroaches out of your home, the goal is to make it as unattractive to them as you can. Check out these tips to help prevent cockroaches.
1. Keep It Clean
Roaches are attracted to dirt and filth because they provide a source of food for them. Keeping your home clean helps eliminate these food sources, making them go elsewhere in search of something to eat. Wash your dishes and put them away after meals. Clean up any crumbs and spills. Empty the garbage before going to bed. Clean grease from your stovetop. Seal any leftover food in containers. Sweep, mop, and vacuum on a regular basis. Don’t leave pet food out overnight.
2. Clear It Out
The less clutter in your home, the fewer places roaches have to hide. Besides that, cockroaches love to breed in newspaper and cardboard. Keep your home as clutter free as possible. Dust regularly. Get rid of any old newspapers and magazines. Use plastic storage bins instead of cardboard boxes whenever possible.
3. Seal It Up
Roaches can squeeze through the tiniest of holes, especially around windows and doors, along foundations and roofs, in attics and crawlspaces, through vents, and into holes used for gas, electric, and plumbing. Inspect your home for any possible entry points and seal them up. For smaller holes seal with caulk; for larger holes seal with steel wool or foam; and for vents and chimneys cover with fine wire mesh.
4. Dry It Out
Roaches love moisture and need water to survive. Routinely check your home for leaks and plumbing issues, especially around faucets, sinks, refrigerators, and other appliances. Repair any leaks you find immediately. Keep basements and crawlspaces dry and well ventilated. Consider enclosing your crawlspace to help keep these pests at bay.
5. Go Green
Cockroach prevention doesn’t have to rely solely on chemicals. There are several natural roach repellent and elimination products available today. Some of the most common include:
- Boric acid. Mix equal amounts of boric acid, sugar, and flour to make a dough. Roll out balls of dough and place them around your home. Roaches are attracted to the flour and sugar and the boric acid kills them. Use caution with boric acid – it is not recommended for use in areas with children or pets.
- Fabric softener. Roaches don’t like the smell of fabric softener so it makes a good repellent. Mix with water in a spray bottle and apply where you see roach activity.
- Fresh coffee grounds. Roaches are attracted to the caffeine but it is toxic to them. Place coffee grounds wherever you see roach activity.
- Baking soda and sugar. This combination works the same as boric acid but is safer to use with children and pets. Mix equal parts baking soda and sugar and sprinkle in areas where you’ve seen roaches. The sugar attracts them and the baking soda kills them.
- Cayenne, Garlic, and Onion Powder. Roaches hate the smell of each of these spices. Sprinkle it around your home for an effective roach repellent.
- Essential Oils. The most effective essential oils to use against roaches are tea tree, mint, and clove oils. Dilute each of these with water and spray anywhere you see roaches in your home.
6. Leave It To The Pros
For the most effective preventative and ongoing roach control, have your home inspected and treated on a regular basis – usually monthly or quarterly – by a professional pest control company. These professionals can provide you with a thorough inspection to help identify what type of pest you are dealing with, the most likely points of entry they are using, and the most up-to-date treatment and prevention options available.
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Mar 26, 2021 | Pest Control
By Anna Vaccaro, Editorial Lead — Pest Education · Last updated: April 2026
If you spot a cockroach skittering across your kitchen floor in Georgia, it’s natural to hope it’s just one stray bug passing through. At Northwest, we hear this question more than almost any other: “If I see one cockroach, does it mean I have a roach infestation?” The short answer is usually yes. Where there’s one, there are almost always more hiding out of sight, and catching a roach infestation early is the difference between a quick treatment and a long battle.
Here’s what a single sighting actually tells you about what’s happening behind the walls, the signs that confirm it, and the moves that stop a small problem from turning into a full-blown infestation.
One cockroach in daylight usually means dozens more in hiding.
Why Seeing One Cockroach Is a Red Flag
Cockroaches are built to stay hidden. They’re nocturnal, which means they do their exploring in the dark while you’re asleep. During the day, they squeeze into the narrow, warm crevices behind your refrigerator, inside wall voids, under the bathroom sink, and under the stove. You almost never see them unless something has gone wrong.
They’re also social. Roaches leave pheromone trails that tell other roaches where the good food, water, and hiding spots are. If you see a cockroach out in the open, especially during the day, it usually means their hidden nest has become crowded enough that some bugs are being pushed out to find new territory. One roach in the daylight isn’t the whole picture. It’s a symptom of a colony that’s outgrown its hiding place.
How Many Roaches Count as an Infestation?
There’s no magic number, but pest pros use a working definition. In Georgia homes, spotting one or two roaches a week signals a light roach infestation. Seeing multiple roaches daily, spotting them in the daytime, or finding widespread evidence like droppings and egg cases points to a heavy infestation. At Northwest, we treat even a single confirmed sighting as a warning, because roach populations move fast.
Why treat a small number like an emergency? Because a few adult roaches can multiply into hundreds in a matter of weeks. Waiting to see if a problem resolves itself is the single biggest mistake homeowners make with roaches. You’re giving them exactly what they need: time.
Signs of a Roach Infestation
After a sighting, start looking for the rest of the evidence. These are the clues that confirm the problem is bigger than one bug.
Five signs that confirm a roach infestation is bigger than one bug.
1. Live or Dead Roaches
Finding dead roaches under appliances, inside pantry cabinets, or along baseboards is a clear sign of an active population. Seeing live ones scatter when you flip on a light at night confirms they’re nesting nearby.
2. Droppings and Smear Marks
Cockroach droppings look like small dark specks, similar to coffee grounds or cracked black pepper. You’ll typically find them in pantry corners, along the back edges of countertops, inside drawers, and under sinks. In damper spots, roaches leave dark, irregular smear marks along the paths they travel most.
3. Egg Capsules (Oothecae)
Roaches don’t lay individual eggs. They lay capsules called oothecae. These pill-shaped brown or reddish cases can hold anywhere from 14 to 50 eggs depending on the species. Finding an empty casing means dozens of new nymphs have already hatched somewhere in your home.
4. Musty, Oily Odors
A well-established roach infestation has a smell. The pests secrete chemicals to communicate, and in enough numbers it creates a distinct musty or oily odor in kitchens and bathrooms. If your pantry or cabinet under the sink suddenly smells damp or sour and nothing’s leaking, roaches are a likely cause.
5. Nighttime Activity
Faint rustling in the walls, bugs scattering when you get up for water at 2 AM, or pet food bowls that look a little picked-at in the morning. These are all tells. If the house feels noisier at night than it used to, the house probably is.
(Need help checking these signs? Schedule a free Northwest roach inspection and we’ll do the detective work for you.)
Common Types of Cockroaches Found in Georgia Homes
Not all roaches are the same, and identifying the species matters. Different species have different behaviors, hideouts, and treatment needs.
Identifying the cockroach species helps determine treatment urgency.
- German cockroaches. Light brown with two dark stripes on the back. The highest-risk species for a fast-spreading roach infestation, because they breed quickly and strongly prefer warm, humid indoor spots like kitchens and bathrooms. Almost every serious indoor infestation in the Southeast is German.
- American cockroaches. Often called “palmetto bugs” in Georgia. Large, reddish-brown, and usually outdoor-dwelling. They live in mulch, sewer lines, and tree hollows, but push into homes during extreme heat or heavy rain.
- Oriental cockroaches. Dark brown to nearly black with a glossy shell. They prefer cool, damp, dark places, which makes basements, crawl spaces, and drain lines their favorite hangouts.
Why Cockroach Infestations Spread So Quickly
A roach problem in a house can spiral in a matter of weeks. The main reason is reproduction. A single female German cockroach can produce up to 400 offspring in her lifetime. Combine that with their willingness to eat almost anything (crumbs, pet food, grease, cardboard, even glue and soap) and their ability to nest in hollow spaces you’d never think to check, like inside electronics, behind outlet plates, and under peeling wallpaper. The result is a population that multiplies quietly and out of sight.
The Southeast climate doesn’t help. Warm temperatures, high humidity, and our heavy spring and summer rain push outdoor American roaches indoors looking for shelter, while German roaches thrive year-round anywhere the thermostat stays cozy.
What To Do If You See One Cockroach
Don’t panic, but don’t shrug it off either. The right first moves can stop a single sighting from becoming a full infestation.
- Deep clean the area. Wipe up grease and crumbs, move pantry items into airtight glass or hard plastic containers, take the trash out nightly, and vacuum under the kitchen appliances you can reach.
- Fix the water. A dripping faucet or slow-draining sink is a roach magnet. They need water more than food.
- Set sticky monitor traps. Place them flush against baseboards in the kitchen and bathroom. In 3 to 5 nights they’ll tell you where the real activity is.
- Skip the DIY bug bomb. Foggers and heavy repellent sprays often just scatter roaches deeper into the walls and spread the problem to rooms that were previously clean. This is the single most common mistake we see, and the one that turns a $200 problem into a $2,000 problem.
When to Call a Professional for Roach Control
DIY methods rarely eliminate a roach infestation entirely. Call a professional cockroach exterminator if you’re still seeing roaches after a thorough clean-up, if you spot them during the day, or if you find egg casings anywhere in the home.
Getting ahead of a roach infestation isn’t just about comfort. Roaches crawl through garbage, grease traps, and sewage, then across your counters and dishes, picking up and depositing bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella along the way. Their droppings, shed skins, and saliva are also a documented asthma trigger, especially for young children; the EPA’s guidance on asthma triggers flags roach allergens as a leading cause of indoor asthma attacks. Professional treatment uses targeted baits and insect growth regulators that collapse the whole colony, including the eggs you can’t see, in a way DIY sprays simply can’t.
“Cockroach allergens likely play a significant role in asthma in many urban areas. Cockroach feces, saliva, eggs, and outer covering left behind on surfaces contain substances that are allergenic to humans, especially those with asthma.”
— U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Asthma Triggers
Roach Infestations in the Southeast
If you live in Georgia or Alabama, the climate is working against you. Warm temperatures, high humidity, and long rainy seasons create ideal breeding conditions for both indoor and outdoor cockroach species. During heavy spring and summer rains, outdoor species like American roaches push inside looking for higher ground. In apartments, townhomes, and tighter suburban developments across Atlanta, Birmingham, Columbus, and Macon, German roaches move easily between units through shared plumbing and cardboard shipments, which is why a neighbor’s problem can become yours without warning.
Frequently Asked Questions About Roach Infestations
Can one roach turn into an infestation?
Yes. If the roach you saw is a pregnant female, she can start an entirely new colony on her own. Even if it’s a male, its presence almost always means a larger nest is nearby, because roaches don’t travel far from home.
How fast do roaches multiply?
Fast. A German cockroach population can multiply into the thousands in a single year if left untreated. Their eggs hatch in a few weeks, and the nymphs reach reproductive age in another month or two.
Are cockroach infestations dangerous?
They can be. Roaches don’t bite, but they spread harmful bacteria, contaminate food surfaces, and trigger allergic reactions and asthma attacks through their droppings and shed skins. Families with young children or asthma are most at risk.
How long does professional roach treatment take?
It depends on the severity of the infestation. A light roach infestation can be knocked out in a few weeks with targeted baiting. Heavy or long-standing infestations may need multiple treatments over two to three months to break the egg-laying cycle completely.
How do I prevent roaches from coming back?
Keep food sealed, fix every leak, take the trash out daily, vacuum weekly, seal gaps around pipes and outlets, and get on a quarterly pest control plan. Prevention is dramatically cheaper than treatment.
Northwest’s team checks the spots where roaches nest — under sinks, behind appliances, along baseboards.
Take Action Against Roaches Today
Don’t wait for that one cockroach to multiply into hundreds. If you suspect a roach infestation, the fastest way to shut it down is to act while the population is still small. Our Northwest team has been clearing roach problems out of Georgia and Alabama homes for decades. We handle the inspection, the targeted treatment, and the prevention plan that keeps them gone.
About the Author
Anna Vaccaro, Editorial Lead — Pest Education leads pest education content for Northwest Exterminating, working with senior technicians and service center managers across our Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and South Carolina service areas to translate field expertise into homeowner-friendly guides. The focus: accurate, regionally-specific answers to the pest questions Southeast homeowners are actually searching for.
Nov 20, 2020 | Pest Control
One of the lesser known species of cockroaches, the oriental cockroach (Blatta orientalis), also known as the black beetle cockroach and the waterbug, is actually one of the largest next to its cousin, the American cockroach. These pests are great at hiding and fitting into tight locations and have adapted to thrive both indoors and outdoors. Let’s take a look at how to identify Oriental cockroaches, as well as some cockroach prevention tips.
Appearance
The Oriental cockroach is dark brown to nearly black in color with a smooth shiny exoskeleton. Although not quite as big as American cockroaches, these bugs do get up to 1 inch in length. Males are slightly shorter than females with stubbed wings and females are longer and skinnier without wings.
Habitat
These roaches are found throughout the United States and prefer warm, moist, dark locations. They thrive outdoors, often residing under piles of leaves, mulch, stone, wood, flower beds, and debris. They will travel through sewers and can come into your home through pipes and drains. Indoors, they can be found in rarely used sink drains, garbage disposals, under cabinets with plumbing, and in bathroom voids.
Diet
Oriental roaches are omnivores, eating nearly any type of food source but preferring decaying plants and rotting garbage. They will also make do with crumbs, pet food, and leftover human food, too. They are very dependent on water which is why they are usually found in areas with high moisture. They can survive up to 1 month with no food but only 2 weeks without water.
Behavior
These cockroaches are slower than most of their counterparts. They prefer to be active outdoors and are nocturnal. Males have wings but don’t fly. They have a lifespan of 1 to 6 months and their reproduction is seasonal – they produce more eggs in the spring and summer than they do the rest of the year.
Threats
Oriental cockroaches are dangerous to humans as they are known to transmit bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella. Because they eat decaying food and other material, they can contaminate food and other surfaces with the pathogens picked up from their food sources. They also excrete odors which can trigger allergies and asthma in those affected.
Signs
There are 3 main signs of Oriental cockroaches in your home:
- Seeing actual live bugs.
- Finding egg cases around your home.
- A wet, musty smell that gets stronger with larger cockroach infestations.
Prevention
- Keep your home clean and sanitized, especially areas with water (around drains, pipes, bathrooms, and basements)
- Seal doorways with weatherstripping
- Seal holes and cracks in foundations
- Vacuum often
- Use a dehumidifier to prevent moisture buildup
- Keep gutters clear or install gutter guards
- Divert water away from foundations with properly functioning downspouts, gutters, and splash blocks
If you have a problem with cockroaches of any kind, contact a professional pest control company for proper identification, potential points of entry, and the most up to date treatment options available.
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Jun 4, 2020 | Pest Control
Cockroaches have been around for over 300 million years – even longer than the dinosaurs! These pests are resilient and adaptive with odd behaviors and survival tactics which have helped them survive for so long. While most homeowners are aware of the health risks associated with roaches, including allergies, asthma, and the spread of germs and bacteria, there are lots of interesting facts about cockroaches you might not realize. Here are 7 things you might not know about cockroaches.
- They’re everywhere! There are almost 4500 species of cockroaches worldwide with new species still being discovered. German cockroaches are the most common species. The largest species is found in South America. This cockroach averages 6 inches in length with an impressive 1 foot wingspan! The average cockroach is only 1/2″ to 2″ in length.
- They like their beauty sleep. Roaches spend 75% of their time resting. They are also not morning people. When roaches awaken they are unable to form new memories. It takes them time to become functional and they don’t start to retain new information until later in the day.
- They are flexible. Roaches can squeeze through a gap as small as 1/4 of their body length. They accomplish this feat by flattening their bodies and turning their legs to the side.
- They are speed demons. Roaches are fast movers reaching speeds of up to 3 mph. Even babies can move at these rapid speeds. This not only allows them to quickly invade new spaces but also allows them to spread bacteria and germs at a much faster pace.
- They can go without food, water, and their heads. Roaches can go up to a month without food and up to a week without water or their heads. They could actually live longer without their heads but the absence of their mouth leaves them unable to eat or drink. Roaches will eat anything from dead insects to soap, cloth, and glue. They have even been known to eat other roaches when food supplies are low or the infestation gets so large in an effort to reduce the population.
- They can hold their breath. Roaches are master breath holders. They can submerge in water for up to 1/2 an hour and hold their breath for up to 40 minutes. This is mostly due to their efficient breathing system that allows them to breathe through holes in their body segments rather than their mouths. Holding their breath also helps regulate their loss of water.
- Roaches are found in chocolate. Yes, you read that right! There are an average of 8 insect parts in each bar of chocolate you consume.The FDA has deemed this a safe amount for consumption. The solution to this dilemma is to apply more pesticides which would be more harmful than actually consuming the insects. These parts can also trigger allergic reactions when they are consumed. That chocolate allergy might, in fact, be a cockroach allergy instead. This can lead to rash, itching, respiratory problems, and even migraines.
Cockroaches are one of the most highly adaptable pests on earth which makes them extremely difficult to control or eliminate. To prevent cockroaches keep food sealed and stored properly; clean your kitchen daily; don’t leave food or pet food out overnight; dispose of garbage regularly and use cans with sealing and locking lids; identify any small cracks or holes around your home and seal them; and make sure basements and crawlspaces are kept dry and well ventilated. If you suspect you have a cockroach infestation, contact a professional pest control company who can provide you with a thorough evaluation and appropriate treatment and prevention plan.
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