Oct 6, 2023 | Florida Pest Control
If you’ve ever spotted a cockroach inside your home, you know how alarming it can be! Once these pests get inside the home, they can spread contamination and even trigger allergic reactions. The best way to deter roaches from your home is understanding the types of roach species invading and what preventative measures to place to avoid their infestation. Check out the 3 common roaches found in Florida and how you can prevent them.
Common Cockroaches Found in Florida
American Cockroach
These roaches are one of the largest roach species, getting up to 1.5 inches in length and even developing wings towards the end of their lifecycle! They have a reddish-brown body with a yellowish figure-eight pattern on the back of their head. You can often find them in basements, sewers, kitchens, and bathrooms looking for water and food to survive.
Brown-Banded Cockroach
These roaches got their name from the two light brown bands that appear across its wings. The brown-banded roach prefers to have warmer, drier, and higher locations to inhabit, often being found in cabinets and even behind pictures! A good indication these roaches are inside your home is finding their egg cases in or underneath furniture.
German Cockroach
Preferring warm, humid spaces, German cockroaches will often be found where humans eat, like kitchens. Often, you can find them around appliance motors, like refrigerators and dishwashers, for its heat. You can identify these roaches by their two dark brown stripes on their back and wings.
Preventing Roaches in Florida
The best way to prevent roaches from invading your home is by placing preventative measures. Here are some easy, do-it-yourself roach control tips:
- Ensure all openings in doors, windows, and foundations are sealed.
- Replace old weatherstripping and make sure there are no holes in your window screens.
- Clean up spills and crumbs immediately and take the trash out regularly to prevent roaches from wanting to stay inside your home.
- Limit moisture by repairing dripping faucets and leaky pipes.
- Dry up areas in your basement by utilizing a dehumidifier.
- Declutter your home and clean out old newspapers, utilize plastic containers for storage, and make sure your clothing isn’t piled on the floor.
If you’ve noticed these roaches inside your home, it’s best to call your local pest control company to eliminate them. Pest professionals will inspect your home, identify the type of roach, and provide you with the best treatment plan.
Feb 28, 2023 | Pest Control
Augusta Pest Control: Eliminating Roaches
Having an influx of roach activity in your home is never ideal! Cockroaches are year-round pests and are known for their rapid rate of multiplying. The most common roaches found in Augusta homes include the American roach, German roach, and brown-banded roach. Once these roaches have invaded, it can be extremely difficult to get rid of them. Whether you see one roach, multiple roaches, or want to get ahead of the prevention game, consider these cockroach prevention tips below!
Clean Up
To survive, roaches need water and food, typically looking to our homes to search for both. The best way to discourage them from entering is to eliminate their food and water sources. After you’ve cooked or had a meal, it’s important to clean up all the dishes, washing them and putting them away instead of leaving them out at night. Likewise, clean up any leftover spills and crumbs from your meal as soon as possible. Don’t forget to clean your appliances too, as well as wiping down your stovetop, as roaches prefer areas with warmth and the likelihood of spilled food.
Eliminate Entry
Using their small bodies, roaches will enter homes through the smallest gap, hole, or crevice. At least once a year, consider inspecting your windows, doors, foundations, roof, attic vents, crawlspace vents, and even electric, gas, and plumbing lines for points of entry. A good rule of thumb is if you can see daylight shining in, roaches can get inside! Utilize caulk to seal smaller holes and steel wool or foam for larger holes. Consider utilizing a chimney cap and attic vents too.
Reduce Moisture
Moisture provides roaches with a reason to infest, making it essential to eliminate it. These pests only need a small amount to survive. While you’re inspecting for roach entry points, make a note of any leaking faucets, sinks, or pipes and repair them as soon as possible. Likewise, don’t forget to check behind appliances like your refrigerator for excess moisture. Also, consider enclosing your crawlspace to help control moisture underneath your home.
Call a Pro
While placing preventative measures around your home can deter roaches away, sometimes it’s best to call a professional for some extra help. If you’ve noticed roaches on your property or are looking to prevent them before they infest, consider contacting your pest control company. These professionals can thoroughly inspect your home, identify the type of cockroach present, identify areas of entry, and provide you with the best treatment and prevention options!
Feb 25, 2023 | Pest Control
Cockroaches are common household pests that are highly adaptable. They are skilled at finding their way indoors and multiplying quickly to establish an infestation in your home. It is important to know what attracts roaches to your home in order to prevent them. There are 3 main things that will bring roaches to your door: food, water, and shelter. By eliminating these 3 things, your home will become much less attractive to these and other pests. Here is our step-by-step guide to preventing cockroaches from infesting your home.
Deny Food
Cockroaches are scavengers. While they prefer sugar, carbs, and protein, they will eat just about anything. Clean up any leftover food or spills and crumbs on tables, counters, and appliances. Store your food in airtight containers. Rinse cans, bottles, jugs, etc. before throwing them away. Empty your garbage regularly and use trash cans with lids. Don’t leave your dirty dishes out overnight. Wipe down your counters with disinfectant every night. Try to limit food consumption to one room (e.g. the dining room) to help reduce spills and crumbs throughout your home. Store your pet food in sealed containers and don’t leave pet food bowls out overnight.
Deny Water
Roaches can actually go for a week or 2 without it if they are getting enough moisture from their food. Despite this, they will ultimately require water to survive and will seek it out in your home. Remove any standing water both in and around your home. Don’t leave any water in sinks or near drains, especially overnight. Keep excess moisture out of your home, basement, and crawlspace with a dehumidifier. Consider installing a moisture barrier or crawlspace enclosure. Repair any damaged or leaky pipes immediately. Clear blocked drains in the home. Keep gutters free of debris. Don’t leave your pet’s water bowls out overnight.
Deny Shelter
Remove clutter from your home, garage, and attic. Get rid of any old cardboard boxes, newspapers, and magazines. Dust and vacuum frequently. Paint or varnish your wood shelves to seal cracks and crevices where roaches can hide, or consider replacing them with metal or plastic shelving. Check walls, skirting, electrical outlets, sinks, cabinets, and baseboards for cracks and crevices and seal any that you find. Inspect all items before bringing them into your home, including packages, storage boxes, grocery bags, and used appliances. Seal around utility pipes and wall junctures. Make sure windows and doors are sealed and use weatherstripping on them. Trim back any heavy vegetation from your exterior walls and try not to stack firewood against your house.
Cockroaches can be dangerous to you and your family, contaminating surfaces and triggering asthma and allergies. If you have problems with a cockroach infestation, contact your local pest control company for an inspection and cockroach treatment plan.
Feb 8, 2023 | Florida Pest Control
South Florida Pest Control: Cockroaches
Spotting a roach inside your home is always alarming! These creatures are known to be resilient and adaptable, surviving in the harshest temperatures and conditions. While we don’t often see temperatures drop too much, we still experience colder weather in Golden Gate, Florida. Your home can provide a warm environment for roaches, food sources, and moisture for survival. We break down three easy preventative measures you can place to avoid a roach infestation below.
Avoid Leaving Dirty Dishes
The kitchen is a paradise for roaches! These pests will often utilize your dish rack, sink, trash can, and countertops to find a food source. Often, what attracts them to this area are the items left overnight. Leaving dirty dishes and food scraps will attract these pests to various kitchen areas. When dirty dishes are left out, it’s an invitation for roaches to go into the sink, roam on the countertops, and eat food not properly stored. This can all lead to contamination and pose a health threat to your family. Wash your dishes and put them away after each meal. Likewise, check underneath your dining table and cooking area for leftover food crumbs and spills, and clean them up as soon as possible.
Properly Store Food
Cockroaches will go to great lengths to find food, often raiding your pantries and cabinets if they have a chance. Once they’ve gained access and food is available, they’ll eat and contaminate it. It’s important to properly seal all the food in your home to prevent them from accessing it. Look to store grains, cereals, and sweets in plastic or glass containers with a tightly sealed lid. If you have bags of chips and other snacks, secure them with a chip clip or utilize plastic bags for the leftovers.
Seal Window, Doors, & Entry Points
Roaches can fit into the smallest hole or opening to get inside a home. A great way to spot any opening from inside is by seeing daylight around a door or window. Don’t forget to inspect the outside of your home for any entry points roaches could enter through, such as the foundation, roof, attic, and crawlspace. If you spot these openings, seal them with caulk, steel wool, or foam, depending on the size of the gap or hole.
If you’ve placed DIY roach preventative measures and you’re still dealing with these pests, it could be time to call in some extra help. Consider contacting your local South Florida pest control company to provide you with a thorough inspection of your home. These professionals will be able to recommend prevention and treatment options customized to your home.
Dec 26, 2022 | Pest Control
Cockroaches have a negative connotation in the minds of the general public, but this is not always the case. Cockroaches are attracted to a tidy home because of the availability of food, water, and shelter. Although the sight of even a single cockroach in your home is likely to cause some level of alarm, it is unlikely that this lone insect is indicative of a widespread problem. Roaches are social pests that can quickly multiply. It’s likely that if you see one, there are others hiding in the shadows or in some crevices, and the situation could quickly escalate into a full-blown infestation.
Humans should avoid coming into contact with cockroaches because the bacteria they carry on their bodies and feet can spread to any surface they walk across. They also have the potential to bring on allergic reactions and asthma attacks. A cockroach infestation might exist even if you don’t spot any of the insects yourself. Signs of cockroaches include dead bodies, small, brown, oval-shaped eggs or eggshells, dark, powdery droppings that resemble ground coffee, and a persistent musty odor.
Preventative measures are the most effective means of cockroach control. Cockroach prevention can be accomplished by:
Cleaning Thoroughly
The crumbs and dirt that humans leave behind are a magnet for roaches. After each meal, clean the dishes and put them away. Get rid of the crumbs and mop up the spills right away. Get rid of the trash every night. Remove all grease from cooking surfaces. Put perishables in containers that can’t be opened easily. Make regular use of a broom, mop, and vacuum. Do not leave pet supplies out overnight.
Declutter
Remove potential hiding spots for roaches by clearing away any clutter. Keep rooms decluttered, especially those that aren’t used frequently, and maintain a regular dusting schedule. Skip the cardboard boxes and opt instead for plastic containers with secure lids. Roaches thrive in cardboard and newspaper, so get rid of it.
Seal Them Out
Roaches can enter homes through crevices and under doors. By locating these entry points and sealing them, you can prevent cockroaches and other pests from entering your home. The areas around the windows and doors, the foundation and the roof, the attic and the crawlspace vents, and the openings for the utility and plumbing lines should all be thoroughly inspected. Caulk can be used to fill in tiny cracks and holes. Use steel wool and foam to seal larger holes, especially those near pipes. It is possible to use fine mesh wire to create a seal around roof vents and chimneys.
Eliminate Moisture
Moisture is essential for the survival of roaches and most other pests. For this reason, roaches can be lured into your home by the presence of standing water or an abundance of moisture. Make it a habit to routinely check for leaks in the plumbing system and to fix any you find. Inspect for leaks and excess moisture around the faucets, sinks, refrigerator, and other appliances in the home. Extra moisture in homes often originates in the crawl space. If you’re worried about moisture under your house, an enclosed crawlspace may be the answer.
Call The Professionals
It can be very challenging to get rid of a cockroach infestation. In the fight against roaches, prevention can only go so far. Get in touch with a professional pest control company if you think you have an infestation so they can help you figure out what kind of roaches you have, where they are getting in, and what they are eating, and then create a customized plan for cockroach control and elimination in the future.
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