American Roaches
American roaches, aka American cockroaches, are about 3 inches in length. The females are relatively smaller. Just like other insects, American roaches can cause serious problems for you if they are in a large number in your house. But how can you control them? Read on to find out.
Adults are mahogany or reddish brown, and the area at the back of an adult features a yellow band. Females produce special capsule-like cases to protect their eggs. Each capsule has around 16 eggs in it and each baby roach takes around 5 months to grow into an adult.
Behavior and Diet
As soon as the baby grows into an adult it gets the ability to fly. Usually, they live outdoors but get into homes through garages, basement windows, and cracks in the walls. If there are any in your house, you should probably look in your basement, laundry room, kitchen or bathroom. American roaches feed on leaves, fungi, algae, small insects and food.
Signs of American Cockroach Infestation
- Sightings: You may of course see them running fast around your house, which is a sure sign of an infestation.
- Droppings: Take a look in your basement, especially behind appliances or other stuff for the droppings of roaches. The droppings of American cockroaches are blunt on the ends and the sides have ridges.
- Egg Capsules: Their egg cases measure 38 mm in length, and are dark, reddish or blackish brown. You will find these eggs behind sheds, garages or somewhere in your basement.
Problems caused by an American Cockroach Infestation
American roaches can contaminate food, spread diseases and cause allergies. According to WHO, they can cause a number other health problems, such as poliomyelitis, typhoid fever, plague, leprosy, and cholera, to name a few.
How to deal with American roaches
Known as one of the major pests in the US, American roaches are from Africa originally. Understanding all the problems that these insects can cause, it is a must to take the necessary measures if your house is infested with them. The best thing you can do is hire a professional pest controller. Once the problem has been dealt with, you can take the following preventive measures to make sure the problem doesn’t come back again.
- Wash everything with soap and water: Insects, including cockroaches thrive in dirty places.
- Don’t give them the environment they like. Wash your kitchen and bathroom with soapy water on a daily basis if possible.
- Vacuum your house thoroughly: Clean your floor thoroughly with a vacuum to make sure there is no dust.
- Caulk any cracks or gaps: Close all the cracks and gaps to prevent the roaches from getting in your house.
- Weather-strip windows and doors: Another good preventive measure is to use a weather strip for doors and windows.
- Store your food and leftovers in sealable bags: Food is what attracts roaches the most. Store all your food in sealable cans. Make sure you put food leftovers in sealable garbage cans.
- Use boric acid powder: You can use boric acid powder to dust in places where roaches can hide, such as behind your refrigerator, oven and cabinets.
First and foremost, make sure you deal with the infestation as soon as possible by contacting a pest control company.
Contact us today for a free consultation and we will be at your service.
Photo by: Gary Alpert / License: GNU
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