ELIMINATING COCKROACHES FOR GOOD: A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH FOR PHOENIX HOMES

Cockroaches are kind of yucky. But many Phoenix residents put up with them. Why? Because they have no idea how to get rid of cockroaches. Most people don't even know where to begin. Cockroaches are mysterious. Wouldn't it be nice if you had access to a quick and simple guide to roach control and prevention that would make those pests less of a mystery? Well, now you do. It's right here. Join us today as we look at the key facts you need to know about roach problems. We'll explain how to identify the roaches you're seeing, what they do in your home, and how to control cockroach activity. If you would much rather have a professional handle things for you, we're always here to assist you. Contact Overson Pest Control for professional pest control in Phoenix. We'll rid your home of roaches. Call or text us at any time.

Understanding The Cockroach Problem: Identifying The Culprits

There are several cockroach species in Phoenix, but the three we see most often are American, German, and oriental cockroaches. All roaches are similar in many ways. They all have long antennae, shiny exoskeletons, and six legs. Cockroach legs are somewhat unique among insects in that they have tiny spines that look like thorns.

American cockroaches are the largest of the three common roaches in Phoenix. They can grow as large as 2 ⅛ inches. Oriental cockroaches are slightly smaller. Adult oriental cockroaches are typically about one inch long. German cockroaches are the smallest of the three. They range from ½ to ⅝ of an inch long.

Along with varying sizes, these cockroaches look quite a bit different. American cockroaches are chestnut with a yellow mark on the back. Oriental cockroaches are entirely black. German cockroaches have two black lines on their backs but are otherwise tan. 

Why is it important to know how to identify cockroaches? Because their behaviors are somewhat different. If you understand their unique traits, it will help you manage them.

• American cockroaches tend to hide in areas of high humidity. They don't prefer a dry home. They're also attracted to warm spaces. If you keep a chilly home, you may drive these insects away.
• Oriental cockroaches require damp conditions and are likely to live outdoors rather than in your walls. Unfortunately, they are the filthiest of the three because they access unsanitary things you would never allow in your home.
• German cockroaches take well to indoor living, and most of their offspring never go outdoors. But, their love of living indoors has turned them into formidable pests to control.

When these cockroaches crawl around in your home, you can expect them to do a few things. They're going to tuck themselves in tight spaces. You'll likely find them in unexpected places, like underneath a welcome mat. They'll move through your walls and in the gap between your floors and subflooring. They'll get into your stored food, climb on your dishes, get into your trash, crawl around in your bathroom, and get on your toothbrush. They can chew through cardboard or paper and access food in containers made of these materials. They squeeze through gaps a third their height – which is saying something because cockroaches have a low profile. Their ability (and propensity) to squeeze through gaps allows them to access things you wouldn't expect, like a covered trash receptacle or a dishwasher.

Along with all of the behaviors listed above, you can also expect cockroaches to leave their droppings and shed exoskeletons around your home, both of which can present health risks for you and your family. Let's quickly look at these.

The Health Risks of Cockroaches: Allergies And Diseases

It is easy to understand why it isn't good to have roaches leaving their droppings in your home. Their waste can contaminate plates, cups, forks, spoons, cutting boards, packaged foods, uncovered food, and more. The fact that they leave their shed skins around your home may not seem like a big deal. What you may not know is that cockroach skins have allergy-causing proteins. If you are sensitive to these proteins, you can have respiratory issues as a result of these shed skins. The threat is even greater for those who suffer from asthma. Studies reveal that hospitalizations are higher in homes with roach infestations. So, it is critical to contact a licensed professional at the first signs of cockroaches in your home if you have some in your home with this condition.

Along with droppings and allergy-causing proteins, cockroaches have another way of making you sick. They pick up germs and spread them as they travel around your home. Germs like salmonella and E. coli can cause symptoms that require hospitalization. Let's take a look at how applying a high level of sanitation will not only help protect you from cockroach-related illness but also drive roaches out and keep them out.

Preventing Cockroaches: Proactive Household Measures

American, German, and oriental cockroaches are slightly different, but they share many common behavior patterns. If you understand these common patterns, you can manage cockroaches indoors and outdoors. Here are a few patterns to consider and ways you can deter roaches.

Physical Barriers: Cockroaches don't chew tunnels in wood or chew through building materials. The only way a roach can go from your wall void to an interior space is by using an existing opening. They'll climb out of a gap in your baseboards or crown molding. They'll climb out of a gap in a window frame. They'll squeeze through an air conditioning unit. The secret to keeping cockroaches out of your home and preventing them from easily moving about the interior is to meticulously address gaps, cracks, and holes.

• Apply caulking to seal gaps around door frames, window frames, and fixtures.
• Apply caulking to gaps in baseboards.
• Apply expanding foam to fill in holes, larger gaps, and voids.
• Replace weatherstripping and door sweeps where needed.

Sanitize: When managing roaches, you need to consider what motivates a cockroach and allows a cockroach population to thrive. They feed on your food, leftovers on dishes, pet food, food debris on the floor, grease on the side of your oven, toothpaste, and more. A clean home is not ideal, and it can stunt cockroach population growth.

• Clean your floors.
• Wipe down surfaces and shelves.
• Deep clean the sides of your oven.
• Disinfect your dishwasher.
• Maintain a clean and covered kitchen trash bin.

Moisture: A home that is dry could drive certain roaches out. Reducing moisture also reduces another not-so-obvious food source. Cockroaches like to feed on moist cardboard, paper products, and wallpaper.

• Repair any plumbing issues inside your home.
• Make sure of fans and vents to remove moisture, such as in your bathroom.
• Consider installing a dehumidifier unit to reduce room humidity.

Now that you know how to deter cockroaches, let's talk about cockroach control in Phoenix. Often, roaches are persistent. When it is time to use cockroach control products, it is time to contact a licensed professional with experience and training in the application of these products.

Eliminate Cockroaches In The House: Call In The Experts!

What makes professional roach pest control different from DIY treatments? There are three issues we see most often. First, there are many things that can eliminate a cockroach on contact. But eliminating a cockroach doesn't do anything to address the thousands of cockroaches you can't get to inside your walls. Sprayed products are topical and limited in their impact. Second, residents may use bait to control cockroaches and find out that cockroaches will completely ignore the bait. Roaches may not do this immediately, but they may start to do it when they realize the bait is not safe. We call this bait aversion. Some German cockroach species are born with bait aversion, making them harder to eliminate. Residents who apply cockroach control with some success can still fall short when they fail to prevent cockroaches from continuing to enter.

When you contact Overson Pest Control, we provide targeted and comprehensive cockroach control. You can expect that your pest management professional will: 

• Inspect your home, identify the cockroaches, and consider the conditions present that allow roaches to survive, thrive, and spread.
• Select appropriate products that work with your specific cockroaches.
• Evaluate baits to make sure they are taken.
• Apply baits evenly so that bait aversion is avoided.
• Apply a multi-pronged strategy to prevent continued cockroach infiltration.
• Perform appropriate follow-ups to ensure all cockroach activity in your home is arrested.

Are you in the Phoenix area? Contact Overson Pest Control for help with cockroaches and to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Phoenix. Our scientific IPM approach to pest control is perfect for dealing with unsanitary pests like cockroaches. Jump to our contact page and connect with us for more information, service options, pricing, and more. It is an easy way to get all the information you need to move forward and address your cockroach issue. We look forward to helping you resolve your pest control problem in a way that works best for you.