Description Of American Cockroach
The American cockroach is the largest of the cockroaches that infest homes and commercial buildings in Oklahoma City. They spend most of their time in sewers, basements, steam tunnels, and drainage systems. They infest restaurants, bakeries, homes, and anywhere else food is stored and/or prepared. The American cockroach is reddish-brown with a lighter brown or yellow band around the pronotum or behind the eyes. They have a flat body, six legs, and wings. In males, the wings extend beyond the body.
Medical Issues With American Cockroaches
In addition to being disgusting, the American cockroach is dangerous. It spreads salmonellosis, typhoid fever, cholera, gastroenteritis, dysentery, listeriosis, giardia, and E. coli infection. It spreads these diseases by tracking them onto food, food preparation areas, and food preparation utensils.
American cockroaches also cause asthma and allergies in people, especially children. The shed skins, egg cases, feces, and urine crumble and become dust, which people breathe in. Children with asthma who live with cockroaches are hospitalized significantly more often than children with asthma who do not live with cockroaches.
Preventing American Cockroaches
While a clean home will not keep you from having American cockroaches, a dirty home will invite them to stay. The best ways to prevent these cockroaches are exclusion and sanitation. Try these tips to keep American cockroaches out of your home or building:
- Clean up food spills promptly.
- Put food in metal or glass containers cockroaches cannot get into.
- Pick up pet food each night.
- Stop leaks and dry out moist areas.
- Caulk cracks in the foundation and walls.
- Caulk gaps where pipes, electrical wires, and cables enter the home.
- Clean up clutter because it provides nesting areas for cockroaches.
- Make sure screens on windows and doors are tight-fitting and do not have holes.
- Make sure the door sweeps are in good condition and do not have gaps.
- Check potted plants, packages, and groceries for American cockroaches before entering the building.
- Wash dishes and utensils as soon as you are through using them.
Signs Of The American Cockroach In Your Home
American cockroaches are nocturnal. By the time you see one in the daylight, you have a large infestation. If you see these signs, you have a cockroach problem:
- Droppings - resemble coffee ground or pepper grains. They are especially prevalent where cockroaches spend the day.
- Smears - will be on paths cockroaches take often-they are usually brown and oily.
- Odors - cockroaches have an odor to their feces that is unpleasant.
- Eggs - they are laid in capsules that resemble kidney beans in shape and color. If you find them, you have roaches.
- Shed Skin - after birth, cockroaches repeatedly shed their skin as they grow into adulthood. You will find shed skins where roaches congregate.
Getting Rid Of American Cockroaches
Cockroaches are difficult to kill. During the day, they spend most of their time in tight-fitting cracks. They fit so tightly in these cracks that pesticides cannot penetrate them. Bug bombs particularly fail to penetrate these cracks. The bug bombs can be dangerous if the label is not followed.
It is far safer and more successful to hire a professional to get rid of the American cockroaches. Guaranteed Pest Service of Oklahoma can get rid of your roaches for you. We will come out and do a free inspection of your house and grounds, looking for where the pests are. We will create a home pest control treatment plan designed just for you. After treatment, we will come back at regular intervals to renew the protections outside the house. Call Guaranteed Pest Service of Oklahoma today to get rid of American cockroaches.
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