Are you an expert at identifying cockroaches?
If you find a pesky cockroach in your home, it may cause panic. But, generally if there is one, there are many. You may decide to figure out the type or just wait for a pest control company to come. Identifying cockroaches is not too difficult. Here are common facts about 2 common cockroaches; the American Cockroach and the German Cockroach.
German Cockroach
Latin Name: Blattella germanica
via www.wikipedia.com
The German Cockroach are about a half of inch long. This is generally the same size as an United States penny (without the antenna). Another identifying feature is the 2 dark stripes done the cockroaches back. The stripes run from the head, all the way down the back and can be from brown to almost black in color. The young German roaches can be very dark. This species of roaches have wings but prefer scurrying not flying. The favorite place for a German cockroach is in humid, moist areas like bathrooms and kitchens. Another place they are often found is in the trash cans. The cockroaches are happy to have water and food in one place. Treatment for roaches in duplexes and apartments can be more difficult to treat. Adult German cockroaches have a life span of 100-200 days. The German Cockroach is the most common cockroach found in the United States.
American Cockroach
Latin Name: Periplaneta americana
via www.wikipedia.com
The American Cockroach is one of the larger cockroaches found in the United States. Some of these roaches have been reported to be 2 inches in length (larger than a United States Quarter). The coloring of the American Cockroach is reddish-brown and have 2 brown spots on the shoulders. Sometimes an identifying factor is a yellow band around their heads. Their shells also have a shiny or glossy look to them. Food of choose for the American Cockroaches is moist, wet foods. If you have canned pet foods that you open and leave out, that is the food of choice of American Cockroaches. Both male and female American cockroaches have wings and will fly. The favorite spot for these types of cockroaches are flower beds (often with warm, moist mulch). The life span of an American Cockroach is about 200 days.
How to Avoid Cockroaches
There are 5 things you can do to help reduce cockroach infestations.
- Reduce water- repair leaky pipes and reduce standing water
- Clean the kitchen- food debris left out is a buffet for bugs
- Monitor- cockroaches like dark corners where they are not disturbed so clean cabinets routinely
- Adjust humidity- many cockroaches like warm, moist air; keep humidity in your home low
- Seal it up- seal and repair cracks and gaps to stop the cockroaches from entering
Identifying cockroaches is not a hard thing to do. Regardless of the type of cockroaches you may find at your home, the biggest thing that needs to happen is to get rid of them. Our skilled technicians can identifying cockroaches, how they are entering your home and plan how to get rid of the cockroaches, fast!
Call us today for a no obligation inspection- 615-220-1933!