5 Frightening Facts About Cockroaches

Cockroach on white background

Cockroach on white background

If you see a cockroach in your home, you probably won’t need to be persuaded to call an exterminator. Cockroaches are repulsive and difficult to eliminate by yourself. But here are five facts that might make you even more motivated to contact an experienced exterminator like Active Pest Control.

Cockroaches Are Quick

A human’s average walking speed is 2.5 to 4 mph. Some roaches can run over 3 miles per hour. In fact, they’re one of the fastest insects on the planet. They won’t hesitate to run or fly at you to create an opening for their escape. It’s best to avoid coming in contact with cockroaches. They’re known or suspected carriers of the bacteria that cause dysentery, typhoid fever, Salmonellosis, cholera and other illnesses.

They’re Hard to Kill

Cockroach exoskeletons are incredibly strong. They can withstand a force equivalent to 900 times their own body weight. So don’t count on being able to just hit a roach with a broom and squash it. If you have a cockroach infestation in your home, don’t attempt to kill the roaches on your own. Effectively eliminating a cockroach infestation is nearly impossible without help from a professional exterminator.

If You Kill One, it Attracts More

Like many other insects, cockroaches are attracted to certain scents. The smell that’s most compelling to them is, surprisingly, the smell of a dead roach. A dead roach produces a smell that entomologists call the “death stench”. Cockroaches are social creatures, so when a dead roach is discovered, other roaches tend to investigate so they can let the rest of the colony know that it may be in danger. After alerting the colony, they may begin feeding on the carcass of the deceased. 

A Cockroach Can Live for Weeks Without a Head

Think cockroaches can’t get any more disgusting or creepy? Think again! A cockroach can survive for a few weeks without a head. Because they breathe through a system of tubes that filters air in and out of the sides of the body, they only need their head to consume food and water. While a cockroach can regenerate limbs, it can’t grow back its head. It will survive for a few headless weeks until it dies of hunger or thirst.

A Cockroach Can Survive for More Than a Half Hour Without Air

A cockroach is able to hold its breath for 40 to 45 minutes, making any plans to suffocate roaches a non-starter. This is just another example of how tough they are to kill.

Best Cockroach Exterminators in Georgia

If you’re dealing with a cockroach infestation, don’t hesitate to hire professional exterminators. The experts at Active Pest Control have been providing fast, reliable cockroach extermination in Georgia since 1985. Contact us today for a free quote!

 

Roaches Love Wet Weather

Do you like to be cold and wet? As it turns out, neither do cockroaches. In fact, it doesn’t even have to be both at the same time. If it is too cold outside, cockroaches will look for a warm place to hide. If heavy rains saturate the ground, cockroaches will look for shelter above the rising waterline. Both of these can drive them into man-made structures. If you own a man-made structure, and you’d prefer to not have roaches getting in, there are a few things you can do.

Roach Exclusion Tips:

  • Keep things as clean as possible. While it is impossible to completely rid a home of everything cockroaches can feed on, you can deter roaches by reducing food sources, such as bread crumbs under the toaster, food particles in your rug, plates left on end tables and coffee tables, and juice spills under the fridge.
  • Don’t leave pet food dishes on the floor between meals.
  • Store all foods in the fridge or inside tightly sealed containers that pests cannot get into, such as glass or plastic.
  • Try to keep your home as dry as possible by using strategically placed fans and dehumidifiers.
  • Store all trash in cans with tightly fitting lids. Cockroaches can find a lot to eat in a trash can.
  • Make sure there are no food sources for roaches outside, such as pet food, bird seeds or leftover barbecue items.

    Inspect your exterior walls for gaps, cracks, and holes. Use a caulking gun to fill holes in until you have the money to do an official repair.

  • Make sure all of your screens are present and in good repair.
  • Make sure all door sweeps make good contact, and that weather stripping on sliding doors have a good seal.

If you do the above, you can make your home harder to infiltrate and less desirable for cockroaches to live in, but be aware that these are resilient and resourceful insects. They are able to climb walls, walk across ceilings, and compact their bodies to squeeze through cracks. Some roaches can even fly. You’re not going to be able to fully exclude them without an application of insecticide. For this, you should trust a professional pest technician. Not only will a professional know where to apply these products, they will follow strict governmental guidelines to ensure that it is done safely.

Is it cold or wet around your home? Call Active Pest Control and get the protection you need to keep cockroaches out.

Knoxville Roach Issues And The Solution

Growing up as a child, I can still remember my Mom almost going into panic mode the moment she saw an insect that even remotely resembled a cockroach. She knew full well the difficulty of eradicating those nasty roaches. Cockroaches can be carried into the home in many ways. Used furniture from an infested house is a guarantee that you are also carrying roaches in with that couch or chair. Paper bags from the grocery store or a bag of potatoes is another way these filthy pests can be introduced to your home.

The three things cockroaches are searching for are food, water, and shelter. This makes your kitchen, cafeterias, nursing homes, schools and dormitories ideal habitats for cockroaches. Food left uncovered, dirty dishes piled up in the sink, spilled food and drinks, garbage cans full and overflowing will be sure to add to the attraction of cockroaches to your home or place of business. One of the first steps to prevention of a cockroach infestation is to remove all readily accessible sources of food. Wipe down tables and counters daily. Be sure to clean under the stove and refrigerator on a regular basis. Keep pantries and cupboards wiped down and free of food crumbs. Store all food items in pest-proof containers.

Remember, as with most other pests, cockroaches cannot survive without water. Check under sinks and bathrooms for any leaking water or drain lines. Condensation on exposed cold water lines provides more than enough water for them. Wrap these lines with insulated foam pipe covers. Even wet sponges are able to sustain cockroaches and provide their need for moisture.

Cockroaches are rather repulsive looking and certainly not something with which you would want to share your kitchen. They are also a health concern due to the fact that they can cause severe allergic reactions and are known to carry many diseases.

Roaches are also very resilient. While a thorough cleaning of your home and kitchen area is a must, this doesn’t mean that you are free from roaches. A cockroach can continue living for three months without food. They are also able to hide in dark, damp places in the garage, basement and other places where boxes and clutter are available.

Over the counter products are very ineffective and will drastically delay the eradication of these tenacious pests. These “solutions” will, at best, only eliminate the visible roaches. The best solution is to contact Active Pest Control and let them customize a cockroach control program that will fit your personal needs. Active Pest Control is all you need if you are experiencing problems with cockroaches. Their plan will also prevent future issues with cockroaches.

If cockroaches have moved into your home or business or if you just want to make sure that they don’t, give us a call here at Active Pest Control and we will get and keep your home roach proof!