What One Cockroach in the Kitchen Means

By May 19, 2014Misc/Other

Flip the lights on and off they run. Their little caramel exoskeletons zip across floors looking for the nearest patch of darkness. Cockroaches thrive in the temperatures that we humans enjoy. Meaning, our homes are the perfect year-round environment. Not to mention a fantastic source for food. Roaches will eat everything we enjoy and hundreds of other items as well. Crumbs, pet food, leather, hair, soap, glue, feathers, the left over toothpaste on your brush, everything is on the menu.

cockroach

Should you be worried if you find one?
Where there’s one, hundreds more lurk under furniture and appliances, even inside your walls. Dead space between wall studs make a perfect hiding place and all your electrical outlets act as miniature doorways. Pest roaches are photophobic, light makes them seek darkness. The only way you’ll ever see a loan roach is when their numbers peak. Competition for food sets in and they become more adventurous to satisfy their voracious appetites.

The reproductive rate of cockroaches would make bunnies blush. A female will lay an egg sac called an ootheca. Each sac contains about 40 eggs. Throughout her lifetime, a female roach will lay numerous ootheca resulting in about 400 offspring. In 36 days the hatchlings become adults and are able to reproduce. It won’t take long for one roach to become millions.

How do they get in?
They’re hitchhikers. Roaches can cling to clothing, find their way into shopping bags and backpacks. In warmer areas they can leave established infestations and seek out new areas. Cracks under doors and in foundations make easy access points.

How to control infestations
The first rule of control is to reduce their sources of food and water. Leaky pipes and dripping sinks should be repaired. Following meals, food should be cleaned up, including the dishes. Take out the trash. Store pet food in a sealed container and never leave it out. Lastly, become the type of housekeeper that would make your mother proud.

All of these methods will help reduce their numbers, however cockroaches are tough. They can survive without water for a week and without food for a month and a half. Roaches can run up to 3 miles per hour. Sensitive hairs covering their bodies detect the tiniest air movement and they can react in 8.2 milliseconds. With these superpowers, most aerosol bug spray cans become ineffective. Poison baits are difficult as well because roaches often taste test new foods in small amounts thereby reducing the poison’s potency.

Don’t let one cockroach turn into a real problem. The professionals at Pointe Pest Control can help. Our technicians are certified to apply the most effective chemicals in the safest way possible. Because we understand how they live and thrive, we know how to target them. No more insects scurrying across your floor. We’ll help you identify cockroach hot spots and eliminate the problem. If you’ve got an insect problem, give the professionals at Pointe Pest Control a call today.

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