Homeowners often encounter unexpected guests in the form of household pests. In Huntsville, and all over the country, there is one common household pest that can ruin the day of any homeowner. Cockroaches in Huntsville are always an unwelcome sight and immediately conjure up mental pictures of filth and disease. This common home invader can mean big problems for property owners, the team at EnviroGuard Pest Control wants you to know what to do if you see cockroaches in your Huntsville home or business.
What to Know About Cockroaches
Often thought of as an indicator of poor hygiene, bad housekeeping, or a dirty home, cockroaches can mean big problems for homeowners. While a dirty area does provide more of what cockroaches need and love, they can survive on nearly nothing, and almost any home or building can become infested. Cockroaches are incredibly resilient pests; they can live for a week without a head due to the open nature of their circulatory system. They can hold their breath for up to 30 minutes and survive being submerged in water for close to 40 minutes. Cockroaches can also run up to three miles an hour, which is impressive for such a small bug.
Danger of Cockroaches
Cockroaches are dangerous to homeowners for several reasons. These pests are known for being gross and disgusting, and that is exactly the reason cockroaches are dangerous. Cockroaches will eat almost anything and are often seen in and around unsanitary places like trash bins, dumpsters, compost bins, under appliances, and near rotting and old material. In these places, they pick up germs and bacteria and then spread those germs into homes. Cockroaches spread disease everywhere they go. Cockroaches spread diseases like salmonellosis, typhoid fever, cholera, gastroenteritis, dysentery, listeriosis, giardia, and E. coli infection, just to name a few. Along with that, discarded cockroach skin, feces, and carcasses can trigger asthma and allergies. Cockroaches are known to swarm; a sudden disruption can cause hundreds and thousands of little insects to rush out and form a cockroach swarm. if you happen to see a cockroach swarm on your Huntsville home or property, call the professionals at EnviroGuard Pest Control right away.
What Cockroaches In Huntsville Look Like
There are thousands of species of cockroaches; however, not all of them are dangerous to humans. In general, cockroaches are oval-shaped, with six legs and a pair of antennae, and several species can fly. Around Huntsville there are four main species of cockroach to look out for:
- American cockroach – These roaches are reddish-brown and oval-shaped, with a yellow-looking figure-eight marking on the back of the head and are the largest of the cockroach species found in Huntsville. Adult American cockroaches may reach a little over two inches long, giving them the name "giant cockroach" in some areas.
- German cockroach - These cockroaches are tan to brown-colored with two dark-colored stripes on the back of their upper backs. German cockroaches seek out warm humid places and are the most common cockroach species found worldwide. German cockroaches do not fly.
- Asian cockroach – Tan to brown colored, the Asian cockroach looks quite similar to the German cockroach, however Asian cockroaches fly very well.
- Oriental cockroaches – Large, shiny, and black, these cockroaches like pipes and sewers and will surprise homeowners by crawling out of drains. Oriental cockroaches do not fly.
Cockroaches settle in and reproduce very quickly, so if you see one or two in your home or business, there are likely more hiding somewhere out of sight. Of course, the best way to control a cockroach infestation is to never get one. This means practicing good hygiene and sanitation in your home and business. You also want to seal up any kind of cracks or small openings cockroaches can get in through on the outside of a building, and make sure to clean up any kind of moisture residue or buildup that may gather near appliances, in basements, crawlspaces, attics, under baseboards, etc. A professional pest control team can come in and assess your home or business to help boost cockroach prevention.
Contact The Professionals
Getting rid of a cockroach infestation is no easy task, and is one best left to the professionals. While there might be plenty of information out there claiming to know the best and easiest way to get rid of cockroaches, the reality is that trying to get rid of them on your own can be both difficult and dangerous. Not only are cockroaches difficult to spot and hard if not impossible to catch, but many of the different products out there use chemicals that are harmful to humans. It is always best to contact a professional team like the pest control specialists at EnviroGuard Pest Control if you suspect a cockroach infestation in your Huntsville home or business.
Reach out to the EnviroGuard Pest Control team today for all your pest control and prevention needs. Residential or commercial, we are here to help keep Huntsville cockroach-free.