Posted on August 31, 2018

Did you know that there are several types of cockroaches that you could be invading your Tennessee home? Each one of these roaches present serious health threats when they invade your home as they likely spent time in some extremely filthy and unsanitary areas before entering your home. Russell’s Pest Control can provide cockroach control for each of the following types of cockroaches:

American Cockroaches

American cockroaches are the largest home-invading cockroaches found in our area and can reach up to 2 inches in length! They are reddish-brown in color and have a distinctive yellowish figure-eight pattern on the back of their head. These cockroaches prefer to live in damp, dark places with warm temperatures. They will enter homes if the weather becomes unfavorable or if they are in need of food. These pests can be found living in sewage systems and feeding on decaying matter and garbage. Once indoors, American roaches can often be found in the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room areas as well as in basements and attics.

German Cockroaches

German cockroaches are light brown or tan in color and have two dark stripes on their back just behind their head. They are much smaller than American cockroaches, reaching only about ½ an inch in length. German cockroaches also enjoy warm, moist places to live and will feed on just about anything they can find. These roaches are commonly found in the same areas as the American cockroach, especially in kitchens and bathrooms.

Oriental Cockroaches

Oriental cockroaches are shiny black in color and about 1 inch in size. These cockroaches differ from the other species as they can survive in much colder weather conditions. Though they can survive outdoors in freezing temperatures, they prefer living in the basements and crawl spaces of our homes. Oriental cockroaches feed on a variety of different things including rotten or decaying substances and sewage, so having these pests in your home can be hazardous to your health and the health of your family members.

All of these cockroaches have the ability to spread over 30 types of bacteria and 6 kinds of parasites. As we mentioned before, these pests crawl through some extremely unsanitary substances before entering your home. When they do so, these roaches pick up bacteria, viruses, and other harmful pathogens on their bodies and legs that they can then carry inside and spread throughout the home they are invading. These roaches spread numerous disease-causing bacteria that can make you become very ill including salmonella, staphylococcus, and streptococcus. Additionally, their shed skins, waste, and saliva have qualities that can trigger allergies and even asthma attacks in some people, especially young children and the elderly.

If you are experiencing problems with cockroaches in your home, then it’s time to give us a call! Dealing with a cockroach infestation on your own is extremely difficult. Instead of struggling to control them on your own, contact Russell’s Pest Control to have one of our technicians evaluate your pest problem. We will recommend the pest control plan that’s right for you and your specific situation in order to get rid of your roach problem once and for all! We offer both home and commercial pest control programs, so if you are dealing with a cockroach infestation in your business, give us a call today!