Why DIY Cockroach Prevention Methods Can Fail

Why DIY Cockroach Prevention Methods Can Fail

Cockroaches are not just a nuisance pest. They pose serious health concerns for people and pets that reside in the home they choose to invade. They readily spread germs to food and to surfaces, germs that they carry on their bodies. They not only contaminate food and cause illnesses, but they can also bite. This makes cockroaches a triple threat in your home that you will want to get rid of quickly.

If you have seen cockroaches in your home, you may have been tempted to use DIY methods to treat them yourself. What you might not know is that cockroaches are downright difficult to get rid of. One of the reasons for this is that they are very hardy. They can live without their head for about a week, and go without eating for months. They do not need their mother after her eggs have been laid, the eggs remain hidden away until they have hatched, increasing the cockroach population in no time at all. Lastly, if you have ever seen cockroaches scurrying around, you may know that they can run pretty fast and even upside down on ceilings and under items, making them extremely evasive.

Here are some of the problems with DIY cockroach control:

  • Bombs and foggers don’t penetrate the deep cracks and crevices of a home.
  • Chemicals can be messy and dangerous.
  • They may be short-lived solutions for a long-term problem.
  • Different types of cockroaches require different treatments.
  • Last but not least, these methods can end up being costly, time-consuming, and ineffective.

This is why your best option for guaranteed safety in regards to cockroaches is through a professional pest control plan. Why risk the failure of DIY methods when you can have a cockroach-free home through Russell’s Pest Control in Eastern Tennessee. We know how important the health of your family and pets are to you, and that your #1 priority is to protect them.

At Russell’s Pest Control, we use the most effective and safest treatments possible and offer a variety of residential service bundles that are sure to suit your needs and your budget. Our Power programs include Power, Power Gold, Power Plus, and Power Platinum. All of these include the 30 most common pests, including cockroaches. Our experienced service technicians are ready to help. Give us a call to learn more about our residential pest control options and discover which plan works best for your family, home and budget.

American, German, Or Oriental – Which Cockroach Am I Dealing With?

American

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!