Roaches and How to Prevent Them

Roaches are a pest people never want to find in their home, though can be said about almost every pest. That is to say the most common kind of roach to see in homes (especially in hot and humid areas like Florida)  What makes these pests different is German roaches are what some call a “domesticated pest” or a pest meant to live with humans. These roaches are almost bred to live in human conditions rather than outdoors. An infestation is not a sign that someone is dirty or even has a dirty home.  They spread almost like a common cold, going from one person to the next through things like bags, boxes and sometimes something as simple as an infested house torn down or destroyed so they migrate. When these pests find their way into your home they leave tale-tell signs of their intrusion.

If you’re having a pest problem, and need a solution, call Turbo Pest Solutions at (352)-345-7572

Signs to Look For

A sign to look out for is their droppings which tend to look like coffee grounds or black pepper. Longer established infestations tend to leave smear marks on walls and floors where they’ve been stepped on or walked through oils. Roaches tend to shed their skin as they grow. These skins are also big indicators that there is an infestation. They are found in tight spaces like drawers and under sinks where they thrive. They look for areas where its warm and wet, like behind stoves and dishwashers.

Another big sign of an infestation are dropped egg casings or “oothecas” which can contain around fifty eggs per capsule. These little grenades of roach babies can cause an infestation with a couple of them alone. Another important thing to watch out for is, obvious enough, dead roaches. Finding a lot of dead roaches in one place hidden, or especially more than a few dead out in the open can be reason to suspect an infestation. Roaches eat each other so lots of dead roaches is the equivalent of an open food source.

Other strong indicators of an already set in infestation are a musty odor, which is the pheromone that roaches let off. It’s not really comparable to another smell like sulfur or rotten eggs. Once you smell it you will know the smell for the rest of your days though. It’s best described as “musty” and almost greasy with a sickly sweet tang to it.

You’ll also see chew marks on food left out, books or even fabrics. The biggest indicator of an overcrowded infestation is seeing live roaches during the day considering they are nocturnal.

Prevention of Infestation

Roaches are commonly just doing what they can to stay alive, working purely on feral instinct. Once they’re in, it can be very difficult to get them out. Working before they are even there to keep them out can be a life saver if they ever do find their way in.

Making sure to repair holes in water pipes, baseboards, doors and windows is a huge help. Putting weather-strip and caulking any small cracks, holes and any areas they could use as highways through your home are very important. Putting screens over things like vents, windows and floor drains can prevent many pests from finding their way into your home, not just roaches.

Roaches tend to feed on anything they can get ahold of, so clearing your house of any un-needed cardboard, paper bags, newspaper, etc. can really help with not giving them a feast if they do find their way in. Keeping tidy, not leaving food out, and fixing leaky pipes are all very important. Remember though, a dirty or clean house are not the difference when it comes to an infestation. It’s the willingness to work at getting it fixed. Here at Turbo Pest Solutions we focus on eradicating the pest. Solving the problem and not just controlling it.

Expert Insight:

Written by a licensed pest control professional with hands-on experience serving residential and commercial properties in Citrus County Florida, supported by consistent positive customer reviews on Google.

If you are having trouble with ants or any other pests, call Turbo Pest Solutions at (352) 345-7572