Cockroach control in Kittitas County can become a hassle if you're not careful, and this is especially true of German cockroaches. German cockroaches are the worst of the worst in terms of cockroach infestations for one reason: the way they reproduce. Learn more about the pests, including the best ways to prevent and control them with the help of Prosite.
German Cockroaches Vs. Other Roaches: How To Tell The Difference
German cockroaches have a pretty distinct look from other species of cockroaches. German cockroaches are much smaller than many of the species that dominate in our area, including American cockroaches and oriental cockroaches. Where American cockroaches are positively massive and oriental cockroaches are no slouches when it comes to size, German cockroaches are comparatively tiny. They don't even reach an inch in length during their lives.
German cockroaches are also distinctly colored from other cockroach varieties. Most of the other species we have in our area are darker in color. German cockroaches, however, are tan to light brown. They also have a distinct set of parallel stripes that appear on their thorax just below the head and just above the start of the wings.
If you see a single cockroach that looks like this, odds are you have a German cockroach problem.
German Cockroach Problems: Why They're Worse Than Other Roaches
Cockroaches on the whole are pests you don't want in your house. They spread disease, they contaminate everything they touch, and they can even do property damage if the infestation gets out of control. All cockroach varieties are also extremely tough to kill, thanks to their incredible durability.
German cockroaches fit this description to a tee, but their reproductive habits make an infestation of German cockroaches particularly difficult to eradicate. These cockroaches breed many times faster than most other residential cockroach species. Female German cockroaches will lay up to several hundred eggs in their lifetimes, and each individual nymph only takes around 50 to 60 days to mature and begin breeding itself.
This means German cockroach infestations can balloon out of control in just a couple of months. And since German cockroaches are so good at staying out of your way, the likelihood is that it will be much longer than this before you realize you have a problem. This means that German cockroach infestations usually become well-established before homeowners discover they have an issue.
Preventing German Cockroaches In The House: Proactive Measures
Since German cockroach treatment is much more difficult to accomplish once an infestation gets going, the best thing you can do is avoid getting an infestation at all. The good news is that you don't have to overhaul your entire lifestyle to make your home less attractive to cockroaches of all varieties. You just have to follow a few key best practices, including:
- Store all pantry foods in airtight containers.
- Tightly cover indoor and outdoor garbage cans at all times.
- Take care of moisture problems around your home.
- Never leave dirty dishes sitting out — not even in the sink.
- Clean frequently and avoid leaving clutter for cockroaches to hide beneath or inside.
- Avoid leaving pet foods out for pets to "graze." Feed pets at meal times and put their food and bowls away afterward.
Following these best practices can help make your home less attractive to all cockroach species because it makes food and moisture harder for them to access. If food and moisture sources are too inconvenient to access, then roaches will move on to easier pickings.
Eliminate German Cockroaches In The House: Call In The Experts!
Unfortunately, if you wind up with an active cockroach infestation, there is not a lot you can do on your own to eradicate it. This is especially true of German cockroaches, as they are every bit as tough as their larger cousins and breed much faster. This means you need to call pest professionals as soon as you notice signs of a cockroach infestation in your home, such as:
- A foul or musty odor
- Smear marks around water droplets
- Roach feces or egg capsules
- Roach bodies or exoskeletons
- Live roaches
If you start seeing several of these signs, and particularly if you are seeing live roaches, you need to act right away. Contact the experts here at Prosite.
German cockroaches might be able to outbreed and outmaneuver store-bought roach control solutions, but they cannot evade our cockroach removal experts. So don't waste your time with ineffective baits and glue boards. Just give Prosite a call or visit our contact page to schedule your cockroach inspection today.