Cockroaches are a common pest that everyone cringes at the thought of having in their home. However, many don't know about the different species of cockroaches that can invade. One of the most common being the German cockroach. Interestingly, while they do invade homes frequently, they are usually associated with places of business like restaurants, food processing facilities, nursing homes, and hotels. As such, no property is inherently safe from an infestation.
German cockroaches are generally light brown or tan in color with two parallel stripes running down their backs. The female of the species is generally darker than the male. It's true that German cockroaches have wings to fly, but they prefer to run when possible. When checking for a possible infestation, you'll find this cockroach where it's warm and humid while remaining close to food and moisture. In addition to seeing the cockroach itself, it's likely you'll come across their droppings also, which resemble black pepper.
Understanding The Problems They Cause
There's no shortage of problems that German cockroaches cause for Yakima County property owners. For starters, their feeding and travel habits allow for pathogens and bacteria to collect on their bodies. After all, they do dine on human and roach feces. As such, the surfaces they crawl across when they've invaded become contaminated. For restaurants, this means contaminated food. For medical institutions, this can translate to compromised patient safety.
Some of the most common illnesses and conditions associated with this cockroach include asthma, allergies, dysentery, diarrhea, and other much more severe conditions. To make matters worse, it's challenging to eliminate German cockroaches once they've invaded. They are hard to kill, invade in large numbers, and then reproduce. Therefore, it is important to practice cockroach prevention.
Preventing German Cockroaches
Fortunately, there are a lot of ways to prevent them from getting inside your property. However, the most effective ways are:
- Trash management: Roaches love your trash, so it’s important to make it inaccessible. Seal bags, close lids, and dispose of trash away from the building.
- Clean everything: Mop or vacuum floors. Pick up trash, spilled food, and drinks. Wipe up crumbs. Basically, as long as the property is as clean as possible, the roaches will be less inclined to stick around.
- Seal the utility pipes: Cockroaches will crawl through plumbing and sewer lines. If you protect entrances, they can't get in through this entry point.
- Eliminate moisture: This means a dry sink, dehumidifier, leak fixes, and anything else you need to do to dry out the property. They can't live in a completely dry environment.
- Professional assistance: Get professional residential or commercial pest control to establish preventative measures that keep them out. Most companies provide ongoing coverage so you never have to worry about this problem.
German Cockroach Control With Prosite
Whether it's a home or a place of business, you can count on German cockroaches making themselves at home if you leave yourself open to an infestation. This not only creates frustration, but also potential health problems, among other concerns.
That's why our team at Prosite provides all-inclusive pest protection for the people in Yakima County. We offer year-round coverage with three levels of pest protection and coverage designed to address every need and budget.
Are you in need of cockroach prevention services? Give us a call or go online to get started with our pest control options!