No matter where you live in the world, chances are, you’ve come into contact with cockroaches at one point or another. Whether they’re running across the patio of your favorite restaurant or crawling across the floor of your basement, you probably aren’t thrilled at the sight of these six-legged devils. Unfortunately, roaches are just a fact of life for home and business owners virtually everywhere, and we’re no different here in Yakima County. Fortunately, you don’t have to take roaches invading your turf lying down.
Common Area Roaches
We’ve got all the common North American cockroaches here in Washington State, including:
- American Cockroaches – Also known as palmetto bugs, are large, dark brown roaches that can reach up to two inches long. You’ll know them by their size alone.
- Brownbanded Cockroaches – These small roaches are rarer in Washington. They have alternating tan and dark brown stripes across their wings.
- German Cockroaches – The worst roach you can get in your home, these tan to light brown roaches breed faster than just about any other roach in the United States.
- Oriental Cockroaches – This shiny, black, segmented roach is often mistaken for a beetle because of its lack of long wings and hard-looking body.
Though each of these roaches is a separate species, they all exhibit similar behaviors, seek similar foods and hiding places, and spread the same diseases.
Dangers of Cockroaches
Diseases are the worst danger a cockroach infestation presents. Roaches are known or suspected to spread over 40 different pathogens. They do this in several different ways. They may contaminate your food stores by leaving droppings in them as they root through your pantry. They can contaminate surfaces in your house by crawling across them with their dirty feet. And, of course, all roaches eventually die, and their decomposing bodies can contaminate the general environment. Some of the diseases you can contract from a roach infestation include:
- Campylobacteriosis
- Cholera
- Dysentery
- E. Coli
- Gastroenteritis
- Giardia
- Leprosy
- Listeria
- Poliomyelitis
- Salmonella
- Typhoid Fever
Many of these illnesses can cause severe symptoms and lead to hospitalization and even death. For this reason, a roach infestation is much more serious than an infestation of many other pests.
What To Do About Roaches
Roach infestations are almost impossible to eradicate once they’ve established themselves in your home. Roaches breed exponentially, able to bloat their numbers from dozens to hundreds to thousands in just a few months. That’s why it’s important to focus on prevention over cure. To keep roaches out, take measures like:
- Seal off all holes and cracks in your home’s exterior.
- Make sure all window and door screens are well-fitted and intact.
- Install weather stripping under doors and windows.
- Keep all trash cans both in and outside tightly covered.
- Store all pantry foods in airtight containers.
- Always clean up immediately after meals and never leave dirty dishes or utensils sitting out.
- Fix moisture issues like leaky pipes or drainage problems. Use dehumidifiers in overly moist areas like basements and crawlspaces.
If you do wind up with a roach infestation anyway, there isn’t much you can do. Roaches’ notorious toughness is not unearned. Not only can they withstand decapitation and nuclear fallout, but they can also withstand bombs, fumigators, and other over-the-counter (OTC) insecticides you might try against them. That’s why, if you find yourself living with a horde of roach roomies, you’re going to need professional help.
Here at Prosite, we’ve got the science-backed answer to your roach problems. We always stay on top of the latest extermination technologies, so we'll update our methods faster no matter how fast roaches develop resistance. Give us a call at (509) 478-1925, or visit our contact page to get started on our effective home pest control services today!