What Yakima County Property Owners Should Know About American Cockroaches

Are you familiar with the American cockroach? Do you know that these roaches are the largest roaches that get into Yakima County properties? Are you aware that they can spread more than 33 kinds of bacteria, 6 parasitic worms, and at least 7 human pathogens? Here are a few more facts every Yakima County property owner should know about American cockroaches.

American Cockroaches Aren't Common Household Pests In Our Area

These roaches are more likely to be found in institutional buildings rather than homes. They are drawn to dirty locations and will gravitate to warm, moist areas within structures. Most homes in Yakima County do not provide an ideal environment for this species of cockroach. But it is possible to have American cockroaches infest your home. Often what happens is roaches hitch a ride. They can get into furniture, boxes, and other items that are carried. They can also climb into produce bags. Once inside your home, these resilient insects will make do. The cleaner you keep your home, the more you will be able to suppress their ability to reproduce.

American Cockroaches Are Hard To Kill

When we say American cockroaches are resilient, we mean it. They are robust insects that are able to tolerate the harshest of conditions. This is why they survive most conventional treatments. If you attempt to kill these roaches with over-the-counter sprays, you're likely to create super roaches in your home. An American cockroach passes through 6 to 14 instars, each time shedding its old cuticle (skin) and creating a new one. The new cuticle can be designed to resist any chemicals found in the cockroach's environment.

They're also resistant to baits that are inappropriately deployed. Cockroaches work together to locate food and survive. If roaches start to die, it does not go unnoticed by the group. While each cockroach acts as an individual, it takes cues from the group. All of this is done by instinct.

Pest control professionals use field-tested strategies to get around the natural resistance and defensive behaviors that keep cockroaches from being eliminated. A professional will also use other methods beyond directly eliminating cockroaches to ensure proper control, such as sealing entry points, addressing breeding sites, and modifying environments.

American Cockroaches Are Usually Hard To Detect

• This cockroach species does not prefer to be seen. American cockroaches stay in secluded areas of a structure. If you see even one cockroach, it is likely that there are thousands more hidden in your walls.
• These roaches prefer warm, moist areas. They're likely to be found in boiler rooms, basements, or cellars. But, even in these areas, they tend to stay hidden because they prefer to be squeezed into tight spaces.
• You're likely to see cockroach skins, feces, or egg pouches before you see the roaches themselves.

How To Find Evidence Of American Cockroaches

The shed skins, black specks of feces, and reddish-brown egg pouches of American cockroaches will be found in secluded, and often hard-to-reach areas, such as behind or underneath appliances, within the voids of a drop-down ceiling, inside wall voids, and around pipes. But there are a couple of easy places to look for this evidence. The cabinets underneath sinks are a common place these insects will explore. Finding evidence is as easy as opening the cabinet door and moving the items within. You may also find this evidence in your boiler room. This tends to be one of the most humid areas of a home and an area that is rarely visited.

Why It Is Important To Detect American Cockroaches

Pest cockroaches, like the American cockroach, are known to cause illness. As mentioned, they are linked to the spread of more than 33 bacterial diseases. They have the ability to transmit at least 7 human pathogens. They have been found to pick up at least 6 species of parasitic worms. And, if all this isn't enough, their presence in a home will increase hospital visits for asthma-related symptoms.

What You Can Do About Cockroaches

At the first sign of infestation, contact Prosite. We service Yakima County with the highest level of pest control. We can guide you in finding the right solution for your specific needs and budget. Don't let these, or any other pest cockroach species, live in your home or infest a business you own. 

Reach out to us today for immediate assistance.