Even though winter’s all but over for us in Florida, it’s still pretty cold. And if you’ve gone outside the last few days, you’ve almost certainly noticed the drop in flying, blood sucking mosquitos. And that’s not to say that this cold weather has killed them, but it’s at least made them come out less. But this really does beg the question: will cold weather kill roaches? Well, today we’ll discuss that, and what to do if it turns out that you’re out of luck and find yourself hosting a colony of disgusting Cold Weather Roaches.
Roaches and the Winter Time
Well, if you were to somehow ask a roach, they’d almost certainly tell you that they don’t like the cold. Cockroaches are cold-blooded and don’t survive very well in very hot or very cold environments. For example, when the temperature drops some species of roaches will actually spend their time huddled together for warmth.
In the winter time, when it’s cold outside, many roaches enter a hibernation-like state of dormancy. This is called diapause, an inactive state that slows their metabolism and growth. But, most of this only applies to roaches that spend their lives outdoors. If you need to know the real long and short of it? The cold mostly just chases them into your home. If you’re at a comfortable temperature, it’s likely that the roaches are as well. And your house will provide them with all of the food, water, and shelter that they need. Which means that they never quite have to stop growing, eating, and reproducing.
You may find yourself with a few new friends with that weather does start to drop. For one, you may find your self bunking with the American cockroach. This roach can grow up to 2 inches in length and is reddish-brown in color. It’s considered the largest house-infesting cockroach in the United States. American cockroaches may feed on anything from human food to feces. Since these roaches prefer areas where food and water are plentiful, they are most often found outdoors. However, they can invade homes as well, especially during extreme weather, like some winters. This is a pretty common bug, and one of the few down in Florida that is given the nickname “Palmetto bug”.
Cold Weather Roaches: What Can You Do?
Well, for one cleanliness goes a long way if you’re talking about prevention. Keeping food scraps out of the picture, making sure you don’t have any leaky faucets, and just keeping a generally clean surrounding will help. But once a colony is established, you almost certainly have to contact a pest control specialist. Cold weather roaches are no small infestation, and there will be almost nothing one layman can do. Try to contact a pro that uses green methods of pest control if you can as well since chemical pesticides have often had their safety called into question in recent years.